PhD success for PR guru

26 July 2016

Founder of PR Academy awarded Doctorate

The co-founder of one of the UK’s biggest provider of public relations education has cause to celebrate his own academic achievements after being awarded a PhD.

Dr Kevin Ruck, who set up PR Academy almost 10 years ago, has been awarded a PhD from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) focusing on improving internal communications and employee engagement. The internal communications specialist returned to study six years ago, deciding to come to UCLan so he could work under the guidance of communication management expert Dr Mary Welch.

Dr Ruck commented: “Studying at UCLan has been an incredibly enjoyable experience. I have long admired Dr Mary Welch’s work and relished the opportunity to work with her.”

Alongside his studies, the 57-year-old has continued to run PR Academy, which provides education, training and coaching for communication professionals for more than 1,000 practitioners every year and is the UK’s largest provider of CIPR qualifications.

"Studying at UCLan has been an incredibly enjoyable experience. I have long admired Dr Mary Welch’s work and relished the opportunity to work with her."

The father of two grown up children, Dr Ruck added: “Developing and testing new models of practice in the PhD thesis has also helped to inform my teaching of internal communication at PR Academy.”

Dr Ruck is also a regular conference speaker and edited the third edition of ‘Exploring Internal Communication’, published by Gower in April 2015.