How does a UN agency or an international NGO make sure its message reaches the right audience without being lost in translation, politics, or media noise? This Arab British Fellowship Training Academy course tackles that question by examining the close relationship between international relations and media, and how global organisations use different platforms to convey their agendas and shape public perception.

Participants leave with a practical understanding of how international communication really works, preparing them for roles that demand strategic thinking in a fast-moving global media environment.

Who Should Attend?

• Directors of public relations, communication and media departments in government and private entities at the international level.
• Public relations, communication and media officials, department heads and specialists.
• Official spokespersons in government and private institutions operating internationally.
• Professionals in international organisations, NGOs, diplomatic services and journalism, plus new joiners, job candidates and graduates seeking a competitive edge in this field.

Knowledge and Benefits:

After completing the programme, participants will be able to master the following:

• Understand international relations theory alongside the origins, goals and functions of public relations within international institutions.
• Apply direct communication skills for public relations and international organisation officials, and plan, design and prepare media campaigns efficiently.
• Select the right communication strategies and channels for an international body's media message, and write and edit it in its various formats.
• Prepare and send news releases, organise press conferences, and manage celebrations of special events.
• Analyse how media shapes international policy and public opinion, understand digital diplomacy and social media's role in global narratives, and apply critical analysis to detect bias, propaganda and censorship.
• Apply ethical journalism principles when reporting on international affairs, act as an effective spokesperson, and manage crises and social responsibility for an international institution.

Module 1: Understanding International Relations and the Global Media Landscape

• Introduction to international relations, its governing rules and the theories explaining it.
• Overview of the global media landscape and the theories connecting media with international relations.
• Origins of public relations and the stages of its development over time.

Module 2: Public Relations and Communication Inside International Organisations

• The concept of public relations, its objectives and functions within an international institution.
• Direct communication skills for public relations officials and international organisation staff.
• Public relations and branding for international bodies, and building the organisation's mental image.

Module 3: Planning and Delivering Media Campaigns

• Planning, designing and preparing media and public relations campaigns efficiently and effectively.
• The stages of building a media campaign plan, and the variables related to the target audience, the message and the means of communication.
• Writing and editing skills for the international media message, preparing and sending news releases, organising press conferences, and managing special event celebrations.

Module 4: Media, Diplomacy and the Digital Space

• Communication strategies in diplomacy, illustrated through case studies such as the UN, WHO and NATO.
• The role of media in conflict escalation and resolution, peace journalism, and coverage of humanitarian crises.
• Social media's impact on diplomacy and global narratives, and case studies in digital diplomacy.

Module 5: Media Ethics, Crisis Response and Social Responsibility

• Critical analysis of news reporting on international affairs, and detecting bias, propaganda and censorship.
• Principles of ethical journalism in an international context, and the challenges of reporting from conflict zones.
• Effective media engagement, acting as the institution's official spokesperson, and the role of public relations in crisis management and strengthening social responsibility.