In a historic moment, the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) and the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management (Global Alliance) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to boost PR education.
The MoU, signed by Dr. Ike Neliaku, President of NIPR, and Mr. Justin Green, President of Global Alliance, is a significant step towards establishing and operating the Public Relations and Leadership Academy and the University of Public Relations and Leadership in Nigeria.
The MoU, which was signed on the sidelines of the Conference of African Public Relations Association (APRA) in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, aims to create a framework for cooperation between NIPR and the Global Alliance to advance public relations in Nigeria and globally through collaborative partnerships.
Under the agreement, NIPR and Global Alliance will collaborate to develop curriculum and academic programs, provide expertise and resources, facilitate faculty and student exchanges, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and standards for higher education institutions in Nigeria and globally. This comprehensive collaboration will pave the way for a new public relations and leadership education era.
The partnership will also enable Global Alliance to grant the Institutions perpetual accreditation as ‘affiliate institutions’, subject to provisions, to support the promotion, branding, and acceptability of programs and graduates among Global Alliance members worldwide.
Considering its role performance, Global Alliance will enjoy concessionary rates on all institutional services, nominate representatives on the academic board, display its logo on strategic visibility materials, and have access to training facilities for joint hosting of workshops, conferences, and other official events.
Both parties have committed to deploying their best endeavours to pursue the successful implementation of the MoU and to resolve disputes and misunderstandings amicably.
The leaders of the two public relations bodies agreed that the agreement would bring a wealth of resources, expertise, and opportunities for collaboration.
The event was witnessed by Mr Jibril Baba Ndace, a Council Member of NIPR and the Director General of Voice of Nigeria VON, and Mr. Peter Mutie, Chair of the African Regional Council for Global Alliance and Executive Director and CEO of Peterson Communications, Kenya.
The outgoing President of the African Public Relations Association (APRA), Mr Yomi Badejo-Okusanya and Dr Wole Adamolekun, a communication scholar and Board Member of Global Alliance, were also present at the event.
The partnership marks a significant milestone in developing public relations and leadership education in Nigeria and globally, as both parties look forward to a fruitful and collaborative relationship.
