GlobCom 2011

Based in New Zealand, GlobCom 2011 operates as a distinctive educational initiative rather than a traditional PR agency. The project brings together university students from 10 different countries across 5 continents, creating a unique cross-cultural learning environment. New Zealand's position in the global communications landscape, with its strong emphasis on international collaboration and digital connectivity, provides a fitting backdrop for this virtual project. GlobCom 2011 leverages this setting to simulate real-world public relations challenges that span multiple time zones and cultural contexts.

What GlobCom 2011 Does

GlobCom 2011 is structured as an international educational project run by a consortium of 10 universities. The core activity involves forming 8 to 10 virtual student teams, each composed of PR students who are in their 2nd or 3rd year of university studies. These teams receive a common PR brief and must collaborate to develop and present a PowerPoint presentation addressing a specific public relations problem. The virtual teams rely on a suite of interactive tools provided by the GlobCom project, including email, Skype, phone, Facebook, and Twitter, to coordinate their efforts across borders. This model mirrors the distributed teamwork increasingly common in the global PR industry, offering students hands-on experience with cross-cultural communication and project management.

Services and Specialties

While GlobCom 2011 is primarily an educational project, its activities align closely with core PR functions that students practice. Based on the project's structure and the nature of the briefs, likely services and specialties include:

• Crisis communication planning and simulation
• Strategic PR campaign development
• Cross-cultural communication strategy
• Digital and social media engagement
• Presentation and pitch preparation
• International stakeholder analysis
• Virtual team collaboration and coordination

These areas reflect the practical skills that GlobCom 2011 cultivates, preparing students for roles in public relations & communications services upon graduation.

Who It Serves

GlobCom 2011 serves the participating universities and their PR students directly, but the project's benefits extend to the broader PR industry. By producing graduates who have experience working in international virtual teams, GlobCom 2011 indirectly serves agencies and corporations in New Zealand and abroad that require adaptable communicators. The project also provides a testing ground for global PR strategies, as the briefs often mirror real-world challenges faced by multinational organizations. For the academic community, GlobCom 2011 offers a replicable model for international collaboration in higher education, particularly in the field of public relations and communications.

A Good Fit For

GlobCom 2011 is best suited for universities seeking to offer their PR students a practical, globally-minded educational experience without requiring travel. It is also a strong fit for PR professionals and academics interested in observing or contributing to the development of next-generation communicators. For organizations in New Zealand looking to hire junior PR talent with international exposure, graduates of GlobCom 2011 are likely well-prepared for the demands of modern, digitally connected public relations work. The project's emphasis on collaboration across cultures makes it particularly relevant for companies with global operations or diverse stakeholder bases.