In an environment where communications professionals are expected to interpret complex information, advise leaders, and respond credibly to misinformation and emerging technologies, strong critical thinking skills are essential. This Christchurch PRINZ breakfast session offers a practical introduction to critical thinking, tailored to the realities our profession faces in today’s fast-moving landscape.

In this introductory session, Carl Davidson will draw from a range of social science perspectives to outline why critical thinking is much harder than you might expect and why most organisations make it much harder still. You’ll learn why we’re all wired to think like lawyers rather than scientists, and why most of us believe we're already above average thinkers. You'll be introduced to a range of tools to unleash your critical thinking, nurture your scepticism, and supercharge your decision-making acumen. If you're interested in improving your thinking and decision-making skills, or just worried about what all those LLMs are doing to our ability to think straight, this is the session for you!

Have you ever wondered what a day in the life of a Comms Manager actually looks like? Or how Social Media Strategy works at a large company?
The University of Canterbury and the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) are teaming up to give you The Inside Track.

This is a fast-paced, small-group "rotation" event where you get direct access to industry leaders. You will have 10 minutes at each table to hear from the professionals and ask questions. Whether you’re interested in crisis management, social media engagement, PR agency life or what it’s like to make the jump from study to your first role, we have someone for you to speak with!