Should we rather invest in Clubhouse, chatbots or a virtual event? Is it more important to build reputation with politicians, increase share of voice in the media or foster employee engagement? Are these activities – and is communication in general – really important for the overall success of the organisation? These questions force us to reflect upon the fundamental relationship between communication and corporate success. Every organisation needs a suitable business model for its communication department, which helps practitioners to operate smoothly in a turbulent world, create overall value, and explain this to top management.
This course is offered by Rotterdam School of Management b.v.. For more information about the legal structure of Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University, visit this page.
The basic concept in this course is strategic communication. Not all communication activities in an organisation are strategic – in fact, most are not. Many large and expensive campaigns might be necessary and useful, but quite operational from a management point of view. They support day-to-day work, but don’t make a difference, as competitors act similarly.
Strategic communication, on the other hand, encompasses all communication that is substantial for the survival and sustained success of an organisation, a brand, a person or a function. Managing communication ensures that communication is used purposefully to engage in conversations of strategic or operational significance to organisational goals. This means: it’s all about the impact on value creation, not only about the success of corporate communications in the media or among stakeholders. What is needed is a business model for communications – a model that describes the rationale of how a communication department creates, delivers, and captures value for an organisation. This will be different for any organisation and it might change over time. It depends on the scope, set-up and tradition of the organisation, the expectations of top management and other executives, and the ambitions of the communicators in charge.
This masterclass is for all communication professionals who need a suitable business model for its communication department to create values for their organisations, to enhance their personal profile as communication leader, next-generation leader, or consultant coaching communicators and general managers.
The classroom comprises of a diverse group of accomplished, driven and open-minded professionals from Europe and beyond, working in various management positions in the public and private sector, NGOs and consultancies.
Participants in this course are recommended to hold at least a bachelor degree.
Participants in this course are recommended to have 3+ years of work experience.
In this course, I got to delve into critical topics such as the need for communication professionals to develop business acumen and to spell out their added value- or that of their department- in concrete terms. Together with other students, we discussed how we can foster critical attributes of a strategic communicator and how we can elevate our performance and that of our teams. Surprisingly, most of the topics taught in this course, are rarely touched upon in formal communication education. That’s why this course was a true eye-opening experience.
Rima Kamal- Country Manager- Swedish Red Cross
This course is a must-have for everyone working in strategic communication. To show the added value of communications, you need to speak the language of the board. This course provides you with the tools and models to do so and how to leverage the positioning of your communication department and make real impact.
Irma Luijken – Senior Business Partner Communication - ING Netherlands
The Strategic Communication masterclass, led by Professor Ansgar Zerfass, has been a truly transformative experience. The exceptional quality of the guest speakers, who provided invaluable insights through real-world use cases, set this programme apart. Unlike any other masterclass I’ve attended, it offered practical tools and inspiration to create a structured communication management system that delivers stakeholder value. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to drive meaningful change in their organisation."
Sébastien Verlaine – Senior Brand & Corporate Communications Manager - EVS
Dr. Ansgar Zerfass is Professor and Chair of Strategic Communication at Leipzig University, Germany, and Professor of Communication and Leadership at BI Norwegian Business School, Oslo.
Guest lecturer
Head of communications - Santander Consumer Bank
Guest Lecturer
Managing partner - Lautenbach Sass
29-30 Sep and 1 Oct 2025
9.00-17.00 hr
€3,600 including tuition, course material, lunches and refreshments. This fee does not include hotel accommodation.
The programme takes place in the Bayle building on the Woudestein Campus of Erasmus University Rotterdam.
Our general terms and conditions apply when you register for an open programme. Please review them to learn more about our policies for cancellation, deferral and substitution.
The participant can be substituted by someone from the same organisation on the same course without extra costs.
This course can also be taken as part of RSM's part-time Executive Master in Corporate Communication, a flexible and accredited master programme for professionals.
Programme officer
Programme & Admission Advisor