Published: 30.10.2024
ESCS promoted a course with the World Health Organization in the area of Risk Communication, Community Engagement and Infodemic Management.
On October 14, 15, 21 and 22, ESCS, in partnership with the Regional Office for Europe of the World Health Organization (WHO), held a course focused on Risk Communication, Community Engagement and Infodemic Management (RCCE-IM).
This was the first pilot course promoted by the WHO on RCCE-IM, aimed at communication students and professionals, laying the foundations for a new commitment by the international organization to empower higher education institutions to include RCCE-IM principles and methodology in course syllabuses. Specific training in the area represents an important step towards promoting recognition of the role of Health Communication.
The course brought together Public Relations and Communication professionals, students from the Degree in Public Relations and Corporate Communication (RPCE) and the Master's in Public Relations Strategic Management (GERP) and lecturers from the Public Relations and Organizational Communication Section (RPCO), with the aiming of promoting essential skills to act in RCCE-IM interventions during public health emergencies.
In four sessions, concepts were explored with a view to integrating RCCE-IM into the academic and professional development context, seeking greater training in the area of health emergency management. The course was designed, on the one hand, as a test for a long-term training strategy and, on the other, as an opportunity to train the faculty on this specific area.
The course was taught by Nancy Claxton, Regional Training Officer in Risk Comms Community Engagement & Infodemic Management in Emergencies at the WHO, and Philippe Borremans, Senior Consultant in Risk Communication, Community Engagement, Infodemic Management at the WHO.
The group of trainees was made up of ESCS students and alumni who are communication professionals, as well as professors. Ana Martins, Ana Raposo, Sandra Pereira, Sofia Mimoso, Tatiana Nunes and Vanessa Andrade took part from the School's Faculty.
Former RPCE students were also present at the training session, representing various guest organizations: André Gerson (GCI Media Group), Catarina Seixas (Miligrama), Catarina Vilar (Bayer), Filipa da Silva Brito (Portuguese Blood Institute), Joana Simão (Joaquim Chaves), Lúcia Amaral (YoungNetwork Group), Margarida Sousa (CUF), Patrícia Soares (AstraZeneca) and Silvana Paules (Burson and GERP alumna).
The group also included Diana Romão and Raquel Rogeiro, currently Junior Accounts at LPM Comunicação and both RPCE alumni and GERP students. Fábio Duarte (Lift Consulting) and Inês Rosado (LLYC) also enriched the group with their perspectives and professional experience.
A group of 3rd year RPCE students, made up of Beatriz Branco, Catarina Santos, Joana Rafael, Maria Leonor Braga and Tomás Gonçalves, also had the opportunity to test, first-hand, new perspectives for the degree they are about to finish.
The pilot course in RCCE-IM also made it possible to establish a new partnership with the Benfica Parish Council, represented by José Duque, coordinator of the “Saúde + Próxima”, which acted as a case study for the exercises developed during the sessions. The work allowed the trainees to deal with real and close situations and, at the same time, to raise awareness of the importance of training in RCCE-IM, with a strong focus on involvement and community engagement.
