Stuart has been running courses on public affairs and communications for well over a decade. As well as having designed and delivered courses for the PRCA, CIPR and Dods, Stuart also develops bespoke sessions for clients.
He was delivered on sessions on Public Affairs strategy development, Parliamentary engagement, reputation management, working with the Labour Party and Public Affairs in an election year, amongst others.
He has trained international businesses, trade bodies, public sector teams, communications and public affairs consultancy teams as well as individuals at all stages of their career.
Stuart is also proud to be a mentor for I Have a Voice and University of Aberdeen.
His regular courses include:
- Practical Public Affairs
- Social Media in Public Affairs
- The Role of Parliament in Public Affairs
- Diploma in Public Affairs Management
- Public Affairs Code
- Ethics in PR
- An Introduction to Public Affairs
- UK Government – Key Lessons for Engagement
- Practical Political Engagement Masterclass
“Stuart is both a well informed and engaging presenter who is very willing to share his knowledge and experience”.
“Stuart Thomson’s CIPR Practical Public Affairs workshop provided me with an excellent insight into the world of public affairs, policy making and the legisaltive process. I recommend his workshop and his timely blog contributions to anyone with an interest in the workings of parliament and public affairs.”
“Your teaching style was really engaging and I took a lot from the day. I felt really inspired to look at doing more Public Affairs projects at work, but more importantly I gained the knowledge and confidence to actually undertake them. Although I still love traditional PR, the course has given me an extra skill, and I believe it’s really helped me make my mark in the PR team.”
”I enjoyed completing the Diploma and look forward to putting into practice what I learned on the course. The course is well-structured and flexible, so it’s easy to fit it around other commitments. The support from the tutor from beginning to end was also very helpful.”
”The PRCA Diploma in Public Affairs Management was a great course that allowed me to gain valuable insight and learn best practice for public affairs. The course covers many practical elements and is ideal for those working in PR but perhaps not directly in public affairs and who would like to have a good understanding of parliamentary processes.”
”I decided to enrol in the PRCA Diploma in Public Affairs Management to hone my practical skills in public affairs. The course offered great tips for engaging Ministers, MPs, and civil servants. The combination of background reading and lectures provides a solid foundation for the final assignment. Both the course lecturer and the staff at PRCA were helpful and always ready to answer a query. Stuart’s relaxed and approachable style makes digesting the course content manageable. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and appreciated the efforts made by Stuart and the PRCA team to provide a good learning environment during the COVID lockdown. For those keen to get into public affairs, I recommend this course.”
“I would thoroughly recommend the diploma for anyone involved or looking to gain an in-depth insight into the main principles and procedures of public affairs. As well as the key knowledge gained from the experience, the support and expertise offered from the course leaders was exceptional.”
“Completing the Diploma in Public Affairs Management has been integral to my professional development. The flexible learning structure, tutor support and online resources meant that I could fit the course around my work schedule. Being able to write the final assignment on a public affairs issue of my choice meant that I could combine my learning and development with a work related output. I definitely recommend this course to communications professionals looking to build on their public affairs skills.”
“The diploma provided an overview of the UK’s parliamentary processes, the legislative procedure and the opportunities for ethical and responsible lobbying within this. For people who are just joining the industry it is a great introduction to the key concepts, models and frameworks of public affairs and political PR.”
”This course was just what I was looking for ““ a good introduction and overview of public affairs in the UK. The set-up was good ““ with weekly guided reading and then webinars to sum up each module. It was also helpful to be able to discuss particular points directly with the course tutor too. I was able to work at my own pace, and with the course taking just six months it was easy to fit in the studying. Having been given the task to work on a public affairs strategy for our organisation the course certainly helped me pull together the ideas and thoughts I’ve had into a more coherent and targeted plan. If you are looking for a good introduction to public affairs/lobbying work in the UK then I would recommend this course.”
”I undertook the PRCA Diploma in Public Affairs Management to develop and widen my understanding of public affairs. The online lectures and reading material available was excellent and Stuart’s style helped make the lectures easy to understand ““ he was always ready to take questions and answer queries offline. I would recommend the course to anyone looking to expand their knowledge of public affairs.”
”The PRCA Diploma in Public Affairs Management is an excellent course for anyone looking to increase their knowledge and expertise in public affairs. The course provides a wealth of resources that will build your understanding of how to approach and manage effective public affairs campaigns. It’s delivered flexibly, which is perfect for busy professionals, and Stuart, the course tutor, is an exceptionally adept explainer and mentor in all thing’s public affairs.”
”I decided to take the Public Affairs Diploma to gain a solid understanding of how public affairs work in practice and learn tips and tricks when it comes to influencing political decisions. As someone who had never been involved in public affairs campaigns, I found the course illuminating, helping me with my professional development and my career. The course benefits from a flexible structure and an excellent tutor, like Stuart, who is there to help you all the way. I would clearly recommend this course”.
”I would 100% recommend this course to anyone looking to move into a career in public affairs. The course is varied, well-organised and easy to fit around a full-time job. Stuart and the other contributors were very insightful and approachable, and the rest of the team couldn’t have been more helpful and easy to work with. Thanks to all involved!”
”has given me the confidence to engage a range of political stakeholders, including Special Advisers, Civil Servants, and MPs.”
”Organised, insightful and intriguing.”
”Extremely informative and interesting. I had a lot of fun and learnt lots of practical advice.”