awards Archives

Articles Tagged with: awards

15 November 2022

MA and PhD theses are welcomed!

Applications for the 2023 edition of our theses awards are open!

The three winners (one for each category of the Master award and one for the PhD award) will be invited to present their theses at the EUPRERA Annual Congress in Prague on Sept. 20-23. EUPRERA will contribute to cover the travel and accommodation costs (up to € 350 for each winner).

Master Award

This award is a celebration of the PR academia and of the role performed by European Higher Education Institutions in the evolution of knowledge of the field of public relations.

Chair of the Jury: Dr. Martina Topić, Leeds Beckett University

Eligibility: All theses (MSc, MA and MPhil) in any language from alla countries assessed by the university of origin up to 13 months before the submission

Deadline for applications: February 27, 2023

More info: www.euprera.org/ma-award

PhD Award

This award honours academic excellence in the fields of public relations and communication management.

Chairs of the Jury: Winni Johansen, Aarhus Universiy; Wim Elving, Hanze University

Eligibility: All doctoral dissertations in any language from all countries, formally approved with a formal examination at the candidate’s university within the last 24 months before the submission

Deadline for applications: February 27, 2023

More info: www.euprera.org/phd-award

Help us promote the awards!

Spread the word in your department and talk to promising candidates to encourage them to submit their important work. You can also download a poster for your department:

28 July 2022

EUPRERA Master Thesis Award: 2022 finalists announced!

Out of 17 applications from 11 different countries (Austria, Croatia, Germany, Lithuania, Malawi, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Ukraine, UK), the Jury, together with a panel of expert reviewers, selected the finalists for the Master Thesis Award for Excellence in the theoretical and in the practical categories.

The EUPRERA BoD, the award coordinator Martina Topić and the jurors congratulate these promising graduates on the outstanding academic work done so far.

A winner in each category will be announced in September, selected among the following finalists:

Theoretical Impact Award

Ivona Jelicic, Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, Croatia: The Role and Effect of Hating on Social Media.
Anne Margaret Cumming, University of Stirling, UK: How racial justice documentaries can be used as a public relations tool: a case study of Ava DuVernay’s ‘When They See Us’.
Caoillin Putti, University of Stirling, UK: Leadership Communication in a Global Pandemic: A Comparative Study of Taoisigh’s Communications in Ireland in Response to COVID-19.
Nyale Chimbalu, University of Stirling, UK: The untold story of women public relations practitioners in Malawi: A critical feminist analysis of gender in public relations.
Lisa Dalla Pria, University of Stirling, UK: Communicating CSR on social media: how framing and source affect message credibility, corporate reputation and WOM.
Lisa Hadwin, Leeds Beckett University, UK: Stakeholder theory in the local public sector organisation: An exploration of the extent to which it can be considered fit for purpose, through an examination of the practitioner perspective.
Sabrina Müller, Goldsmith University of London, UK: Trust in the New Normal – Tesco’s brand communication during the pandemic.

Practical Impact Award

Diana Borovik, Vilnius University, Lituania: The Role of Employee Ambassadors During Organizational Change.
Lucille Cotman-Morrison, University of the Arts London, UK: The Lie of The “Perfect Mom” & The Role of Public Relations in the Construction and Deconstruction of its Discourse.
Olena Potalakha, V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Ukraine: Advergaming as the University’s Corporate Communication Instrument.

Help us promote the next edition!

The EUPRERA Master Thesis Award for Excellence is organised every year: spread the word in your department and talk to promising MA candidates directly to encourage them to submit their important work! More info are available on the award page

6 December 2021

Call for applications: EUPRERA students’ awards

Dear Members and Colleagues,

The entries for our students’ awards are open and we need your help to promote this opportunity!

Our annual survey shows that the majority of the applicants learnt of the call for applications thanks to their tutors, supervisors or universities: your support in spreading the word is really important!

Master Award 2022

AIM: The Master Thesis Award for Excellence is a celebration of the PR academia and of the role performed by European Higher Education Institutions in the evolution of knowledge of this field.

REWARDS: The winners of the 2 categories (theoretical/practical impact) will receive a certificate and they will be invited to present their theses at the EUPRERA 2022 Annual Congress in Vienna (travel paid).

ELIGIBLE THESES: MSc, MA and MPhil theses in any language from all countries that have been assessed and classified by the university of origin up to 13 months before the date of submission. Check all the conditions in the Call for applications.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: February 27, 2022

MORE INFO: on the award’s webpage

TO HELP US PROMOTE IT: Download and print the poster | Download and spread the Call

PhD Award 2022-2023

AIM: The PhD Award for Excellent Doctoral Theses honours academic excellence in the fields of public relations and communication management.

REWARDS: The winner will receive a certificate and will be invited to present the winning thesis at the EUPRERA 2023 Annual Congress in Prague (travel paid). The winner will be recognised as a leading expert in public relations, corporate communication or communication management.

ELIGIBLE THESES: Theses in any language from all countries that have been formally approved with a formal examination at the candidate’s university within the last 24 months before the submission deadline. Check all the conditions in the Call for applications.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: March 15, 2023

MORE INFO: on the award’s webpage

TO HELP US PROMOTE IT: Download and print the poster | Download and spread the Call

More awards

Next year on the occasion of our congress in Vienna we will deliver also the EUPRERA Best Paper, the EUPRERA Best Reviewer and the Emerald Professional Impact Awards.

Don’t miss the opportunity to have your work recognised: submit your abstract by February 1, 2022! Call for Papers and all info on the congress website.

If you missed the 2021 winners, have a look here!

3 March 2021

IPRA Golden World Awards for Excellence: entries now open

IPRA, the International Public Relations Association, announces that the Golden World Awards for Excellence (GWA) 2021 competition is now open to receive entries, until May 10.

The annual IPRA Golden World Awards initiative, established in 1990, recognizes excellence in public relations practice worldwide in 37 categories. Recipients of the award take particular pride in the recognition granted to their entry as meeting international standards of excellence in public relations. An overall IPRA Grand Prix for Excellence is presented each year to the entry judged as representing the highest standard that year, as well as a special Global Contribution Award for PR with an objective of meeting one of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

More info

27 September 2019

Awards for best research papers in public relations: EUPRERA and Emerald honor academics and practitioners

The European Public Relations Education and Research Association (EUPRERA), a body of academic institutions, researchers and senior professionals in the field of strategic communication with nearly 500 members from 40 countries, has awarded authors for their excellent research in strategic communication at the EUPRERA annual congress in Zagreb, on September 27. The congress is known as the major gathering of scholars and professionals interested in advancing the profession of public relations and corporate communications on the continent, hosted this year by University of Zagreb in Croatia.

Academic awards for research on
communication strategies to activate citizens,
Twitter as a lobbying tool, communication in Disaster Management

EUPRERA Best Paper Awards were given to the authors of three papers with the highest rankings in a two-stage, blind peer-review process performed by a scientific committee of renowned international scholars, headed by Sabine Einwiller from University of Wien in Austria. Sabine Einwiller, Head of the scientific committee, and Ralph Tench, EUPRERA President, delivered the awards for the three winning papers:

“Small But Mighty. Communication Strategies Of Dutch Local Energy Initiatives” by Petrus ter Halle, Pascal de Vries, Liesbeth Hermans.
The paper addresses the role of communication strategies in activating citizens in private Local Energy Initiatives (LEIs) to stimulate engagement in a common social cause. In phase one, authors interviewed representatives of LEIs to then, in phase two, extend and deepen the insights by presenting them to other LEIs using dedicated workshops. It shows that LEIs do not appear to have a clear communication strategy, but elements of such a strategy are readily identifiable, and LEIs activate enormous civic potential. The paper is very innovative with a high level of practical significance and an inspiring methodological approach.

“The Democratic Success of Twitter as a Lobbying tool” by Øyvind Ihlen, Ketil Raknes, Anders O. Larson.
The paper discusses the contribution of Twitter to democratic goals of engagement and debate by asking “What type of interest groups and organizations succeed in having members of parliament react on (retweet) their Twitter messages?”. To answer this question, the authors analyzed the extent to which Norwegian politicians retweet messages from interest groups and lobbyists during normal parliamentary activity. Despite the touted democratic potential of Twitter, the researchers find that it is the powerful groups and organizations that get heard more by politicians, also on Twitter. The paper is excellently written with solid links to the relevant literature and sound methodology.

“Building Community Resilience: Strategic Communication in Disaster Management”, by Gayadini Imesha Dharmasena Madho Kandage, Margalit Toledano, Kay Weaver.
The authors analyze the use of strategic communication for building community resilience to natural disasters in two different socio-cultural contexts, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Based on 50 in-depth interviews of communication managers in government and non-profit organizations involved in disaster management, it shows that Sri Lanka has a fatalistic approach to disasters relying on collectivistic values, while in New Zealand the challenge is to persuade people to seek help from others and to be familiar with good sources of help and information. This highly interesting paper has a solid theoretical basis, sound methodology and contributes to our understanding of building community resilience in different cultures.

Moreover, Emerald Group Publishing, publisher of Journal of Communication Management, presented the yearly Emerald Professional Impact Award for the best research-based paper that is not only academically sound, but which makes an important and useful contribution to the practice of communication management. The paper addresses issues of current concern to managers and also successfully discusses the research’s implications to managers and for practice. The winning paper is:

“Happy or End: The Role of Strategic Communication in Start-ups”, by Markus Wiesenberg, Alexander Hagen Godulla, Katharina Tengler, Inga-Marit Noelle, Julia Kloss, Natalie Klein and David Eeckhout.
The paper is based on very sound theorizing, and takes an effort to ground the research in wider concepts and theoretical discussions that go beyond a mere observation of startup communication. Based on a systematic literature, the authors chose a qualitative-explorative approach reflecting the external perspective of consultants and funders as well as the internal perspective with start-up founders and the communication managers (where existent). Results reveal eight areas in which start-ups face strategic communication challenges including the basic orientation of strategic communication. This is an excellent paper combining a tight theoretical framework with practical and professional impact.

Special recognition to the best reviewer

EUPRERA Best Reviewer Award recognizes the work done by the reviewer because it is an essential contribution to the quality and the success of the annual congress. The scientific committee identified as this year’s winner:

Grazia Murtarelli from IULM University, Milano, Italy, who has contributed to careful, thorough and useful reviews.

6 June 2019

Awards to colleagues and EUPRERA members

Several EUPRERA members, including both institutions and individuals, are often recognised for their outstanding contribution to the research field. In May we celebrated and gave congratulations to:

Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Spain, for having its student Liudmila Kirchenca and professor Angeles Moreno recognized with the Academic Excellence prize, awarded by AIRP (Asociación de Investigadores en Relaciones Públicas). Read the press release (Spanish)
Aarhus BSS, Denmark, for having its professors Finn Frandsen and Winni Johansen recognized for their “world-class research” in organisational crises, crisis management and crisis communication with the KOM-pris, awarded by The Danish Union of Journalists and Kforum. Read the press release

4 October 2018

Join IPRA in Barcelona to celebrate excellence in PR, Oct. 18-19

The IPRA Golden World Awards for Excellence awards ceremony and Gala dinner will take place on Friday 19 October 2018 in Barcelona, Spain.
Before the Gala, on Thursday 18 October afternoon and Friday 19 morning, the PR conference “Voices” is taking place, hosted by Blanquerna School of Communication and International Relations, the foremost Communication School in the country. Speakers are international and will be covering corporate diplomacy, risk and reputation as well as an insight into what makes for engaging digital presence.

More info and registration:
Voices conference
Gala dinner

2 October 2018

Awards for best research papers in public relations: EUPRERA and Emerald honor academics and practitioners from Europe

Aarhus, September 28, 2018 – EUPRERA has awarded authors for their excellent research in strategic communication at the EUPRERA annual congress in Aarhus, on September 28. The congress is known as the major gathering of scholars and professionals interested in advancing the profession of public relations and corporate communications on the continent, hosted this year by Aarhus University in Denmark.

Academic awards for research on
conversation analysis, conceptual heritage, online stakeholder dialogues

EUPRERA Best Paper Awards were given to the authors of three papers with the highest rankings in a two-stage, blind peer-review process performed by a scientific committee of renowned international scholars, headed by Stefania Romenti from IULM University in Milan, Italy. The three winning papers are:
““Big Ideas“ Emerging From a Microscopic Perspective. The Why and How of Conversation Analytic Thinking for Strategic Communication” by Christian Schwägerl.
Drawing on the theoretical framework of ethnomethodology (EM) and conversation analysis (CA), the paper reflects the majorly deterministic presupposition of “communication“ of this mainstay. CA methodology may detect the specifics of stakeholders’ speech varieties with which they construe and interpret their social worlds. Seeking to accomplish outcomes, strategic communication has to relate to these specifics. Strategizing and evaluating has to be attuned to the microscopic perspective of the reciprocity emerging in communicative processes. The paper closes with the thought that CA’s inductive, strictly data-based fine-grained analyses of the sequential organization of speaker turns elicit this emergence.
“The Conceptual Heritage of Public Relations: Using Public Memory to Explore Constraints and Liberation” by W. Timothy Coombs and Sherry Holladay.
This article is an eye opener bridging the past and the future, contextualizing key concepts from different perspectives which enriches the reflections both, academics and practitioners, should have while “working” on them. The authors take the right distance and keep a valuable and scientific objectivity when describing from the perspective of “conceptual heritage” how these three concepts emerged and how counter-narratives can (and do) challenge and enrich the dominant one. It is a very dense piece of work summarizing throughout a well-done reflection the academic developments of our field.
“Controlling Conversations: The Effects of Moderation Strategies in Online Stakeholder Dialogues”, by Alexander Buhmann, Kateryna Maltseva, Christian Fieseler, Matthes Fleck.
The paper extends recent research on online dialogic strategies by providing evidence of the actual effects of different types of online dialogue strategies on common CSR outcomes, through an experimental vignette methodology. The paper distinguishes between two fundamental styles of moderating online stakeholder dialogues, namely: controlled conversations and crowdsourced conversations. This paper adds to building theory on the dialogic potential of online media by offering insights into the varying effects of stakeholder communication strategies in social media dialogues.
Moreover, Emerald Group Publishing, publisher of Journal of Communication Management, presented the yearly Emerald Professional Impact Award for the best research-based paper that is not only academically sound, but which makes an important and useful contribution to the practice of communication management. The paper addresses issues of current concern to managers and also successfully discusses the research’s implications to managers and for practice. The winning paper is:
“Communicating the Corporate Strategy: An International Benchmark Study in the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany”, by Karolin Köhler, Ansgar Zerfass.
Strong methodology offering opportunities for both future academic and practice-oriented reflections.
It is very interesting to read about these 3 conceptual approaches: strategic communication, communication strategy and strategy communication, to differentiate, position and embed yours, allowing the conjunction of multiplication as well as conveyance and interpretation.

Special recognition to the best reviewer

EUPRERA Best Reviewer Award recognizes the work done by the reviewer because it is an essential contribution to the quality and the success of the annual congress. The scientific committee identified as this year’s winner:
Anne-Marie Cotton from Arteveldehogheschool, Ghent, Belgium who has contributed to careful, thorough and useful reviews.

More info:
Virginia Villa, dpra@euprera.org