Aims

• To broaden understanding of the complexities of communicating across borders and through cultures within the NGO sector.

• To become knowledgeable about how public relations has developed and is practiced in other countries by critically assessing a public relations campaign.


• To deploy a range of techniques for PR campaign planning in an international, cross-cultural context.

• To articulate a creative, culturally, politically, and legally appropriate response to a PR brief.


This module will build on students' knowledge of strategic PR planning, media law, culture, society and politics in a global context they acquire in MCH8065 in Semesters 1 and will enable them to reflect on the expertise and skills they gain from MCH8060 taught in Semester 2.

Students will be required to submit a debate report evaluating the impact of the political system, media system, economic system and other variables on the development and practice of PR abroad.

At the end of the module, students will be required to submit a proposal and pitch a communications campaign in response to a brief from an NGO operating overseas.

Outline Of Syllabus

• Role of PR in NGO management
• PR in developing countries
• Client briefing
• Features writing: profile
• Big Ideas
• How to write a PR proposal
• Competitive PR pitches
• Globalising strategies, localising tactics
• Alternative communication channels
• Measurement and evaluation in PR

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The lectures will focus on the examination and analysis of PR case studies within a variety of cultural and political contexts with the emphasis on the voluntary sector. To foster curriculum internationalisation and develop students’ global perspectives of the discipline, some of the lectures will be led by guest speakers, including academics and PR practitioners from overseas.

Scheduled group-led sessions will give students the opportunity to critically reflect on the extent of the theory application in their campaigns planning.

The Guided Independent Study time will be dedicated to students’ work on their campaigns planning and group pitches delivery with guidance from tutors provided via Discussion Board on Blackboard.

The assessment strategy will be presented to students as a valuable PR experience that could serve as a showcase for future employment. It will give students the opportunity to apply their knowledge of and skills in PR through the planning of a creative PR campaign overseas and the delivery of a PR pitch. This will enhance their critical thinking, strategic planning and cross-cultural communication skills.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessment will be divided into three parts related to the project delivered by students.

The first piece of assessment will comprise of an individual debate report outlining variations in PR practice in different political and cultural contexts. Students will be marked on their ability to identify relevant variables (political, cultural, economic) and critically assess their impact on public relations practice as well as offer recommendations for its future development. (K2, K3, S1, S2).

In Semester 2 students will be rewarded for their ability to deliver a creative and persuasive PR pitch in response to a client brief supported by a proposal with individually developed and assessed sections (K1, K2, K3, S1, S2, S3, S4).