As part of the training, the students are representing a PR organisation hired by the Municipality Groningen to manage the crisis communication, deal with the press, write press releases and react to news articles from various stakeholders involved in the crisis.
The learning outcome of the programme is to develop PR/crisis communication skills, manage the information overload and the confusion around a crisis. Moreover a part of the programme is to develop and implement PR tools used in a crisis: press releases, media kits, speakers’ training, interviewing training and how to run and host press conferences.
The crisis communication requires professional communication skills from all participants. Experienced journalists will be present to contribute to the event. The crisis simulation is based upon the EHEC Crisis last year, in Germany, and tailored to the Groningen area at this stage, and expanding to regional, national and EU level before the press conference simulation.
The crisis scenario will be highlighted by a Press Conference at the 18 June at Hanze UAS in which the students have to apply their PR-crisis communication skills by acting as official spokespersons of the various stakeholders involved in the crisis.
Special guests, including PR- and communication experts from various fields, will engage as opponents of our students, in the press conference. They will address critical questions related to the crisis and challenge them to perform at their best.