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Leeds Beckett University graduates shortlisted for international PR award
EUPRERA has run the Master Thesis Awards since 1995 and honours those who make a significant professional or practical academic contribution to the field of public relations in Europe.
Helen, who studied an MSc in Corporate Communications, has been shortlisted in the top six in the practical category, and Paulina, who studied an MA in Public Relations and Strategic Communication, has been shortlisted in the top eight in the theoretical category.
On being shortlisted, Helen said: “I’m absolutely thrilled that my work on CEO communication has been recognised internationally, and I hope this will encourage CEOs to realise they can improve corporate performance by enhancing the way they speak.
“There is a well-established relationship between CEO verbal communication and corporate performance: when a CEO speaks well, the company does well, and vice versa.
“However, until I wrote my thesis, no-one had ever deconstructed CEO communication academically, so there was no full picture of which communication factors might lead to company success or failure. Now, though, I’ve devised the first model of best-practice CEO communication, and I’ve linked this with corporate performance.
“CEOs can use my model to inform how they speak, which means that my research has potentially significant implications for CEOs and businesses across the world. As a leadership communication coach, I’m delighted that I’ve been able to contribute to the international business community in this way, and I’m really thankful that Leeds Beckett University has given me the opportunity to do so.”
Paulina said: “Subjectively, I know how much work, stress and dedication went into my dissertation. The fact that this is also seen and appreciated by external people from the industry means a lot to me.
“During the writing process, my supervisor told me about the possibility of submitting my work to EUPRERA. After my official submission at LBU, she encouraged me again. To me, being shortlisted is already a major success in itself. As an international student, one always has to work a little bit more because of the language barrier. I couldn’t be more grateful for the support I have received along the way and the opportunity that was given to me.”
EUPRERA is the largest European PR organisation. Leeds Beckett students have won the most ‘Best European MA Dissertation Awards’ among European universities over the last ten years, with winners in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2020.