Nov 2004 - Nanyang Technological University

Helping to Bridge The Journalistic Gap
staff stuff
The School of Communication and Information (SCI) recently completed a
two-year training project which began in December 2002, to raise the standards
of journalism education in Vietnamese universities. The training project,
entitled Assistance for the Reform (Development) of Vietnamese Journalism
Schools was funded by a grant of US$110,000, from Sasakawa Peace Foundation
(SPF), currently the largest grant organization in Japan.
Thirty-two participants were trained in total and they ranged from
communication graduates in their 20s to journalism professors in their 50s
who were enthusiastic about honing their craft and upgrading their knowledge
and teaching skills in journalism.
Over two years, participants attended four workshops which were
conducted both in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi in Vietnam and Singapore. The
workshops included a wide variety of subjects such as print and broadcast
journalism, public relations and advertising, multi-media and web design
to knowledge management. Participants also visited local and international
media organizations in Singapore to get an insight into current media trends.
The main instructors for the training project were Dr Ang Peng
Hwa, the Dean of SCI; Associate Professor Sharen Liu, Head of Electronic
and Broadcast Media of SCI; and Mr Chua Chong Jin, a current media consultant
and a former SCI Assistant Professor. Other SCI instructors included
Associate Professor Dr K. Sriramesh and Lecturers Sharon de Castro and
Lee Chu Keong. Industry media professionals were also invited as guest
speakers.
As most participants spoke little or no English, two interpreters,
one for each year of training, were hired to bridge the communication gap.
“The biggest challenge,” said Liu, who was also the course coordinator,
“was the language barrier, which slowed down the teaching process.
But our interpreters, selected by the participants themselves were very good;
plus the enthusiasm of the participants more than made up for any inconvenience.”
In addition to “training the trainers”, Dr Ang also gave two student
lectures at the National Universities in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh cities. Dr
Ang made history by being the first foreign lecturer to speak at the School of
Journalism in Hanoi.
One outcome of this two-year training project will be a basic journalism
textbook in Vietnamese which is slated for completion by the end of
this year. Based on knowledge garnered from the workshops, seven participants
were identified to write the textbook which will be used by journalism
students from both the National Universities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh.
Overall, Liu thought the training project was a worthwhile venture.
With a smile she said, “it was satisfying to note that after only one year of
training, participants reported positive changes made to their curricula and
teaching styles.”
SPF officials who were invited to attend the feedback sessions held
in Hanoi, in May this year, were also very pleased with the results of the
training.
-- CHY
SCI instructors and the participants
Acclaimed local political journalist comes aboard
For Cherian George, joining SCI as
an assistant professor was a “natural
progression of things”.
The former journalist and
author of Singapore: The Air-conditioned
Nation conducted writing
courses during his nine years at The
Straits Times and lectured at the
Stanford University in the United
States where he received his doctorate
in communications. George is
also not new to SCI, having been
an adjunct lecturer to the final-year
journalism students in 1999.
“I enjoyed teaching
them,” he says, and hopes to “repeat
this experience” with his new students.
A political and media commentator,
George now manages a
news-writing module for second year
SCI undergraduates, and lectures
graduate students on media laws and
policies.
He also has research
projects involving Asian media policies
and the alternative publications
under his belt.
“I’m hoping for a healthy
balance of research and teaching,”
quips George when describing his
work at SCI.
Outside of SCI, he also
writes occasional commentaries for
newspapers and runs a newspaper
for children from his own laptop.
Assistant Professor Cherian George
Although he admits that
he sometimes misses the newsroom
environment, George says he is glad
that being an academic at SCI allows
him to make contributions to the
“intellectual life of society”, just like
a journalist.
“And I don’t need to worry
about daily or weekly deadlines!” he
laughs.
And what does he like best
about teaching
“The sound of students’
laughter!” is his quick reply. Indeed,
the friendly and affable George often
peppers his lectures with amusing
anecdotes and witty remarks,
sometimes having students laugh at
themselves too.
Having spent only a few
months here, he says that SCI has
lived up to his expectations and its
“good reputation” shared among media
insiders. As he looks forward to
following semesters, George hopes
that students continue to “challenge
faculty like me to give the best possible
education, and show initiative
in learning.”
-- ML
The Global Public Relations Handbook
Never thought that you might know
the editor of the book you are reading
now Well, in future do pay
more attention to them; they might
be members of the SCI faculty.
The Global Public Relations
Handbook, edited by Professor
Krishnamurthy Sriramesh, was released
in May 2003 and is currently
into its second print. In November
2003, it received the PRIDE Award
after being judged by the National
Communication Association as the
best book in public relations released
during the year. The National
Communication Association is based
in Washington, D.C.
With its global contributors
and wide-ranging focus, the
handbook offers invaluable insights
on global public relations practice.
The information in it should also
prove helpful to public relations
professionals by introducing them to
the unique environments they will
face in a globalised world.
Each chapter covers the
history, development and status of
public relations within a specified
country or area, and considers the
Staff Promotions
profession in relation to factors
such as the political environment;
the level of economic development;
culture; the media environment; and
activism. In addition, each countryspecific
chapter also includes a case
study epitomising public relations
practice in that country.
This handbook sets itself
apart from other volumes in international
public relations with the inclusion
of a section on public relations
practice in a global setting, with
chapters analysing the operations of
multinational corporations, foreign
governments, international organisations,
non-government organisations
and multinational public relations
agencies.
“After over two years of
hard work, it is heartening to know
that this small piece of work is being
received well by both academia and
the professional communities,” was
how Professor Sriramesh summed
up his reaction to the accolades the
book has been receiving.
-- WP
Congratulations Dr Foo Tee Tuan and Dr Xu Xiao Ge for receiving
their PhDs and being appointed Assistant Professors at SCI!
Our hearty congratulations also goes to our non-academic staff,
Mr Tok Joo Guan for his promotion to Technical Executive.
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