Curtin Sarawak to host talk by Institute of Public Relations Malaysia

Miri – 19 March 2014 – The Department of Marketing and Management, School of Business of Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) will be hosting an industry talk by Doris Lim Swee Lian of the Institute of Public Relations Malaysia (IPRM) on 20 March 2014. It will be from 3 pm to 4.30 pm in the Council Room at the John Curtin Building (Heron 1) at the university campus.

Lim is the chairperson of IPRM’s accreditation bureau and her talk entitled ‘Earning Trust and Credibility in a Global Setting’ will include an introduction to IPRM membership and benefits and IPRM accreditation for public relations professionals.

The talk is open to students and staff of Curtin Sarawak, as well as public relations (PR) professionals and academics in both the private and public sectors who would like to know more about the professional body and gain valuable insights into current industry trends.

Lim’s 2-day visit to Curtin Sarawak marks an important milestone in the relationship between the university and IPRM as it will see the establishment of Sarawak’s first IPRM Student Chapter at Curtin Sarawak, as well as future partnership in the areas of accreditation, internship and PR research. A memorandum of understanding between the two organisations is expected to be signed in the near future to formalise the relationship.

According to PR lecturer Dr. Kamala Vainy Pillai, Curtin Sarawak will be the first institution in Sarawak to work closely with IPRM on accreditation. IPRM encourages PR practitioners to get accredited so that they are continuously aware of PR ethics and adhere to established PR industry codes of conduct.

She added that a representative of IPRM will be appointed to the School of Business’ industry advisory board in the near future to help ensure its course curriculum meet industry requirements, as well as help Curtin Sarawak’s academics and graduates gain professional accreditation.

Meanwhile, acting dean of the School of Business Associate Professor Pauline Ho said a closer relationship with IPRM would also mean greater opportunities for internships for Curtin Sarawak’s PR students as the body has a large membership and extensive industry contacts. She said IPRM has also expressed interest to collaborate with the school on PR and other related research, which a number of its academics are actively engaged in.

For further information on the event or to pre-register, contact Dr. Kamala at 085-445 058 or e-mail kamala.pillai@curtin.edu.my.

IPRM Accreditation Bureau Chairperson Doris Lim Swee Lian to give talk on ‘Earning Trust and Credibility in a Global Setting’.