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#GetConnected - Media, Culture and Society

Exchange programme

Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything. Just do it – Nike

This campaign with Colin Kaepernick as the protagonist is considered to be one of the best examples when it comes to how organisation can take a stance on a political or social issue. It’s called brand activism and forms a new challenge for the PR professional. Many organisations keep quiet out of fear for being canceled by part of their stakeholders. But staying silent is also communicating something! People expect companies to speak up and address contentious issues. They expect companies to have an added value for society, a purpose. And in this mediatised world we are living in, these people have a strong voice.  

Participation seems to be a key concept in today’s society. This participatory culture where people are critical and assertive, demands a sensitive antenna from an organisation. In order to assure its ‘license to operate’ an organisation should adapt to this transition by implementing new strategies and defining a new role for the communication professional.   

In the networked society people can easily get connected and form a group of like minded people to challenge the status quo of an organisation. Activist communities become bolder in addressing sensitive issues and subsequently putting pressure on companies to take a stand and act in a for them favourable way. As a future PR professional it is imperative to know how communities are being built and how they can exert influence on the policy of an organisation.  

Purpose, brand activism, communities… Making the world a better place. That’s what the #GetConnected programme is all about. 

Facts and figures

The programme at a glance

Programme information

What to expect

About the programme

The programme #GetConnected has roughly two tracks; communication about societal issues from an organisational and PR point of view, and bringing about change from the point of view of the grassroots, i.e. activist communities.

These two tracks are divided into 4 modules, eMagazine 1 and 2, Building a Community and Skills. 

Building a Community

1. Community management

As the title of this module already indicates, you will work as a community manager during this programme. Together with three other students you will form a Community management team (CMT).  

You start a community based on a theme related to a Sustainable Development Goal you are enthusiastic about (e.g. gender equality, clean oceans, zero hunger). You will do thorough research to understand your target audience and its needs. You define the name of you community, its goal and its corporate branding. You create a corporate visual story, fitting content and execute a guerilla marketing action to promote your community. 

2. Workshops

You will participate in several workshops. In these workshops you have the opportunity to gain additional knowledge, inspiration and experiences to make your community successful.  

Field trip (not mandatory)

To experience how international organisations in the field of PR work, we will also take you on a field trip to London. You will visit inspiring and innovative agencies and organisations, and meet students from our partner university while working together on a small assignment. Of course you will also have plenty of time to get to know this amazing city. 

eMagazine part 1 and 2

During the programme you create an eMagazine in a team with 3 other students. You will write and design your eMagazine for PR professionals who want to gain more knowledge about activist communities and want to learn how to collaborate with them in order to consolidate their license to operate. The eMagazine spans two modules. Each module has its own theoretical framework and topics. The focus of the eMagazine modules is on the mutual influence of PR, media and activist communities.

Skills

This module serves to support the assignments of the other modules. 

In order to create a visually appealing and interesting community platform and eMagazine, we are convinced you need specific skills.  

These skills are: 

  • Write in correct English;
  • create coherent and appealing designs. 

Through workshops and consults on these specific topics we trust you will leverage the newly gained knowledge to produce a fantastic must-read eMagazine and create engagement with and compose dazzling content for your community. 

 

 

Method

Building a Community

The first 4 weeks of the programme focus on starting a community. You will attend several theoretical and practical sessions in order to give you enough knowledge to build your community. After these four weeks you will keep on building the community by organising a guerilla marketing action to let the world know you exist and by making and posting content. Every week you have a consult with your supervisor to discuss the progress.

eMagazine part 1 and 2

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Starting in week 5 you form a new team (so you get to know a lot of your classmates pretty well), the eMag team. With this team you prepare and give a weekly peer lecture about an assigned topic related to PR, activism and the media. This peer lecture is based on two academic papers which also form the basis for the 7 issues of the eMagazine that you write. Every week you have a consult with your supervisor during which you will receive feedback on the written issues.

Skills

InDesign

For eight weeks you will have an introductory InDesign course of two hours per week. During these lectures you will individually create a design for the eMagazine.

English

For the non-native speakers we offer a crash course English. An English grammar refreshment class and a Tips and Tricks workshop are planned, besides an individual consult about an article you have written.

Type of assessment

  • Presentations
  • Group assignments
  • Individual assignments

For more information, see the seperate module descriptions on this page.

Learning outcomes

There are no overall learning outcomes for this exchange programme. Please find the learning outcomes for each module under the section Modules on this page.

Calendar

NOTE: Spring 2024 calendar will be published mid-October. To get an impression, please see the Fall 2023 calendar below.

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Awarding

After completing your exchange programme at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, you will receive a:

  • Transcript of records

Modules

An indication of the modules you can expect

Location

Where you can find us
Foto van locatie Location

Wijnhaven 107

Wijnhaven 107 3011 WN Rotterdam
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