The NUS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) Strategic Communications division was honoured by the accrediting body for public relations practitioners in Singapore, the Institute of Public Relations of Singapore (IPRS) with two PRISM (Public Relations in the Service of Mankind) 2023 awards: Outstanding Issues Management (Distinction) and Outstanding In-House Team (Merit) on 29 November 2023.

At the ceremony, Guest-of-Honour, Mr Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information shared how, especially in this age of rapid technological advancement like generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), the importance of a growth mindset amongst firms and practitioners. He also encouraged organisations to not just think about competition as between individuals and firms, but between ecosystems.

“We are not competing with the AI bot but in a race with others on who can use technology better, especially firms and practitioners in lower cost locations than Singapore. We have a compelling proposition here in Singapore as long as we work closely with one another,” he added.

FASS STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS | (From left) Bryan Tan (Branding & Content Development), Amy Foo (Public Affairs & Media Relations), Nisar Keshvani (Head, Strategic Communications), Teng Fang Yih (Digital Communications), Benjamin Tan (Outreach & Engagement).

The five-member team serves both the internal and external communications needs of the Faculty, which consists of close to 20 Departments and special programme offices, five research centres and a publishing house, as well as co-leads NUS College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) communications with its partner team at the NUS Faculty of Science (FoS).

As FASS’ primary initiator and producer of marketing communication campaigns aimed at raising the visibility and enhancing the public understanding of FASS’ undergraduate and graduate studies and research outcomes, and their value to students and alumni, Singapore and the global community, the team is involved with conceptualising content series’; capsule videos, executing outreach initiatives and publishing across multiple digital and traditional channels.

“This incredible dual win reflects our strategic communications team’s commitment to safeguarding the FASS brand image and upholding the quality of our collaborations with University peers and external partners. We are thrilled by this recognition of their impactful work, which has raised FASS’ profile in the eyes of prospective students, stakeholders and the general public,” said FASS Dean Professor Lionel Wee, emphasising the complex and challenging role the team has played at the Faculty.

Winning Formula and Process
Over the past five years, the team has realigned its priorities by working closely with the Deanery to strategise, craft and implement Faculty-wide resources. The Institute recognised FASS’ efforts to adapt during the global pandemic and implemented an issues management framework in collaboration with internal stakeholders, outlining a workflow, personnel involved with responses for every stage.

During this period, the team launched numerous new resources including the FASS Connect portal, People of FASS series of profiles, FASSTalk Podcasts, the use of AI-enhanced content, website governance protocols, and a new capsule series featuring curriculum, as well as a rejuvenated FASS Student Ambassador programme.

FASS’ nine digital channels have achieved a total digital reach of close to 5.3 million and garnered an engaged community of 25,000 subscribers, measured from 440 posts, and three podcast episodes through the year.

The division collaborates with a large network of partners within the University – such as the NUS Office of University Communications (UCO), Office of Admissions and Office of Alumni Relations, NUS College, NUS Overseas Colleges, and FoS –and beyond, as well as media partners, said Nisar Keshvani, Senior Associate Director (Head) of FASS Strategic Communications, expressing heartfelt gratitude for their support.

“We are fortunate to be part of one of the world’s leading institutions of higher learning, and to receive support as we set out to reinvent and explore new ways of engaging prospective and current students, alumni and other partners,” Keshvani added. “Be it through research, curriculum or activity outside the classroom, our Deanery, staff and students have been exemplary to seek out ways to share compelling stories and experiences to connect and engage.”

This year, the PRISM awards saw a distinguished panel of 41 judges – leading PR & Communication practitioners and academics, senior media representatives and business leaders – reviewing and selecting the winners across 30 categories from a total of 121 submissions by 47 organisations. At the 2021 PRISM Awards, CHS won the Outstanding PR Campaign (Distinction) Award.

IPRS President Koh Juat May aptly described the industry’s current state saying, “PR people are indispensable in every industry and organisation. The PR person today is a digital savvy knowledge worker who is also a trusted counsel, well-versed in world affairs, cultural diversity, and climate change. To understand the world, we live in today is to understand and embrace constant change - global uncertainties driven by geopolitics, the impact of revolutionary technology and closer to home, the way we work, socialise and how we view our resources.”