Abstract
This paper discusses the importance and benefits for students of an outside the classroom learning experience, attending an event presentation and workshop organized as part of a class assignment with the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) and industry guest speakers. This study showcases MEPRA’s outreach attempts to students of public relations and communications, which turned into a learning process for the students where not only was the learning outcome of the course achieved, but also the engagement with the MEPRA empowered the students. Data was obtained from an exploratory questionnaire sent to all students who attended the event. The sample included 75 surveys, of which 57 were deemed usable. The results of the survey indicate that the greatest gain for the students was related to awareness and knowledge (information and cognition) about the subject matter gained from the presentation by industry guest speakers at the event. This paper provides insights into the importance of fostering collaborations between a professional association and students of a federal government university in Dubai (United Arab Emirates). The study suggests that future activities driven by students, the professional association and faculty can contribute to developing professionalism in a growing profession in the UAE, ultimately leading to an effective learning environment. This study also emphasizes the importance of experiential learning in an environment where students come from conservative, close-knit families.
Highlights
Public relations (PR) associations, regardless of where they operate, have very similar missions, visions and values
The presentation showed me many facts ... of the major role of media in people’s lives I can create project that is talking about how direct web, or Google or even youtube can affect people's decisions and their lifestyles
It is possible to look at the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) event from a broader perspective
Summary
Public relations (PR) associations, regardless of where they operate, have very similar missions, visions and values. To accomplish these, they carry out certain activities targeting different stakeholder groups, one of which is communication and public relations students. Public relations associations around the world aim to achieve similar goals, they are at different stages of their lifecycle. The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), founded in 1947, is at a different lifecycle stage than are newly established regional and national associations. The professionalism of an association could be one of the indicators of the development of public relations within that country. Many public relations associations are primarily targeting professionals, many add other stakeholder groups, including
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