I see close academia–industry collaboration in Public Relations and Communication as vital.Such collaboration enables young academic scholars and faculty members to hone research, skills and capabilities while engaging with real-world challenges and opportunities. At the same time, it allows the academia to develop deeper and more consistent theoretical frameworks to decode evolving praxis and foster innovation, and ensure meaningful growth for both scholarship and practice.

The Industry-Academia interface is extremely important for any industry. In public relations, this can only happen when institutes are in constant touch with the industry professionals and actively involve them in the teaching-learning process. Industry professionals too need to bring students and teachers on board for some of their projects. It’s a win-win situation for both. The more it happens the more it will be beneficial for academia and the industry.

The P. R. industry benefits from ready to intern practitioners. Only academics can prepare the student for his professional career and get him industry ready. This minimizes the incubation time for the raw student to become a sound industry practitioner. Also academics can instill the right value systems in such students and this pays industry, the Domain of P. R. and society at large. The future of P. R. is established by it being the most credible communication to different stakeholders. It will be the king of communication methods, in fact it already is. Lastly, collaboration and partnership between educational institutions and the PRCAI is a marriage made in heaven. Glad that the PRCAI has always extended their hand to solemnize this marriage too.

There’s a raging need for the Industry-Academia collaboration for today’s dynamic business environment and a sustainable future. It facilitates research, knowledge-sharing and creates an industry-ready workforce.