WKWSCI Students Explore Strategic Communication Across Borders

How can strategic communication help advance children's online safety across countries with different cultures, policies and priorities? 

This was the challenge tackled by 15 students from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) in the Regional Strategic Communication Management (RSCM) course, led by Assistant Professor Andrew Yee. Taking on the role of a communication agency for industry partner 5Rights Foundation, students were tasked with developing a campaign to raise awareness and encourage action on children's online safety across ASEAN. 

After seven weeks of studying strategic communication and campaign planning, students travelled to Bangkok to engage with practitioners in regional advocacy, journalism and children's rights. 

Through engagements with UNICEF, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), TheReporterAsia, BBC News Thailand and local civil society organisations, students heard different perspectives on children's online safety and the challenges of advocating for change across borders. These conversations helped them better understand the stakeholders involved, the issues facing different communities and the local contexts that need to be considered when developing communication campaigns. 

Students also gained insights into the role of journalism and advocacy in shaping public understanding, as well as the different career paths through which communication professionals can contribute to social change. 

During the trip, students presented their initial campaign ideas to 5Rights Foundation and received feedback from the team. Drawing on this feedback and the insights gained from their industry engagements, students are now refining their proposals to better address the needs and perspectives of their target audiences. 

Their completed projects will be documented and shared with the Foundation, with the possibility of selected ideas being developed further or implemented in the coming year. The projects will also be featured on a dedicated course website at the end of the semester. 

Beyond the professional engagements, experiencing Bangkok's culture and everyday life gave students a deeper appreciation of the region's diversity and the importance of understanding local contexts. 

Through RSCM, WKWSCI students learn how strategic communication can help address social challenges, from understanding the needs of different communities to developing campaigns that could make an impact. 

Thank you to 5Rights Foundation and all the organisations and practitioners who shared their time and insights with our students. 

Follow @wkwsci.rscm on Instagram for more highlights and student reflections from Bangkok.