Public Relations Strategies For Building University And Community Engagement: A Case Study Of Southern Rajabhat Universities, Thailand
Loading...
Date
2015-02
Authors
KAESONIT, METHAWEE
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
“Public Relations Department” is a very essential sector in each organization. This
department is instrumental in disseminating beneficial news and to connect with internal
and external stakeholders including their community to participate in the organisation’s
activities. The university as an organization that educates the young generation should
also provide community services to the society. Accordingly, in Thailand, there is a
group of Rajabhat Universities that responds to the community’s need in many ways.
This research has three main research objectives; (1) To examine the level of public
participation with the university. (2) To identify the roles of public relation departments
in southern Rajabhat Universities in encouraging university and community
engagement, and (3) To examine public relations strategies in terms of building
university and community engagement. The researcher employed in depth interview
with public relations directors and practitioners and the community. The documentary
research method with the related media and other materials were also used. The
researcher discovered that some public relations departments do not gather feedback
from the communities. The level of community participation with the university’s
activities varies depending on participants’ opinions, however, participation is still less.
Even though the public relations department’s roles are varied but those roles are similar
among the departments in the universities. With regards to public relations strategy in
building university and community engagement, it should be included with the
university’s central administrative planning. To build university and community
engagement, some public relations departments employ the media to communicate with
xii
the public; word of mouth communication, newsletters and online media such as
Facebook. However, utilising these applications very much depend on the
administrator’s or the practitioner’s qualification and their understanding of the tools
used. The most effective strategy is that universities need to increase the budget for
public relations programs as this can help departments to regularly organize and
participate in community activities. The university should also help disseminate
students’ and scholars’ research and build media networks. However, some public
relations departments do not have strategies nor employ any plan to execute them in a
professional way.
Description
Keywords
Public Relations Strategies For Building University And Community Engagement , A Case Study Of Southern Rajabhat Universities, Thailand