New Delhi: The Public Relations Consultants Association of India (PRCAI) has partnered with the Indian Institute of Management, Udaipur (IIMU) to launch a new Reputation Management course for MBA students, marking the debut of such a program in one of India’s top business schools. The collaboration aims to equip future business leaders with essential knowledge on strategic communications and reputation management, helping them build successful brands and businesses.
The course, which is being offered as an elective in IIMU’s Term 5 (October-December 2024), delves into six core elements of corporate reputation—Emotional Appeal, Products & Services, Financial Performance, Vision & Leadership, Workplace Environment, and Social Responsibility. These areas are examined from a Public Relations perspective, providing students with valuable insights into how these drivers contribute to long-term organizational success. The course also focuses on crisis communication best practices, ethical business conduct, and the significance of proactive reputation protection. Additionally, Online Reputation Management (ORM) will be covered, highlighting its importance in today’s digital-first world.
“We are thrilled to partner with IIM Udaipur for this new Reputation Management course,” said Nikhil Dey, National Chair, Talent & Academia, PRCAI & Executive Director, Adfactors PR. “Reputation management is central to business success in today’s interconnected world. The demand for leaders who can strategically manage and protect reputations is at an all-time high. A world that is embracing the AI opportunity is also having to learn how to deal with fake news, misinformation and disinformation. In this context, reputation management has become a vital competency for leaders across industries, and this program prepares the B-School students to learn the science and art of reputation management to tackle the VUCA* world head-on.”
This initiative is part of PRCAI’s larger AcademiaConnect program, which aims to connect academic institutions with industry leaders to foster deeper collaboration. Insights from PRCAI’s 2024-25 SPRINT survey, to be unveiled in January, highlighted the growing demand for reputation management expertise. The survey found that 76% of respondents believe educational institutions must update their curricula to meet the evolving needs of the PR industry. Furthermore, PR firms are increasingly hiring talent from marketing, advertising, and management institutes, signaling the importance of cross-disciplinary learning.
“The Reputation Management elective course stands out as a new addition to IIM Udaipur’s curriculum. This course is designed to give our students a comprehensive understanding of the drivers of corporate reputation, positioning them for leadership roles where effective communication is key to success,” said Prof. Ashok Banerjee Director, IIM Udaipur.
A total of 75 IIMU students have enrolled in this course, joining a forward-thinking initiative aimed at harnessing the power of communications for business growth. PRCAI members Nikhil Dey, Vandana Sandhir (Chief Client Strategy Officer at Burson India), and Aman Gupta (Managing Partner, Asia-Pacific at SPAG/FINN Partners) are serving as visiting faculty and collaborators to deliver the course.
“We are proud to partner with IIMU to prepare tomorrow’s leaders and are grateful to our members for making this a reality,” added Deeptie Sethi, CEO of PRCAI. “This course will equip future business leaders with the tools they need to manage reputations effectively.”
PRCAI continues to strengthen its commitment to developing future talent in the PR profession with an ongoing series of training programs, guest lectures, and thought-leadership forums. With over 10 academic partners, PRCAI remains dedicated to setting new benchmarks for academic interventions in the PR industry.
