PR means many different things to many people. It is understandably assumed to involve improved relations with the public in many countries (eg The Maldives) though this meaning seems quaint in a US or UK context.
Many of my first year students will understand public relations as the face-to-face activity that promotes attendance at nightclubs. Even press publicity will seem a novel concept to some of them.
PR Studies 
It is the same down here, in Spain, Richard.
But one thing about PR is that our industry is not doing its own PR.
Everybody knows what advertising is, everybody knows what a consultant does, but not everybody know what we PR guys do.
We have to work hard on this issue, for sure!
Best.
Octavio