Women and public relations education and practice in the United Arab Emirates

In 1995, 20 women students will be admitted into the newly-designed public relations major program at the United Arab Emirates University in Al-Ain. The program is based on the American model for an undergraduate public relations curriculum. This article explores the context of the decision to implement such a model and to use such a perspective. It does this by examining the history of public relations education in the Arabian Gulf area and the meaning of public relations in that context. In addition, it reports on the findings of the first field study of public relations practice in the U.A.E. It concludes with an examination of the role of Emirati women in the culture and their future in public relations practice. Creedon is director of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Kent State University. Al-Khaja is an assistant professor in the Department of Mass Communication, United Arab Emirates University. Kruckeberg is coordinatir of the public relations degree program at the University of Northern Iowa.