Internal communication education in universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands

A growing body of scholarly research focuses on internal communication (IC), which, over the past decade, has become an important specialisation within the field of communication. However, little scholarly attention has been paid to IC education, resulting in a lack of academic knowledge about the state of IC education. This paper focuses on investigating IC education in communication studies curricula at Dutch universities of applied sciences.

Using a combination of content analysis of IC modules in Bachelor of Communication programmes (n = 19) and qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with IC educators (n = 8), this article sheds lights on the contours of IC education and its relationship with practice.

Education has become an integral part of the IC profession in the Netherlands. The analysis shows that while the modules address some important topics found in the literature on IC, there are some gaps. In regard to knowledge topics, the modules reflect broader trends in IC by addressing important topics like change management, internal branding and digitalisation. However, there is a gap in the competencies in the modules and what is considered important in the literature.

The findings can help educators improve the quality of their curriculum. For IC practitioners, professional associations in particular, this paper provides insight into the state of education of future IC professionals

Studies that look at the education of communication professionals have focused mainly on the field of public relations. This paper reports on the first empirical study to investigate the state of IC education in the context of higher education.