TY - JOUR
T1 - Contemporary Chinese public relations education
T2 - Development and challenges
AU - Zhang, Ai
AU - Jiang, Hua
AU - Luo, Yi
N1 - Funding Information:
The present study conducted 49 in-depth face-to-face interviews with public relations educators, students, and practitioners in China and performed a content analysis of the Web sites of 22 Chinese universities with public relations programs. The Web content analysis was part of a public relations education project funded by the PRSA Foundation, the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, and the Commission on Public Relations Education.
PY - 2012/8
Y1 - 2012/8
N2 - This study provides a comprehensive update of Chinese public relations education. Particularly, it (1) examined the challenges facing Chinese public relations education and (2) explored the positive changes that have emerged in Chinese public relations education. Researchers conducted 49 face-to-face in-depth interviews with Chinese public relations educators, students, and professionals supplemented with a content analysis of 22 Web sites of Chinese universities with public relations programs. Major findings include: (1) absence of doctoral programs, (2) rigid public relations curriculum structure, (3) dominance of traditional public relations pedagogy, (4) lack of qualified public relations educators, and (5) inadequate institutional recognition. In addition to these key challenges that Chinese public relations education confronts, it has also been undergoing some promising changes. For example, public relations education is adjusting to meet the needs of students. Educators are developing both educational and professional expertise. Moreover, there has been a rise of government public relations in the context of China's rapid economic and political reform.
AB - This study provides a comprehensive update of Chinese public relations education. Particularly, it (1) examined the challenges facing Chinese public relations education and (2) explored the positive changes that have emerged in Chinese public relations education. Researchers conducted 49 face-to-face in-depth interviews with Chinese public relations educators, students, and professionals supplemented with a content analysis of 22 Web sites of Chinese universities with public relations programs. Major findings include: (1) absence of doctoral programs, (2) rigid public relations curriculum structure, (3) dominance of traditional public relations pedagogy, (4) lack of qualified public relations educators, and (5) inadequate institutional recognition. In addition to these key challenges that Chinese public relations education confronts, it has also been undergoing some promising changes. For example, public relations education is adjusting to meet the needs of students. Educators are developing both educational and professional expertise. Moreover, there has been a rise of government public relations in the context of China's rapid economic and political reform.
KW - Chinese public relations
KW - Chinese public relations education
KW - challenges
KW - government public relations
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84864698972&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84864698972&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/01292986.2012.681663
DO - 10.1080/01292986.2012.681663
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84864698972
SN - 0129-2986
VL - 22
SP - 386
EP - 404
JO - Asian Journal of Communication
JF - Asian Journal of Communication
IS - 4
ER -