In the last week, I have been teaching over a hundred PR students from the UK. But I have also welcomed students from Norway, The Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Greece, Bahrain, India, Ghana, Taiwan, China, South Korea and Thailand into my classes (this list is from memory and is not exhaustive).
This week I provided a reference for a former student, a US citizen, who is applying for work in a PR consultancy in Missouri.
I note that the IPR Director General Colin Farrington has also been thinking about PR education in an international context, in this speech given in Puerto Rico.
Like Colin, I have been thinking hard about the relationship between academic theory and the practice of PR: different countries take very different views on this, and my practice-orientation has come as a shock to some of my students.
PR Studies 
Richard I share your views. The international dimension of public relations is fascinating. We have similar experience with international students.
In addition staff at the Division of Applied Communication, University of Central Lancashire, comprise of a unique international make-up. I’m for example from the Netherlands and worked a great deal of my professional life for International organisations in Africa and the Caribbean and enjoy being on the Board of Directors of the European Public Relations Education and Research Accociation (EUPRERA).
It’s this international multi-cultural dimension which creates the necessary variety and understanding of international public relations research, education and practice which underpins academic development and innovative curriculum provision.
Our main research theme is focused on “strategic communication in a multi-cultural context,” which will also be the theme of the 2006 EUPRERA International Congress hosted by the Division, for which a call for papers will be issued in 2004.
I’m curious about what you deem “shocking” about your practice orientation in this context.
Approaches in PR practice although similar look different from place to place.
Dear Sr.
I enjoyed reading your side. Actually this was a place for comment but I would like to ask for advice. I am from Armenia and I have decided to continue my career in Public relations and will definitely need a good appropriate education base, although I have Master’s degree in Political Science and work experience. I would appreciate your advice concerning the appropriate University.