The Communications team at RCSI has won an award for the ‘Best Use of Print and Broadcast Media' at the 2015 PRII (Public Relations Institute of Ireland) and PRCA (Public Relations Consultants Association) Awards for Excellence in Public Relations. The awards were announced at a gala event in the Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin on 26 June.

The RCSI campaign ‘Developing Healthcare Leaders of the Future' was a culmination of the work the Communications team has done over the past year, and encapsulated the overall communications strategy of RCSI for the past 12 months. Based on three key pillars: Research, Education and Outreach, the campaign exhibited the leadership RCSI has shown in these three areas, with a combination of campaign goals, outputs, subsequent media coverage and industry standard evaluation metrics.

Speaking on the award, Professor Cathal Kelly, CEO/Registrar, RCSI, said: "It really was a remarkable achievement for RCSI to get nominated alongside some of the best communication campaigns in the country over the past year, but to go on and win it is fantastic. It was another first for RCSI as we become the first third level institution to win a PR Excellence Award. I'm proud of the team and give my congratulations to Louise Loughran, Niamh Walker, Jane Butler and Robert Magee."

The judging panel, which was made up of a selection of individuals highly regarded as experts in the field of communications and public relations, chose the RCSI campaign as it was a strategic programme whose messages stood out clearly and over a sustained period. The thorough, news-led, well researched and creative approach, achieved strong interest from media: and met all the objectives set.

The PRII and PRCA Awards for Excellence in Public Relations is the flagship event in the Irish PR industry where the winners of each award are all chosen to reflect the diversity of working life in the fast-paced and continuously evolving PR and communications arena. This year saw the highest level of entries in the 22 year history of the Awards. The Awards recognise the key role PR plays in helping organisations achieve their strategic objectives across 20 categories.