Master’s Degree in Political Communication and Crisis and Emergency Management

The president of the Political Communication Association (ACOP), Óscar Álvarez, inaugurated in November 2022, the 1st Edition of the Master's Degree in Political Communication and Crisis and Emergency Management. Álvarez highlighted the importance of the political consultant's profession in order to effectively meet the objectives of a public and private organization.

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Patricia Leiva, Director of Institutional Relations, Communication and Corporate Social Responsibility at Mahou-San Miguel, explained to the students the relevance of planning as the basis for success in communication. It is essential to reach the target audience, and reach it through internal and external communication.

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Andrea Martínez and Alberto Bonilla, recounted their experience as parliamentarians in the classroom of the Master's Degree in Political Communication and Crisis and Emergency Management. It is key to adopt in political organizations the perspective of a private company in the organization and approach to communication.

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In November 2022, the students had the first of the outings outside the classroom. Specifically to the Beers&Politics that was held at the Bastardo Hostel in Madrid. There, and by the hand of one of the Master's professors, Manuel Rodríguez, they listened to the reflections of María Llorach, PSOE's press officer in the Madrid city council, and Daniel Bardavío, press officer for the mayor of the capital, Partido Popular's Martinez Almeida.

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The former Secretary of State for Communication during the government of Mariano Rajoy, Carmen Martínez Castro, participated virtually in the class of another former Secretary of State for Communication and professor of the Master's degree, Miguel Ángel Oliver. They spoke, in an interview format, about the difficulties of coordinating teams and planning a coherent and responsible communication policy.

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Alberto Senante, a journalist specializing in NGOs and the Third Sector, spoke in the class of the current press officer of Minister Garzón, Professor Ana Vázquez Toscano, to explain the relevance of communication in organizations that seek to influence politicians and legislate with guarantees of equity and balance for the most disadvantaged.

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On November 25, 2022, the first Political Friday was held, attended by students from the Master's degree and also from other postgraduates from the School of Communication and Arts of Nebrija University, which focused on social networks and political communication, with the presence of Javier Pereira, Delia Rodríguez, and Adrián González.

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At the end of November 2022, the students visited the BIEM I facilities of the Military Emergency Unit (UME) in Torrejón de Ardoz. Guided by the UME press officer, Aurelio Soto, they visited its facilities and learned about the important work carried out by the military on missions in Spain and beyond our borders.

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Nieves Goicoechea spoke virtually to the students about her experience at the Secretary of State for Communication, stressing the work they carried out during the COVID 19 pandemic, which pushed the communication structures of La Moncloa to the limit, to respond to the daily challenges.

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In December, students had the opportunity to conduct an interview with the spokesperson for the Popular group in the Madrid Assembly, Pedro Muñoz Abrines, who answered questions from the students in the TV studio of the School of Communication and Arts at Nebrija University.

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Susana Reverter, current press officer at Hospital La Paz, held a dialogue with the students in which she highlighted the importance of internal communication and the need for citizens to learn first-hand about the work carried out by the research groups of one of the most prestigious hospitals in all of Spain.

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Fabio Benítez, cabinet director in the town hall of Arico (Tenerife) explained to the students, within the framework of the subject taught by Professor Tania Brandariz, the importance of local politics and how they achieve a presence in the media with a strategy based on in closeness, empathy, and mutual knowledge.

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On December 22, 2022, students of the Master's Degree in Political Communication and Crisis and Emergency Management visited the House of Representatives, accompanied by Professor Ana Vázquez Toscano. The students were at all times attentive to the explanations of the person in charge of Events and Protocol of the House, who told them about the history, past, present and future of the Institution.

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Iván Redondo, former chief of staff of President Pedro Sánchez, wanted to share his knowledge and theories about the relevance of the profession of political consultant with the students in the classroom. He stressed that the consultant must listen, appeal to feelings and direct the leader to meet the objectives. And, if need be, he should tell him/her of his/her shortcomings and the way to overcome them.

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In the class of Professor Elsa Tadea García, Vicente Rodrigo, from ING, explained to the students the importance of a good communication manager, especially from the point of view of corporate communication, and how all the departments of a company must work together in order to meet its objectives.

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Professor Ana Vázquez Toscano and journalist Ángeles Cabalero, from El Confidencial, carried out real spokesperson practices with the students in the TV studio of the University's School of Communication and Arts. They looked after not only to the substance of the arguments used, but also to the way they were communicated.

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Elena de Pedro, a consultant at Harmon, one of the companies that collaborate with the Master's Degree in Political Communication and Crisis and Emergency Management, revealed in the classroom what the daily work of a consultant is, and to what extent it is important to meet the needs of clients and the public, within the framework of what they call the non-market.

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On February 17, 2023, the second edition of Political Fridays took place, this time focused on the Third Sector. Julia García, from OXFAM-Intermón, and Alejandra Agudo, from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) took part in the event, with Professor Manuel Rodríguez as moderator of the meeting.

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Ana María González Oxford, director of the NGO Reto, and communication consultant, participated in Professor Eglée Ortega's class. She spoke about the command structure in a political campaign and the relevance of the strategy in the world of communication.

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Accompanied by the Master's teacher Nuria Bravo, the students visited the facilities of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) where they spoke with the current national football coach, Luis de la Fuente, and visited the RFEF museum and the trophies won by the different categories of the Spanish teams.

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On March 7, 2023, one day before the commemoration of Women's Day, the Master's students attended the Ateneo de Madrid for a talk organized by FEDEPE: Women leaders in politics, with the participation of Carmen Calvo, Rocío Monasterio, Ana Pastor and Rocío Guasp.

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José Luis Ayllón, head of Mariano Rajoy's Cabinet, and Antonio Hernando, current number two in Moncloa's Cabinet for President Sánchez, spoke about political communication, its mistakes and its successes, the characteristics of the post of chief of staff and its implications, in a talk moderated by the Master's professor, Manuel López.

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