Monday 16 February 2015

Public diplomacy is focus of new Erasmus ISP application

PR as public diplomacy.   This has become the focus of a pan-European application by a number of universities across Europe including Turkey to the EU for funding for an Erasmus ISP or integrated study programme.

There is increasing interest in the concept of public diplomacy by the PR and communications industry particularly its application in the business context where some have called it corporate diplomacy.  This draws on work in political communications and international relations and other disciplines and highlights developments where diplomacy rather like lobbying has come under pressure to move into the public arena from the metaphorical "smoke filled room" - a much loved phrase by journalists to describe a secret deal hidden away from public gaze.

The concept of public diplomacy and its application to business draws on these influences as well as from lobbying, inter-cultural communications, PR, growing transparency agendas and wider societal pressures for business to show its contribution to society not just to the bottom line.

The application for an Erasmus ISP in this field seeks to help develop definitions, curricula, and best practice in industry for an emerging area of strategic communications.  Greenwich was part of an earlier Erasmus IP on lobbying and government relations in the EU with a number of universities across Europe (Belgium, France, Portugal, Romania, Spain and  Sweden).  Nearly all the same team have come together for a new application but this time with the addition of Bilgi University in Istanbul.  A notable feature of ISP applications is they have to show strong links with industry, and that is something which very much plays to the strengths of Greenwich.    Part of the proposal will include a planned conference at Greenwich in 2018 bringing together all partners and industry stakeholders.  

The academic team making the application include the following universities: University of LorraineUniversity of BucharestUniversity of BilgiCEU, Cardinal HerreraUniversity of Greenwich