Public Relations Ethics and Administration of Educational Institutions: Perspectives from Public Universities in South-Eastern Nigeria

Abstract The study investigated public relations ethics and administration of educational institutions in public universities in South-Eastern Nigeria. It specifically determined the influence of public relations ethics on administration of educational institutions in public universities in SouthEastern Nigeria. Also, it assessed the influence of public relations ethics on communication between educational institutions and their stakeholders. The population of the study comprises staff of five public universities. The sample size was obtained using the Cochran’s formula. The descriptive survey design was adopted, and data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to staff across selected universities. The data were analyzed using the Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression model. The findings revealed that public relations ethics has a significant influence on administration of educational institutions in public universities in SouthEastern Nigeria. Similarly, it was revealed that public relations ethics has a significant influence on communication between educational institutions and their stakeholders in South-Eastern Nigeria. Therefore, it was advocated that educational institutions should formulate and rigorously implement codes of ethics in public relations practices to ensure transparency, equity, and professionalism in all forms of communication. Additionally, periodic training sessions and workshops should be conducted for administrators and public relations officers to strengthen their ethical orientation and communication competencies