PR Glossary
Public Relations (PR): The determined, planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics. Also understood as reputation management, the PR craft can be categorised into several broad practice areas, such as media relations, investor relations, etc. more| Accreditation |
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The world is now more complex than ever with the arrival of the Global Village. Globalization and technology has shaped changes that transform the landscape we operate in, thus, Public Relations as it is practiced today demands a lot more. Accreditation is a positive move towards securing professional legitimacy, granting accredited public relations practitioners their deserving honour and esteem through continued professional development. I urge everyone to support IPRM in all efforts to enhance the public relations profession. Public Relations professionals have a key role in influencing and shaping national agendas in line with policies and practices for a progressive Malaysia. While Malaysia is not the first to embark on the accreditation path for its public relations professionals, the realisation that we need to act proactively gives the accreditation process heightened urgency. More so as Malaysia is being re-branded for highly competitive global market and an icon for muslim communities worldwide. The ministry of Information, through this "Moving Forward” Industry Forum on Accreditation, registers fullest support for the direction taken by IPRM on Accreditation of our Public Relations practitioners as it will ensure a more credible and professional pool of public relations talents in Malaysia.
Y.B Dato’ Sri Abdul Kadir bin Sheikh Fadzir
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Some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) 1. What is Accreditation? It is a voluntary certification program or mechanism for public relations professionals, administered by a recognized professional body. In Malaysia, IPRM has been given the mandate by the Cabinet and its members to administer this. 2. Why should the PR industry and its practitioners pay attention to accreditation? It is a unifying mechanism and a catalyst for skills enhancement among PR Professionals who wish to remain in the profession for years to come. 3. Who is eligible? Public Relations practitioners or consultants who have between 3-5years of full-time experience in the area of public Relations and Senior Consultants/ Managers who have more than eight years of full-time experience in PR. Applicants must be members of IPRM. 4. Why is accreditation important? The process of accreditation raises the level of professionalism practice in the region. It increases professional credibility, thus separating the genuine from the pretenders. The PR profession in Malaysia lags behind in recognition compared with other local professions as 5. What does “professional” mean in the accreditation programme? IPRM ascribes to the general consensus of “professionalism” as stated by Cutlip, Center and Broom in chapter 3 of their widely used textbook, “Effective Public Relations”: 6. What are the Benefits? Accredited professionals, with an “APR” honorific to their name, gain better employment 7. How does accreditation work? The Accreditation model was developed by IPRM after studying several similar models from Singapore, United States, Australia and United Kingdom, including local ones for different professions in Malaysia. IPRM accreditation programme is a hybrid that has been modified to suit the Malaysia context. In summary, the process flow is as follows: 1. Apply for the accreditation papers from IPRM. 2. Portfolio- begin compiling relevant work samples to submit 2 project papers undertaken in the last 3 years of your working career. There are guidelines in the accreditation papers to assist in the preparation of your project papers. Contribution to a wide Body of Knowledge to be shared with others. (40%) 3. Written examinations- valid for Tier 1 (recent PR practitioners), it is to test applicants’ theoretical and philosophical approaches towards the practice of Public Relations. (IPRM has considerable experience in this area, having conducted Certificate and Diploma foundation courses for a number of years. The Institute has mentored many students who are currently practitioners and will continue to do so). (40%) 4. Interview- articulation of ideas and concepts is a key competency. Here is you’re the opportunity to display self confidence and depth of knowledge. (20%) 8. How do I apply? How does one get the accreditation pack ? A full application package (including IPRM) membership from) is available from the IPRM Secretariat at RM50 from the following address (if you wished to have this mailed) or contact details.: Institute of Public Relations Malaysia, While application can be any time of the year, the Accreditation process is conducted during the months of January and June each year. Refer also to the Accreditation timeline for Tier 1 and Tier 2 applicants. 10. What are the areas covered in the Accreditation examinations? The areas covered in the Accreditation examinations include: - Strategic thinking - Communications audit - Written communication (styles and techniques) - Project management - Presentation skills - Budgeting and cost control - Time management - General knowledge on Malaysia’s socio-political conditions - Human Resource
11. What if I’m not from Klang Valley, how do I submit my Accreditation project report? You can record your work onto a CD-ROM or videotape and send it to the IPRM Secretariat. 12. What is the cost of Accreditation? The cost for IPRM members would comprise of the RM200 accreditation fees (for two years), RM50 administrative fees and RM200 examination fees. For non-IPRM members, RM200 will be charged for 1st time application of IPRM membership (RM100) and annual subscription fees (RM100). Accredited professionals are allowed to use the “APR” suffix after their designation. This they will hold for two-years, while obtaining 20 CPD points within the time span, in order to qualify for re-accreditation. Here’s how the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) system works.
CPD can similarly be accumulated through this guide:
* This list will be updated as and when new institutions, organisations or vendors with courses, or content related to communications and Public Relations are added. Contact IPRM Secretariat for details or email. **CPD points Provided in Accreditation Pack** 14. What if my accreditation application is rejected? Is there an appeal process? Yes. Applicants who do not succeed the first time are allowed to re-apply. The Appeal Committee will review the application. 15. Who governs the process? The Accreditation Board, which comprises of three teams: Interview Panel, Educational Board and Appeal Committee. Members of the Accreditation Board are appointed by the IPRM Council. Each team will follow through the procedures for each applicant to ensure consistency. The board is also in-charge of approving written exam questions, grading of the papers, and reviewing appeal cases. (Put in the table of Qualifying points)
January – Intake of applications & results announced February – Applicants notified to hand in project reports March – Applicants notified to hand in project reports April – Ongoing Accreditation courses for applicants (except for May & Nov – Exams) May – Written Exams June – Successful applicants announced & Intake of applications July – Applicants notified to hand in project reports August – Applicants notified to hand in project reports September – Interview commence October – Interview commence November – Written Exams December – Successful applicants announced.
The Accreditation Process. CLICK HERE Questions? This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Accreditation Application Form. CLICK HERE Please send me ACCREDITATION PACK / PEK AKREDITASI CPD Points Form. CLICK HERE |
