I was privileged to hear the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Guest Lecture at Leeds Metropolitan University last night.

Students on the PR degree course heard Professor Anne Gregory, Director of the University’s excellent Centre for Public Relations Studies, deliver a resounding call to action to these future PR practitioners to harness the full power – and responsibility – of authentic communication in the new globally connected information highway.

It is an exciting time to be joining our industry, probably because of – rather than despite – the current economic climate, volatile markets and heightened, more vocal consumer expectations of business, organizations and people. Managing reputation and articulating corporate values and customer benefits is what we do.

She also revealed the subject of this year’s Claire Mascall PR Award – the prize donated to the university in memory of Claire Mascall, one of the PR industry’s most respected practitioners who was Head of Corporate Affairs for the London Stock Exchange, through the incredible generosity of her family.

MCG is delighted to contribute in a small way, by providing a work experience placement as part of the award and helping to judge the entries.

The challenge – open to all second year PR students at Leeds Met – is to write a letter to Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, assessing the reputation impact of the August riots and the financial crisis and proposing ways in which public relations can be used to build a sense of community and to help ensure a happy and successful London Olympics.

I can’t wait to see what they make of that one.

And who knows, the suggestion from Keith Loudon, another stalwart supporter of the Claire Mascall PR Prize and senior partner at Redmayne-Bentley, one of the UK’s largest independent stockbrokers, that the university should invite Boris Johnson to present the award next year, might get a positive response.

Now that’s a lecture I wouldn’t want to miss.