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Year 4
Your final year is divided into two semesters: one devoted to your specialisation and the other to your final project. Your specialisation can be regarded as the preparatory semester for the thesis you will write during the second semester.
Projects and case studies will demonstrate the breadth of the contemporary communication profession and the increasing importance of communication in both public and private sector organisations worldwide. The big difference in the fourth year is that you take on the role of junior consultants, working together with senior consultants on projects. You are expected to think strategically and act professionally.
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Specialisation |
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International Business Communication |
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The role of the international communication professional has changed with the global expansion of business organisations. It has also grown with the enormous growth of expressive diversity (new media) and the rise of participatory cultures. As a result, the areas of advertising, public relations and other forms of persuasive communication are merging.
As future communication professionals, students must think strategically and be able to integrate the disciplines of public relations and intercultural communication. With the rise of globalisation and its effects, political, economic, and cultural developments have become central to both international and local stakeholders. There is a great demand for international communication professionals who are capable of monitoring and forecasting global issues, economic and cultural trends and developments, in both existing and emerging markets (China, for example).
The IBC fourth-year specialisation focuses on:
- Monitoring and explaining global issues, developing scenarios
- Applying strategic communication in a global context
- Integrating public relations/corporate promotion and intercultural communication
- Developing intercultural communication skills
How does culture define international communication? What determines success or failure in international endeavours between Europe and one of the rising markets?
The theoretical framework of global pubic relations is applied to cases provided by clients who are active within the international context. Through problem-driven case studies and real life company assignments, students will define and describe communication dilemmas facing organisations and will gain insight into how these dilemmas should be solved. |
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Public Affairs |
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Public Affairs focuses on the development of professional competences needed for the job of a junior consultant in public affairs or corporate communication: the ability to analyse and research communication environment; the ability to give an advice on a communication policy and interest representation; to develop a plan on corporate communication, concern communication, publicity, or grassroots support; and to suggest the evaluation plan.
The core of a programme is a project, at the end of which you will give a strategic advice on public affairs for a real client (a business, public, or non-profit organisation). Based on initial research of a communication issue or opportunity you develop a public affairs strategy with an implementation plan, and suggest the evaluation. The preparation for the graduation period is another important task of the project. In a preparatory stage of the project students develop a research proposal according to the same criteria as for the graduation assignment proposal.
Monitoring of current developments in politics and a trend watch are important skills that are practiced in this programme. You will analyse a client’s communication policies, identify trends, stakeholders, competitors, define policy issues, and evaluate public relations. You will also explore the function of public affairs, study cases on corporate social responsibility and reputation management, learn lobbying techniques, master writing and speaking for public affairs, and get familiar with a complex political environment of the European Union.
Every second year students take part in an international simulation of the European Union, together with about 200 students and faculty from more than 20 colleges and universities from the United States and Europe. Before each event, students are assigned alter-egos corresponding to the key actors involved in EU policy making, and they research these roles using a web-site tailored to the EU policy/issue at hand. This is a unique opportunity to work and learn in an exciting multicultural environment. EuroSim will be part of the programme again in the study year 2013-2014 and will take place in Twente, the Netherlands.
The educational programme includes a study trip abroad to one of ‘world’ capitals with visits to international organisations, NGO’s, think tanks, and lobby agencies. |
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Final project |
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During the final project students will work on an in-company graduation assignment, advising an organisation on how to solve a communication problem.
Example assignments:
- A study on brand attributes of European Union Chamber of Commerce in China.
- Merging Culture, Composition and Communication, The relationship between culture, organisational
structure and communication. A post-merger investigation of the Photonis- DEP Sales & Marketing Department. Phonotis-Dep, Roden, the Netherlands. |
Both specialisations include a possible one- or two-week study trip.
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