Director’s Update: Global Communication Studies
Colleagues, Students, Alumni and Friends:
I wanted to report on the significant new partnerships and scholarly opportunities which are emerging for Nicholson School of Communication’s (NSC) global communication studies initiative.
NSC is developing special partnerships with six international elite “sister” communication schools. These partnerships include: agreements for reciprocal student exchange, study abroad, faculty teaching abroad, research collaboration and external funding. They also include the convening of collaborative conferences and academic events.
The initial partnerships have already resulted in a number of NSC undergraduate students traveling to our partners’ campuses and we have had the privilege of hosting a number of international partner students at NSC. Let me tell you a little bit about each of our core global communication studies partners:
School of Education and Communication, Jönköping University (Jönköping, Sweden)
The School of Education and Communication at Jönköping University offers four undergraduate programs including teacher education, media and communication sciences, international work and human resource management. NSC undergraduate students have the opportunity for a semester length study (in English) of a wide range of communication, media, professional communication, radio-television and other courses. In addition, the opportunity for NSC faculty exchange with Jönköping University appears to be a viable option depending on faculty interest.
Faculty (College) of Art and Design – Communication, University of Canberra (Canberra, Australia)
The University of Canberra’s (UC) Faculty (College) of Art and Design – Communication includes academic programs in communication, journalism, public relations, advertising and media. The faculty (college) also offers online master’s programs and certificates as well as a traditional residential research doctoral program in communication. NSC undergraduate and graduate students have the opportunity for different lengths of study within a wide range of communication courses. UC and NSC are working toward faculty exchange and collaboration.
Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore)
Nanyang Technological University’s (NTU) Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) has five divisions in the school which are: journalism and publishing, broadcast & cinema studies, public and promotional communication, communication research and information studies. After final approval of ourpartnership agreement (expected summer 2012) NSC students shall have the opportunity for a semester-length study (in English) at NTU. WKWSCI and NSC are working toward faculty and staff exchange and collaboration.
School of Communication, IE University (Segovia [Madrid] Spain)
IE University´s School of Communication offers an extensive list of communication courses including: mass, corporate, crisis and global communication as well as public opinion and political communication, journalistic genres, marketing, PR, advertising and radio & TV announcing. After final approval of our partnership agreement (expected within the next few weeks) NSC students shall have the opportunity for a semester-length study (in English) at IE.
Institute of Media and Communication Science, Ilmenau Technological University (Ilmenau,Germany)
The Ilmenau University of Technology Institute of Media and Communication Science (IfMK) include the following departments: empirical media research and political communication, media psychology and media design, media management, media studies, public relations and communication of technology, virtual worlds and digital games and communication studies. In addition IfMK is home to the International Research Group on Crisis Communication (IRGoCC). NSC’s proposed student exchange agreement with TU Ilmenau is focused on graduate student study and collaborative research opportunities for faculty. Final approval of our partnership agreement (expected summer 2012) will give NSC master’s level graduate students the opportunity for a wide range of graduate seminars andsupervised research opportunities (in English) at Ilmenau. IfMK faculty have expressed interest in exploring collaborative research projects and external funding proposals with NSC faculty and other possibilities. Additionally, atentative agreement has been reached whereby NSC will become a co-sponsor/co-host (on UCF’s campus for 2014) of the International Research Group on Crisis Communication annual academic research conference on crisiscommunication. IRGoCC will become a co-sponsor/co-host of the NSC’s annual International Crisis and Risk Communication (ICRC) researcher-practitioner connection conference in March here in Orlando.
SalzburgCollege – Study Abroad Program (Salzburg, Austria)
Our partnership with Salzburg College is focused on undergraduate student studyabroad opportunities. NSC students can study German/Austrian language, several communication courses in English (including international PR, photography, rhetoric, marketing communication, creative communication industries, etc.) as well as literature, culture, history, political science, art history and music history, business, music performance, studio art and photography. NSC students can study for a full semester or during the summer sessions. NSC faculty shall have opportunities for short term (two-three week) teaching abroad appointments each spring semester as well as opportunities for summer teaching assignments.
More to Come
NSC’s global communication studies efforts are expanding the opportunities for student learning and faculty development as well as building connections and relationships with our partners to advance our research goals across the school.
NSC is currently working with other partners to finalize our list of global opportunities for NSC students and faculty while simultaneously raising theworldwide profile of NSC. More information about these opportunities will be forthcoming.
I look forward to updating you next month about some of the emerging focal areas for research and scholarship at NSC.
Best wishes,
Robert C. Chandler, Ph.D.
Director, Nicholson School of Communication