Ufot Urges PAU to Rethink Strategic Communications Education

Udeme Ufot, Group Managing Director of SO&U and MFR, has called upon the School of Media and Communication at Pan-Atlantic University to reevaluate its strategic communications education. Delivering the keynote address at the university's 20th-anniversary Festival of Ideas, Ufot encouraged the institution to move beyond minor curriculum enhancements and embark on a radical rethinking of how to train communicators for a digital age.

He celebrated the university's achievements while reflecting on its humble beginnings and the pivotal role played by late Professor Albert Alos, who secured industry backing for the school's first executive program. Ufot emphasized that the theme of the conference, 'Daring the Future of Strategic Communications Education in a Networked World,' highlighted the importance of courage over prediction.

He argued that simply incorporating modules on social media, artificial intelligence, and digital platforms into the existing curriculum would not suffice. Ufot stressed that the complexities of organizational-audience relationships, the rapid dissemination of information, the dynamics of influence, and evolving societal expectations necessitate a fundamental shift in how strategic communication is approached.

He urged Nigerian communicators to become innovators, drawing on Nigeria's unique experiences such as diverse audiences, informal economies, cultural negotiation, community, and resilience as intellectual assets rather than limitations. Ufot urged the university to foster strong ties between academia and industry, ensuring that graduates are practical professionals capable of delivering tangible results.

He cautioned against treating communication education merely as a consumer of foreign ideas, and instead challenged the university to redefine what is possible, discern what is not true, and equip students with the confidence and courage to shape the future of communication.