Our age has been called “the era of communication.” The amount of information shared and the ability to circulate it around the globe in real time is a new phenomenon. The capabilities that new technologies offer, as well as the transition from traditional media to digital media are not only a historic milestone, but also key elements in the formation of the new reality of globalization.
Under these conditions of rapid change, the ability to communicate without temporal and geographical restrictions, to have access to real time information and participate in events taking place anywhere in the world, exceeds the mere recording of facts and makes the information flow a determining factor of developments.
The recent “Arab spring” is the leading and characteristic, but not unique, example of this novel, multivariate and globally interactive “game” between the facts, their mediators and the global public opinion.
These developments pose new challenges for public policy. Communication is no longer a subsequent addition to decision making, but has increasingly become an independent parameter that determines the success or failure of the decisions taken.
Particularly, for information professionals, who either belong to the world of journalism and information or to the parallel and interrelated world of communication, these developments pose a significant challenge for which the younger generations that are about to enter the respective professional field, should be prepared, given that this challenge will not only be a requirement of professional competence, but also a strong competitive advantage over the active professionals who do not adequately and continuously monitor the developments in the field.
The MCPP program was designed after taking into account these very needs of young people who have completed an initial period of studies, preferably, but not necessarily in a relevant scientific field and want to acquire, within a short period of time, a deeper understanding of the issues that journalists and media and communication professionals deal with. At the same time, the program helps students to familiarize themselves with the most up-to-date methods of gathering, processing and managing information.
The M.A. in MCPP certifies the successful completion of a series of courses and seminars and it is a powerful business asset in the increasingly competitive job market of communication and media, where great emphasis is being laid on knowledge and outlook beyond local and national limits, as well as on the monitoring of international developments, from the perspective both of content and media.