The International Communication Association (ICA) has said that it is hosting a ceremony for the establishment of the ICA Nigeria chapter.
A statement by ICA Nigeria Chair, Ekaete George, said the hybrid inaugural event, which will be hosted by the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, is scheduled to hold on Friday, 24 March, 2022, by 1Oam-2pm. Venue of the event is the Emerald Energy Institute Auditorium, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Virtual participants will join at Zoom Link: https://bit.ly/3L2ruDt Passcode: 346142.
In 2022, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, was selected as one of under a dozen locations worldwide to host a Regional Hub that convened concurrently with the ICA annual conference. In the words of ICA President, Professor Noshir Contractor, “The ICA annual conference was anchored in Paris, and Port Harcourt, Regional Hub, hosted by the University of Port Harcourt, was one of our most successful regional hubs engaging intellectually and socially with participants in Paris as well as the other Regional Hubs.”
Building on the success of the Regional Hubs initiative, ICA now intends to pilot a sustained year-long (not just at the annual conference) presence worldwide. The mechanism for this sustained presence is the creation of ICA Regional Chapters. Arising from the success of hosting the 2022 Annual Conference Regional Hub in Port Harcourt, ICA has identified Nigeria as one of only six sites worldwide to pilot an innovation for ICA – creating sustained Regional Chapters for ICA outside the USA. The Nigeria Chapter launch is part of this ongoing internationalisation effort.
These ICA Regional Chapters initiative allows Chapters to have ICA branding, organise locally or regionally to recruit members, and organise events that will help support and build community among undergraduate and graduate students and faculty of communication. Members, local institutions, and stakeholders are expected to organise logistical and administrative support for a self-sustaining chapter relying on membership dues to meet its expenses.
ICA Nigeria Chapter is a multidisciplinary, academic membership association for scholars engaged in the study, teaching, and application of all aspects of mediated communication, a knowledge hub for scholars and practitioners of communications and media in Nigeria. Details on membership can be found at icanigeriachp.org.
The chapter inauguration program for the Nigeria Chapter will be of two parts: the official inauguration ceremony and the inaugural Quarterly Seminar Series (QSS) of the ICA Nigeria Chapter. Further details and enquiries can be made through icanigeriachp.org.