Preparations are at full speed as Curtin Sarawak prepares to host the GlobCom 2015 symposium later this month.
The symposium offers eight international student teams the opportunity to compete with each other in the same way that international pubic relations agencies must pitch for one global client.
Starting in the months leading up to the symposium, students studying communications and public relations are tasked with developing a global public relations strategy for a real-life issue.
After working together as a virtual, global team throughout the semester, the teams finally meet face-to-face at the symposium, where they present their final strategy.
This year, the competing teams are pitching strategies that aim to preserve the Borneo rainforest, the third largest rainforest on Earth.
Each team must work in tandem with the Heart of Borneo Initiative, a tri-lateral agreement between the three nations that share the island of Borneo: Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. The agreement ensures shared responsibility for protecting Borneo’s diverse ecosystem.
Integral to the Heart of Borneo Initiative is WWF-Malaysia, which played central role in setting up the initiative and now runs a number of conservation projects in the region.
WWF-Malaysia’s Executive Director and CEO Dato’ Dr Dionysius Sharma said he was pleased the Heart of Borneo Initiative would be featured at GlobCom 2015.
“We are happy that the ‘Heart of Borneo’, a long-term commitment by Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia, has been chosen as a subject for Globcom 2015,” says Sharma.
“Competing to develop a global public relations strategy will expose participants to the importance of maintaining Borneo’s forests for the survival of the natural ecosystems and the people that depend on them.
“It will be exciting to see the program developed by these aspiring communications practitioners.”
Executives from the WWF – Malaysia and Curtin Sarawak met in Kuala Lumpa in May to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), allowing WWF-Malaysia to become a partner of GlobCom 2015.
Curtin Sarawak Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Professor Jim Mienczakowski is thrilled to have WWF-Malaysia on board as a partner for GlobCom 2015.
“It is all part-and-parcel of our efforts to promote, develop and strengthen conservation, ecotourism and sustainable development efforts in Sarawak and the broader Borneo region, including the ‘Heart of Borneo’ area,” Mienczakowski says.
WWF-Malaysia will gift sponsorship of RM10,000 (AUD$3500) for the event, and provide logistical support for panellists.
WWF-Malaysia and Curtin Sarawak have an ongoing partnership in promoting, developing and strengthening conservation, ecotourism and sustainable development efforts. The MoU further strengthens their relationship and their mutual commitment to promoting environmental sustainability in the region.
