Monique Abbenbroek is a senior lecturer in Communication and the academic international coordinator for the Bachelor of Communications at Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (RUAS) in the Netherlands. As one of the founders of the Communications degree, she has been deeply involved in its development and internationalisation. In addition to her role as a lecturer in the international #GetConnected programme, Monique is responsible for internationalising the curriculum, managing incoming and outgoing student mobility, and building and maintaining the international partner network. The pie chart below summarises her teaching topics, providing an overview of her teaching profile.

The #GetConnected programme, as the name suggests, is all about connecting people. It brings together students from diverse backgrounds, such as different cultures, countries, and areas of expertise. Content-wise, it focuses on linking Brand Activism to the PR professional’s role, as well as advising clients on how to influence their target audience’s behaviour through serious games developed by the students.

Currently, Monique’s efforts to internationalise the curriculum centre around developing blended intensive programmes. These are short, international student projects (approximately five weeks), with partner universities, involving primarily online participation, followed by one week of in-person collaboration at one of the participating institutions. This approach provides an accessible and inclusive way for all students to gain an international experience. One such project Monique initiated is the PAROLO project, a collaboration between Milan, Paris, London, and Rotterdam, where students develop PR recommendations for a real client.

Monique has also been involved with the Business Innovation research centre at RUAS, where she contributed to a research group focused on defining the essential 21st-century skills from a student perspective.

Additionally, Monique is a co-leader of the EUPRERA PR Education Network.