PR Awareness Week 2022

Prof Ewe applauded the organising committee for their effort and commented, “The PR Awareness Week is a great opportunity for participants to explore and connect with one another. From the webinars and workshops, I believe participants will also be able to learn and connect with experts who hail from all over the world. In this PR Awareness Week, participants will learn the various perspectives of the PR industry and this will be their gateway to know more about the industry and its impact on their career decision making.”

Dr Lee thanked the participants for their support and said, “The PRAW is an annual event organised by the Department of PR to provide insights into the latest development of the PR industry. Students need to be well equipped with the latest knowledge and skills of the industry so they remain competitive, and with the PRAW, participants are given that opportunity. The PRAW is also a platform for participants to form stronger connections, while the webinars and workshops will enable participants to learn from the speakers’ as well as each other’s experiences.”

The highlight of the opening ceremony was a keynote session titled “4Ps and Public Relations” by Prof Dato’ Sri Dr Syed Arabi bin Syed Abdullah Idid from International Islamic University Malaysia. The first “P” emphasised on the past of PR, where participants learnt about the development of PR which were traced in four phases, namely the period under colonial rule; the period from independence to the formation of Malaysia; the period after the formation of Malaysia; and the Mahathir period. He also listed the changes of the departmental names that PR was placed under, to finally in 1961, when PR was overseen by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The second “P” highlighted the practice of PR, whereby Prof Syed Arabi explained that its practice is viewed within the confines of an organisation, and its role in the socio-political and cultural dynamics of society. He then used the example of the 1Malaysia concept used by the Government to promote nation building and research, according to him, showed that the concept was well received by the public. “Public relations is involved in the campaign to provide information to the general public. It makes the public aware of the true nature of the disease(s) and counters fake news, especially during the pandemic. The third “P” was about the practitioners, who consisted of practitioners in the government and private sector, consultants, freelancers, and academicians. He explained that a PR practitioner’s role can range from communication technician roles to managerial roles. His explanation on the final “P” gave participants some insights into the present position of PR, which was ranked 10th among the other jobs commanding the highest respect.

His final remarks were, “We are now in a new phase with the presence of COVID-19. The conduct of government and businesses have been different, the media landscape has been greatly altered, and management styles have changed to cite some of the factors that would see the emergence of new social-cultural and political values. To the PR students, I advise you to be sensitive to this emergence of social-cultural and political values because to succeed in PR, you need to be conversant with current practices, know your subject area, and know and understand research.”

Webinars were held from 1 to 4 August 2022. The first webinar titled “Public Relations for Social Change: A Thai Perspective of Societies in Action” was conducted by Chiang Mai University, Thailand academic Dr Alicha Treerotchananon. She presented her perspective as an academic on societal engagement. She shared her experiences in social projects and ways PR create partnerships to overcome challenges. The second webinar titled “Diversity and Inclusion in Public Relations: A New Zealand Perspective” saw Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand academic Assoc Prof Dr Petra Theunissen discussing the significance of diversity and inclusion for the PR profession, and ways to go about creating a diverse and inclusive professional culture as seen from a New Zealand perspective. The third webinar was conducted by Universiti Utara Malaysia academic Dr S Maartandan Suppiah, who spoke on “Cultural Intelligence (CQ): The Essential Skill for the Communication Graduates”. His webinar highlighted the importance of cultural intelligence as a soft skill and the importance of cultural intelligence for effective communication in diverse cultural backgrounds. He also gave tips to participants on the benefits of cultural intelligence skills to secure employability among graduates.

Marketing Manager of FLYPROJECT Kim Ong Suan Kim spoke on “What Nobody Told You about Public Relations” at the fourth webinar. Her webinar highlighted the challenges and hard truths, such as the fact that one needs to be an all-round marketer to be the most efficient PR practitioner and to understand the entire PR ecosystem. The final webinar by academic Assoc Prof Peter Denyer-Simmons from Charles Sturt University & Institute for Land, Water and Society, Australia highlighted the importance of several types of connections to maintain an individual’s mental well-being, as well as the health and viability of regional communities. His webinar also reflected the importance of connection, and the vital roles of communication and culture in the contexts of Australia and Malaysia, while also listing the different ways the pandemic has been managed and experienced.

The workshop on “PR Consulting in Practice” by CENTRIQ PR Managing Director Jacqueline Arnold provided students with insights into the workings of a PR consultancy, including the different disciplines within the PR sphere and its operations on a day-to-day basis. The second workshop on “Navigating the World of PR, Influencers, and Social Media” by Bridges PR General Manager Leonard Heng saw the participants learning ways to stay resilient and competitive. He also explained the effectiveness of influencers as part of PR strategies and campaigns. Meanwhile, the “Nurturing Your Digital Marketing Skills through Social Media” workshop by Imperium International College Certified Digital Marketing Specialist Ravi Nagarathanam aimed to share the useful features of WhatsApp Business and TikTok which can be used as a tool to market the products and services of a business. The final workshop on “The New Marketing Landscape for Tomorrow’s Consumers” by PR Industry Advisor Khoo Kar Khoon offered participants a clear roadmap for marketers and PR professionals to become stronger stewards of brand and business growth amid the constantly accelerating pace of paradigm shift and market disruptions.

On 3 August 2022, a group of 40 students from SMK Sultan Muhammad Shah, Parit, Perak, visited the campus, in conjunction with PRAW 2022. The students were members of the school’s Ahli Pembimbing Rakan Sebaya dan Kelab Rukunegara Kerjaya.