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20 February 2024
EUPRERA 2024 Congress in Bucharest – submissions deadline approaching!

We are happy to announce that the EUPRERA XXV annual congress submissions platform is open!

If you attended the EUPRERA Congress in the past and you already have an account on ConfTool, then you can access the platform using the same username and password. If not, you must create an account to submit a paper or a panel.

The Congress submissions platform can be accessed at https://www.conftool.net/euprera2024/

More details on tracks, submission requirements, and publication opportunities are available on the Congress website: https://euprera2024.unibuc.ro/

Submit your short-length paper, full-length research paper or panel proposal by March 15th, 2024!

19 February 2024
EUNES Research Escalator 2024 – Bucharest

EUNES invites early- and mid-career scholars to participate in the EUNES Research Escalator session at the upcoming EUPRERA 25th Annual Congress, hosted by the University of Bucharest from September 11th to 14th, 2024.

The EUNES Research Escalator allows you to present your work-in-progress paper or research idea and receive invaluable peer feedback and support.

Here’s why you shouldn’t miss out:

  • Share your work-in-progress as an extended abstract (500–800 words) and receive constructive guidance from peers to refine your concepts toward publication.
  • Connect with fellow scholars who share your passion and vision. Cultivate meaningful collaborations that drive impactful research outcomes.
  • Engage in enriching discussions with peers and gain new insights that enhance your research trajectory. At EUNES, we believe in the power of mutual learning and collaboration.

Whether your research leans towards empirical exploration or conceptual innovation, our inclusive community welcomes scholars from diverse backgrounds, affiliations, and locations within public relations and strategic communication. Researchers at all career stages are encouraged to apply. In case of high demand, preference is given to submissions from early- and mid-career researchers.

Here are the key dates:

  • June 2nd, 2024: Deadline for extended abstract submission (500–800 words).
  • June 19th, 2024: Decision on acceptance of extended abstract.
  • August 12th, 2024: Deadline for revised extended abstract submission (optional).
  • August 16th, 2024: Assignment of extended abstracts for in-depth review.

Ready to elevate your research journey? Submit your extended abstract to eunes@euprera.org by June 2nd, 2024, and embark on this enriching experience with us.

We look forward to welcoming you aboard the EUNES Research Escalator; if you are interested in more information about EUNES, read the dedicated section on the EUPRERA website.

 

The European Network of Emerging Scholars (EUNES) is a EUPRERA network that supports early- and mid-career scholars in public relations and strategic communication. It advances core values of solidarity, peace, equality, and respect, fosters innovation in research and teaching, facilitates collaboration and networking, and promotes skills development initiatives. EUPRERA members from all backgrounds are welcome to join by completing this form.

12 February 2024
#EUPRERAtalks: Women in PR History
Women in PR History

Date and Time:
Monday, February 19, 2024, 4 pm @ US Central Time Zone
Monday, February 19, 2024, 11 pm @ Central European Time
Tuesday, February 20, 9 am @ Australian Eastern Standard Time
What to expect from the webinar

This webinar will be on telling “her-story” in the field of public relations.
There has been only scarce reference to how women have shaped the area of communication and public relations even though historically their role can be traced back into centuries.
Either through nature or nurture women excelled at a national and international level leaving a mark, laying the foundations and of course contributing/leading developments.
Dr Topics, Dr Fitch and Dr Theofilou will try to change the discourse by presenting different cases of women in PR history from around the world and in various industries.

 

Speakers

Dr Martina Topic, University of Alabama, US
Dr Martina Topić is an associate professor in PR leadership at the University of Alabama, College of Communication and Information Sciences, Department of Advertising and PR, USA. She is editor-in-chief of Corporate Communications and Northern Lights journals and editor-in-chief of the book series ‘Women, Economics and Labour Relations’. She is an author of Workplace Culture in Mass Communication Industries (Routledge, 2023) and CSR and Environmental Affairs in the British Press (Routledge, 2021). She is a member of the American Sociological Association, British Sociological Association, and EUPRERA.

Dr Kate Finch, Monash University, AUS
Dr Kate Fitch is a Senior Lecturer in the School of Media, Film and Journalism at Monash University, Australia. Her research foregrounds critical and sociocultural understandings of public relations, drawing on historical, feminist and social justice perspectives. Her first monograph, Professionalizing Public Relations: History, Gender and Education (Fitch, 2016) remains the only book-length, historical investigation of the industry in Australia. Her second book, Popular Culture and Social Change: The Hidden Work of Public Relations (Fitch & Motion, 2021) offers a critical account of the broader societal impact of public relations. Dr Fitch is the co- editor for Public Relations Inquiry.

Dr  Tasos Theofilou, Bournemouth University, UK
is Principal Academic in Public Relations at the Faculty of Media and Communication, at Bournemouth University (BU), UK. He is Chair of the International History of Public Relations Conference (IHPRC), guest editor of multiple special issues focusing on the history of public relations (namely with CCIJ, PR Review, JPRR ) and editor of book entitled “Women in PR History”, published by Routledge 2020. Tasos has held various managerial positions within academia such as leadership of academic programmes and Head of Corporate & Marketing Communications (academic) Department at Bournemouth University. He is an External Examiner for the Charted Institute of Public Relations and member of EUPRERA.

Duration

1 hour

 

9 February 2024
What Communication Professionals Do: now available in 2 more languages

We are happy to announce that our project “What Communication Professionals Do” is now available in two more languages: Ukrainian and Serbian, taking the total number of languages available up to 11!

The project started in 2018 in the Netherlands (University of Applied Sciences Leiden and Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen) and has since then grown internationally. Since 2023, it is run by the independent Dutch Foundation for communication research.

The researchers involved, led by project leader dr mr Piet Hein Coebergh MBA, aim for a better understanding of what a communication professional is and what she or he does. Indeed, the main focus of this project is to develop understanding of the competencies and roles of communication management practitioners across countries and across business sectors.

You can learn more in the dedicated page on the site.

 

2 February 2024
EUPRERA Paper Development Workshop 2024 – Bucharest

The Paper Development Workshop (PDW) is an engaging environment to discuss and develop research papers for competitive journals.

The  PDW 2024 will take place in Bucharest, as a pre-conference (mid-day to afternoon) on the opening day of the EUPRERA conference, on 11 September 2024.

Selected papers will be discussed with peers as well as with specially invited senior discussants (advanced scholars with very strong expertise in the focus area of the respective papers) who provide feedback based on their experience and with a particular emphasis on publishing in highly competitive journals. The PDW is a closed workshop format for authors of accepted papers and the invited senior respondents.

More on how to apply and the selection process on the dedicated page of the website.

24 January 2024
#EUPRERAtalks: Leadership and Wellbeing in Communication Industries

#EUPRERAtalks series dives into one of the latest trends in the field: how to be a excellent leader, one that ensures a workplace characterized by wellbeing and supportiveness.

Leadership and Wellbeing in Communication Industries
Date: January 30, 2024, Tuesday
Time: 4:00 pm CET
What to expect from the webinar

This webinar will discuss wellbeing in communication industries with respect to leadership and workplace culture. The speakers will discuss original research findings collected as part of the EUPRERA research network ‘Women in PR’ where the research team surveyed communication practitioners generally. Panelists will discuss what constitutes excellent leadership, how practitioners assess the supportiveness of their managers, and what wellbeing issues they report. The webinar will run as a round table discussion with Q&A at the end. The coordinator of the webinar is Dr Martina Topić (University of Alabama, US) who also leads the EUPRERA research network.

 

Speakers

Dr Anca Anton, University of Bucharest, Romania
Anca Anton is Senior lecturer at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences, University of Bucharest, Romania, where she teaches marketing communications, corporate public relations, business communication and digital writing. Her research covers the transformations of the PR/comms profession and industry, the intersection of communication and democratised forms of diplomacy, marketing communication, digital governmental communication.

Dr Raluca Moise, City, University of London, UK
Dr. Raluca Moise is Senior Lecturer in Communications at School of Communication & Creativity, City University of London. Her past research in public relations has focused on areas such as new technologies, reputation (individual, organizational; online and classic media); public opinion and public interest. Most recent research explores sustainability in strategic communications: in its occupational field, with a focus on freelancers; in its communication practices, with an emphasis on equity, diversity and inclusivity. Raluca is a member of EUPRERA and an active network member in ‘Women in PR’ and ‘Education in PR’. Prior to joining City, she worked as lecturer at University of the Arts of London and University of Bucharest, also having worked as a practitioner in public relations, advertising and digital publishing.

Dr Nicholas Eng, University of Georgia, US
Dr Nicholas Eng  is Assistant Professor in the department of Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Georgia, where he teaches PR Foundations and PR Ethics, Diversity, and Cross-cultural Leadership. His research investigates the interplay between message features and audience factors in shaping psychological and behavioral responses to messages about health and the environment. His research agenda also includes advancing research around corporate social responsibility and corporate social advocacy.

Dr Michal Chmiel, Royal Holloway, University of London, UK
Michal Chmiel (Ph.D., SFHEA, MCIPR) is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in Psychology. He has been involved in Public Relations UG and PG education for 15 years. Formerly BA (Hons) Public Relations Course Leader at London College of Communication (UAL), he is now BSc (Hons) Programme Director for Environment and Social Change at Royal Holloway, University of London. Michal’s research interests focus on the role of the impact of Brand PR on the society, fake news, and PR education.

Dr Maria Joao Cunha, University of Lisbon, Portugal
Maria João Cunha has a PhD in Communication Sciences, specialized in Sociology of Communication. She is an Associate Professor at Institute of Social and Political Sciences, in the University of Lisbon, Portugal. She is a co-founding member and integrated researcher of the Interdisciplinary Centre of Gender Studies (CIEG/ISCSP-ULisboa), also currently acting as subdirector. She is a member of EUPRERA, in Women in PR network. She develops research in gender studies, with particular interest in women’s role in communication industries, media representations of women and vulnerable groups, gender violence and body image.

Moderator

Dr Martina Topic, University of Alabama, US
Dr Martina Topić is an associate professor in PR leadership at the University of Alabama, College of Communication and Information Sciences, Department of Advertising and PR, USA. She is editor-in-chief of Corporate Communications and Northern Lights journals and editor-in-chief of the book series ‘Women, Economics and Labour Relations’. She is an author of Workplace Culture in Mass Communication Industries (Routledge, 2023) and CSR and Environmental Affairs in the British Press (Routledge, 2021). She is a member of the American Sociological Association, British Sociological Association, and EUPRERA.

Duration

1 hour

 

21 January 2024
Juan Meng Receives the 2023 IPR Pathfinder Award

We are happy to celebrate achievements in the EUPRERA community! Dr. Juan Meng, the Head of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia (USA), was honoured with the prestigious 2023 IPR Pathfinder Award. This award is presented annually by the Institute for Public Relations to an individual whose published work serves as a bridge between the public relations profession and the research community. The IPR Pathfinder Award Committee, comprised of the IPR Board of Trustees, past winners, and academic leaders in the field, recognized Dr. Meng’s remarkable achievements and outstanding contributions to the field of public relations through research, education, and leadership.

Juan Meng’s dedication to public relations is marked by significant and sustained contributions, resulting in a significant corpus of articles, chapters, books, and other research endeavours that have advanced the profession, earning international attention. Her teaching areas include public relations campaigns, research, management, and global PR, while her research focuses on leadership in public relations, measurement, trust, employee engagement, and reputation management.

She has been substantially involved in the EUPRERA community: editing special issues, contributing to research projects, taking part in webinars, and delivering interviews showcase her commitment to fostering knowledge-sharing and collaboration within the EUPRERA public relations community. Here are a few examples:

As an IPR Pathfinder Award recipient, she joins the ranks of other EUPRERA members who received this distinction: Ansgar Zerfass (2014), Anne Gregory (2015), Dejan Verčič (2016), and Juan-Carlos Molleda (2022).

Acceptance speech │Complete list of IPR Pathfinder Award recipients
17 January 2024
EUPRERA joins ICCO’s Media Information and Education Pledge

EUPRERA joins ICCO’s Media Information and Education Pledge founded alongside the Council of Europe, EACD (European Association of Communication Directors), GWPR (Global Women in PR), and The Trust Project, the international consortium of news organizations promoting standards of transparency in journalism.

Launched in Strasbourg in June 2023, the Pledge stands as a testament to the shared responsibility that various entities – including PR & communications, media, journalism, institutions, tech platforms, and fact-checking organizations – bear in addressing the pressing issue of misinformation. This collaborative effort aims to foster shared solutions, preventative methods, and a commitment to educating industry professionals and the wider public.

The principles guiding the Pledge are:

  1. Uphold the values of free speech and democratic debate.
  2. Promote the importance of trusted, reliable sources of information and explain their collective value to employees, other media stakeholders and the public.
  3. Educate employees to differentiate trustworthy information from dis/misinformation and introduce protocols to institutionalize this process.
  4. Use large language learning models and other generative AI tools responsibly, recognizing both their potential value and the risk of undermining access to trustworthy information.
  5. Identify and take steps to eradicate both disinformation (intentional) and misinformation (unintentional).
  6. Pro-actively educate other media stakeholders offering guidance, tools and training to assist in identifying trustworthy information and removing misinformation online.
  7. Take collective responsibility in educating the public and assisting in the identification, alerting, and removing of misinformation.
  8. Share responsibility, resources, training and best practice across organisations, sectors and borders, developing concrete actions that can be applied by stakeholders internationally.
  9. Call out media suppression, especially when it occurs under the guise of protecting against misinformation.
  10. Educate and inform employees and stakeholders on the technology used in information threat by unreliable and unaccountable actors.

Stefania Romenti, on behalf of EUPRERA, highlighted the importance of continuous media education and literacy in adapting to the evolving challenges in communication and public relations. She emphasized, “Academic study and research of misinformation will be a vital part of tackling this threat to ethical and professional communication, and I am proud that EUPRERA has joined ICCO’s call to join forces and share responsibility in combatting the issue.” Throughout 2024 EUPRERA will start addressing and incorporating the Pledge in its activities.

Massimo Moriconi, European President and Misinformation Lead at ICCO, underscored the relevance of the pledge in combating misinformation, particularly in light of the irresponsible use of Artificial Intelligence: “Our Pledge takes on a relevant significance and serves as a foundation on which ICCO will continue to build the partnerships necessary to create shared solutions and education tools.”

 

Press release │ Pledge
8 January 2024
Jesper Falkheimer Assumes the Role of EUPRERA President

Starting January 2024, Jesper Falkheimer takes up the position of EUPRERA President for the tenure spanning 2024-2025. Following this transition, Stefania Romenti is stepping into the role of Past President after contributing significantly to EUPRERA’s strategic vision over the last two years.

As part of the Board of Directors, the new President will be supported not only by the Past President, but also by the two Executive Directors, Sabine Einwiller and Wim Elving, and Anca Anton, the new Director of PR and Administration, replacing Virginia Villa.

Jesper Falkheimer delineated two principal strategic directions guiding his presidency. The first underscores an intensified effort to forge collaborations with professional organizations, emphasizing the importance of synergies between academia and industry. The second strategic focus centers on increasing support for educational exchanges within the EUPRERA community, fostering knowledge dissemination and academic advancement.

Jesper Falkheimer brings an extensive academic background to his new role. Holding a Ph.D. in Media and Communication Studies from Lund University, he achieved the distinction of being Sweden’s first Professor in Strategic Communication in 2012. His research interests encompass strategic communication, crisis communication, public relations, terrorism, and place branding, examined through the prism of persuasive communication processes between organizations and its stakeholders within a social theoretical framework. Having occupied diverse university management positions, including Head of the Division for Research, Collaboration, and Innovation at Lund University, he is well-acquainted with academic leadership. Serving as the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Communication Management and holding honorary positions at institutions globally, Jesper Falkheimer brings a global perspective to EUPRERA, promising a tenure focused on collaboration, innovation, and a commitment to academic excellence.

21 December 2023
STATEMENT OF THE ASSOCIATION ON THE SHOOTING IN #PRAGUE

A few hours ago a terrible shooting took place in Prague, at Charles University, Faculty of Arts.

We are shocked and disheartened by such actions.

We experienced the beauty and tranquillity of Prague just a few months ago, when we attended the EUPRERA Congress.

Fortunately, we can confirm that the Prague Congress organising team is safe, although understandably shook.

They are in our thoughts. Stay safe!

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