ABSTRACT
This chapter gives an overview of the Public Relations (PR) industry, its development and future trends. The PR industry has had an uneasy relationship with academic qualifications, with many declaring that experience is the best way to gain entry to the profession. The 1981 Commission on Public Relations Education recommended that the content of undergraduate and postgraduate courses should include mass communications, PR theories, media relations techniques, research methodology, case studies, work placements and PR management. As courses become more modularised and students can pick and mix from one-semester options, there has become more demand for this kind of instant gratification. The CIPR advises that every member should complete CPD every year and that it is part of being a professional. With the rapid pace of change in the industry this does not really address the issue of needing to take part in life-long learning.
