I travel to India at least once a year (since 2012). This year however, stuff I had the opportunity to give lectures that represent a taster of what I teach at BU so I focused on managing social media, doctor a topic that proved to be of high interest both in the UK and in my travels abroad.
I met students with BA Media and Communication students from Jai Hind College in Mumbai and with BA Visual Communication students from the Ethiraj Ladies College in Chennai and I have met with a mixed audience comprised of MBA students, ampoule lecturers, business owners and public sector workers at the British Council in Chennai. I also briefly met with MA and PhD students in the Journalism and Communication Department of the University of Madras.
It has been an exhilarating experience. Social media plays an important part in the life of young Indians, and like our students in the UK, those aiming to pursue a creative career or one in digital media have questions about how to manage their personal brand online and how to best balance their social media efforts.
The sessions were engaging and really interactive. The students and participants to my talks, on all occasions, have embraced the opportunity to ask questions, give answers and offer their own examples. I have noticed a common trend: there are concerns for privacy and security online, a feeling that the lines between private and professional were increasingly blurred to the point they didn’t exist anymore and a feeling that with the expansion of the Internet and social media keeping up with the changes was becoming increasingly difficult. We therefore share similar concerns.
I hope I will get a chance to meet with the students again and thank you to those who organized the meetings.