Public relations education in an emerging democracy: the case of Ghana

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine how lecturers in public relations (PR) in Ghana are preparing students to be effective practitioners. The study also aims to extend understanding of PR education to an emerging democracy in response to calls for examining how future practitioners are shaped in different contexts. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopted a qualitative open-ended key informant in-depth interview approach with 12 purposively sampled PR lectures in accredited higher education institutions in Ghana. Findings PR education in Ghana is shaped by the local socio-political and economic context and influenced by western approaches. The opportunity to teach PR at the diploma level (prior to a bachelor’s level) provides another layer of PR training. Extensive use of social media in Ghana suggests that more focus should be placed on teaching about the strategic use of these technologies in industry. In the face of real challenges, under-resourced lecturers find ways to appropriate and provide students with skills needed for industry. Research limitations/implications The use of a qualitative data gathering method suggests that this study should be considered an introduction into PR education in Ghana, which requires further investigation with generalizable samples. Originality/value This study profiles PR education in Ghana. It also responds to calls to examine the preparation of future practitioners in different context beyond the western world.