Role Of Public Relations In Improving The Image Of Tertiary Institutions

The purpose of this study was to appraise public relations activities in tertiary institutions, a case study of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu.
The objective of this study is to appraise the public relations activities of the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT) Enugu on the image of the institution and to examine the level of students, staff and managements relation in the institution.
To guide this study a review of Literature was done to expose the researcher to what has already been done to ensure a solid conclusion for the study.
A structured questionnaires were developed and administered by the researcher to the respondents comprising the external public, staff and students of IMT.
Bouleys formula was used to determine the sample size for the staff and students while Topmans formula was used to determine the sample size for external public.
The data collected were from both primary and secondary sources and were duly analysed and presented in a manner in which they could be easily be understood and applied by whoever is interested in the work and its findings.
Chi-square was used to test the hypotheses formulated.
From the analysis the following findings emerged:
(a) The organization did not define the role of the staff/ management. Absolute dissatisfaction with salaries/ wages administration for lecturers and other staff.
(b) Public relations practice of IMT has led to industrial harmony, this is evidenced by the fact that there has not been major strikes for a long time.
Public relation practice of IMT impact positively on customers patronage of the Institution. Based on the above findings, the researcher made the following recommendations that:
(a) IMT public relations department should be well funded, this will enable them to acquire more sophisticated equipment like computers, television, radio, public address system, printing machine, photocopying machine and so on for improving their public relations activities.
(b) Public relation as a management philosophy should be understood to include all efforts towards achieving organizational goals and objectives as a means of ensuring that all the department of other organizations are made to understand that their actions are what other publics will use in rating the organization.
(c) Whatever policies or rules, the institution has regarding promotion, discipline, dismissal and transfer should be followed strictly and accordingly to avoid lapses. The institution should seek to operate in time or provide better motivational facilities than other similar Institutions. It is the researcher’s belief that public relations is a potent tool for marketing of goods and services. IMT must embrace it for the satisfaction of its numerous public.
Having tabled the above findings and recommendations, the researcher therefore concludes that the onus is on the management to implement the recommendations to ensure continued satisfaction of its various publics.