This post is aimed any PR student, practitioner or group bloggers out there who has been developing a blog for a while – have you heard about the Euprera Social Media Awards? The awards will be presented at the Euprera Symposium, which is the annual conference of Europe’s top PR academics. The symposium takes place in Lisbon on 3-5 March 2011 and you can enter your blog in to the following categories:

1. Most effective social media presence established by a communications/public relations student studying on undergraduate or post-graduate programme at a European university.

Criteria:

• Focus/ vision
• Originality, creativity, style, insight etc
• Engagement with online community
• Appreciation of the opportunities offered by social media

2. Most innovative use of social media techniques in a communications research project or investigation

Criteria:

• Originality of insights, thought, theoretical understanding
• Creativity, style, insight etc
• Engagement with online community
• Appreciation of the opportunities offered by social media

3. Most valuable contribution to the academic understanding of the impact of social media on PR practice. This may be a university lecturer but could also be a thought leader, postgraduate researcher, author, or consultant. We welcome entries from individuals but also NOMINATIONS from others.

Criteria

• Originality of insights, thought, theoretical understanding
• Creativity in online engagement with students/ researchers/industry
• Contribution to evolution of PR practice

As a previous winner, I can testify that this is a fantastic opportunity to raise your profile, present at one of Europe’s leading social media conferences, as well as showcase your blog, boost traffic, link to leading colleagues – and win 250€.

The awards are open to anyone connected to a European University or University College – you may be studying now, or have recently graduated. The winning entrants will be invited to make a short presentation on their work at the Euprera Spring Symposium, at Escola Superior de Comunicacao Social School of Communication and Media Studies in Lisbon, Portugal.  Agreed travel and accommodation expenses will be paid for by the Award organisers.

If you are interested in entering, send an email with your name and the URL of your web presence to Philip Young (philip.young@sunderland.ac.uk) and you will be added to the participants’ blogroll. The deadline for entries is 30 January 2011.

I must say how proud I am to have presented at last years event in Ghent and would strongly recommend submitting your blog for the award. It looks like I will not be in Lisbon this March, but I’ll certainly be following the blogs and Tweets coming from the symposium.

For more information click here.

This year’s conference is a 3 day affair taking place at the wonderful University College Arteveldehogeschool in Ghent, Belgium and plays host to many of Europe’s top PR academics. It has been a teriffic opportunity to network and actually meet people face to face having read many of their tweets, blogs and feature articles over the years.

I’m delighted to have won the award and must confess that I’m exceptionally proud, if slightly surprised given the strong standard of blogs that SWT was up against. As I said throughout my presentation with Neville Hobson and Philip Young, the success of SWT has little to do with me and much to do with the many people who have kindly given their time to answer Q&As or give opinions – which in turn have stimulated much debate. So thank you all.

In particular, I’d like to thank the following:

• Antonia Katsambis
• Marshall Manson
• Matt Churchill
• Ollie Money
• Stephen Waddington

It is their views and insights which have added real value and a fresh perspective to SWT.

I recognise that over the last couple of months the blog has taken a more employability focused approach – this was not a deliberate change, but is something that the blog is increasingly becoming recognised for.

Rest assured I still plan offer my views, as well as hoping to become something of a resource for graduates and young people looking to get into the PR industry – I seem to have found something of a niche. Indeed, it is these topics which people seem to engage with most and for me creating a dialogue, rather than a monologue is always pleasing.

I didn’t quite manage to find that bottle of Champagne last night, so ended up toasting the success of SWT with a couple of tasty Belgian beers.

The nomination is for Best Practitioner/Researcher blog and SWT is up against some really great blogs in PiaR, Cyber Footprint, Compelling Communications, Richard Millington and That’s PR.

I must say that I’m delighted and somewhat surprised to have been shortlisted for such a prestigious award at the annual gathering of Europe’s top Public Relations academics.

There will also be awards for the Best Student and Group blogs and the nominations can be viewed on the Publicsphere blog.

The winner will be announced at the EUPRERA Spring Symposium which takes place on 25-27 February 2010 in Ghent, Belgium.

I’ve never been to Belgium…so fingers crossed.

The Euprera Symposium is an annual coming together of all the top PR academics and this year there is the opportunity to enter your blog for the Euprera Social Media Award category. This is a brilliant opportunity to showcase your blog (and yourself).

There are three award types and you must fit into one of them:

• Anyone studying at BA or BSc level at a European University or University College
• Anyone with a first degree or postgraduate link to a European University or University College
• Anyone developing new ideas about the impact of social media on public relations

Your blog must follow a few rules e.g. the content must be about PR/communications and each winner will receive 250€.

I think this is a superb chance for students to get some recognition for their blogs, all you have to do is contact Philip Young at Sunderland University, then you will be required to write a 500 word statement to support your blog.  Good luck everyone.

Be quick mind – the deadline for entries is 1 January 2010.

For more information please click here.