COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK A Reflective Report on the CAAST-Net Plus Experience (2013-2016)
Building Bi-regional Partnerships for Global Challenges
All CAAST-Net Plus photos http://l.caast-net-plus.org/l5
CONTENTS
+ CONTENTS | 1 + PART 1: CONTEXT | 2 •
Who this report is for | 3
•
CAAST-Net Plus | 3
•
The bigger picture… | 3
•
No one-size-fits-all | 4
+ PART 2: THE CAAST-NET PLUS EXPERIENCE | 6 •
C&D planning: Our framework | 7
•
Assessing progress: Outcomes, not outputs | 13
•
Setting up a C&D team | 15
+ PART 3: LESSONS LEARNED | 16 •
Start with audience in mind… | 17
•
Keep the policymakers close | 17
•
Meet online often. Do not eliminate face-to-face meetings | 17
•
Don’t try to reinvent the smartphone. Build, strategically, on the shoulders of Silicon Valley | 18
•
Stay agile. The pace of change demands it | 18
•
Invest in quality control. Small mistakes can be costly | 18
+ PART 4: SUMMING IT UP | 20 + REFERENCES & RESOURCES | 22 + APPENDICES | 23 •
Appendix A: Task scope and methodology | 23
•
Appendix B: Buzz group questions and group discussion summary reports | 25
•
Appendix C: Synopsis of results from a CAAST-Net Plus questionnaire on communication and
•
Appendix D: Key CAAST-Net Plus website and social media statistics (2013-2016) | 28
dissemination in EU-Africa STI partnerships (n=12) | 27
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 1
PART ONE
CONTEXT
Communication and dissemination are features of every research and innovation network. This report is for the funders, programme managers and communicators of EU-Africa R&I networks.
Who this report is for This report has been developed by CAAST-Net Plus for the funders, programme/project managers, and communicators in EU-Africa research and innovation networks. Our assumption is that these practitioners may be considering the communication and dissemination (C&D) function in the programmes or projects they work on, and be seeking management ideas and practices for planning and monitoring purposes. Drawing on the CAAST-Net Plus network’s experiences, our goal with this report is to provide a clear and concise resource that responds to that need.1
CAAST-Net Plus CAAST-Net Plus is a network of 26 partners from Africa and Europe, who are working together to improve the cooperation between the two regions in research and innovation.2 The network’s specific goals are to: + Encourage more and better bi-regional STI cooperation for enhanced outcomes around topics of mutual interest, and particularly in relation to the global societal challenges of climate change, food security and health. + Foster discussion among stakeholders for gathering informed opinion and experience about the bi-regional cooperation process, formulating and disseminating it in such a way as to be admissible to the formal bi-regional STI policy dialogue process and to programme owners.3 Learn more at www.caast-net-plus.org.
The bigger picture… Global societal challenges, such as climate change, health, and food and nutrition security, require coordinated responses by actors across sectors, nations and regions. In the research and innovation efforts that focus on these challenges, the urgency for diverse actors across to work together has long been acknowledged and encouraged, whether for the purpose of pooling scarce financial or knowledge resources and research infrastructures, or whether for the purpose of ensuring that that new applications are brought to scale. Responding to these urgencies, programme owners/funders all over the world have adapted their grantmaking models by supporting networks and partnerships that ‘join up’ institutions and organisations to address common objectives (The Royal Society, 2011). Through the Joint Africa-EU Strategy adopted in 2007, Africa and the EU have expressed their desire to forge a robust strategic partnership, including in science, technology and innovation (STI) (African Union & European Union, 2007). In this context, a plethora of programmes and projects funded through instruments, such as the EU’s research framework programmes, address a variety of thematic and cross-cutting priorities (see, for example, European Union, 2010, 2015). Among this inventory of initiatives are the CAAST-Net, CAAST-Net Plus and RINEA ‘family’ of
1
See Appendix A for more information about the task scope and methodology underpinning the preparation of this report.
2
https://caast-net-plus.org/about/goals
3
https://youtu.be/LJru9tJrhLc
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 3
What constitutes appropriate or effective C&D within bi-regional R&I networks is an open-ended question. Different networks have unique compositions of individuals and implementing agencies, work plans and ultimate ambitions to influence policymaking or to develop new products and services.
projects, which are successive EU Coordination and Support Actions with similar goals to support EU-Africa STI cooperation by studying cooperation framework conditions, through supporting formal and informal policy dialogues, and by raising awareness about collaboration activities.4
No one-size-fits-all All of these bi-regional research and innovation initiatives have a component of communication and dissemination (C&D), whether it is communication between project partners, between partners and grantmakers, or between projects and their stakeholder communities or beneficiaries; or whether it is dissemination of information over social networks, in infographics, or through interviews on radio or YouTube videos. Undeniably both C&D play a vital role in project and partnership performance. What constitutes appropriate or effective C&D within bi-regional STI networks, however, is an open-ended question; and a large number of general practice guides exist (see, for example, Development Research Uptake in Sub-Saharan Africa, 2016; Blewett, 2016; De Haardt & Van De Water, 2015; European Commission, 2012, 2010; Hogan, 2009 — to name but a few). Different bi-regional networks have unique compositions of individuals and implementing agencies, work plans, and ultimate ambitions to influence policymaking or to develop new products and services (see, for example, Table 1 and for a more comprehensive review see CAAST-Net (2012)). Compounding the complexity is linguistic diversity, ‘policy cultures’, as well as rapid and uneven changes in the underlying technologies that support C&D within and across the two continents. What is essential is that there is a C&D plan in place that is clearly aligned to the objectives of the network, that is adequately supported by the necessary financial, human, and technological resources, and that has a series of checks and balances in place for progress to be monitored and efforts to be adjusted over time.
4
4
|
For more information about the CAAST-Net Plus predecessor project, CAAST-Net, visit https://caast-net-plus.org/about/goals/history.
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
Table 1. Some examples of publically visible C&D in EU-Africa research and innovation initiatives NO.
PROJECT
FOCUS
KEY TOOLS
OBSERVATIONS*
1
European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership
Clinical trials to address povertyrelated diseases.
+ Website + Twitter + YouTube + Press releases
Lively Twitter feed with close to 2,000 followers. Very active on YouTube, with 16 videos and almost 3,000 channel views. EDCTP also makes use of RSS feeds on their website, which allows users to subscribe to alerts that interest them. EDCTP share options cover 288 share services. Their website also has a tab linking to coverage of EDCTP articles from a wide range of news sources. http://edctp.org/
2
Centre for Agricultural and Biosciences International
Applying scientific expertise to solve problems in agriculture and the environment.
+ Website + Twitter + Facebook + YouTube + Blogs
Many videos uploaded via YouTube, documenting project and field activities. Blog with option to contribute articles, and 2,205 LinkedIn followers. A highly interactive approach on social media channels, and regular updates. http://www.cabi.org/
3
Square Kilometre Array Africa MeerKAT Telescope Project
Construction of the world’s largest radio telescope.
+ Website + Twitter + Facebook + Newsletters + Press releases
Afrikaans SKA newsletter produced for the Northern Cape community, where the MeerKAT telescope is being constructed. This communication tool is specifically targeted at the community level, which has a high percentage of Afrikaans speakers. Strong following on their social media platforms and they have produced a timeline of the project, which serves as a reference point for articles about SKA by other news sources. http://www.ska.ac.za/
4
Transport and Environment Science Technology Network
Sustainable transport policies that contribute to poverty reduction and sustainable economic development.
+ Website + Twitter + Facebook + Google+ + RSS feeds
Although the TEST network’s social media presence is not particularly robust, what was impressive was that they had organised a series of media workshops at the conclusion of the project. The purpose of these workshops was to inform the media, civil society organisations, and consultancies not involved in the network about TEST, and their achievements. http://www.afritest.net/
5
ei4Africa
To boost the Research, Technological Development and Innovation potential of African e-Infrastructures.
+ Website + Twitter
The ei4Africa communication and dissemination strategy appears to focus more on the profiling of other R&I project activities and outputs rather than their own activities! These info feeds, however, are complementary to the ei4Africa event news published on their website, which also allows for comments from web users. This is an inclusive approach and supports other EU-Africa R&I projects to share information in line with their project objectives. http://ei4africa.eu/
*Data as at 2014. See also CAAST-Net (2012).
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 5
PART TWO
THE CAAST-NET PLUS EXPERIENCE
In CAAST-Net Plus we distinguish between communication and dissemination. Communication is a two-way street — a process of interaction between communicators. Dissemination is a one-way street — a distribution of information in a strategic direction.
C&D planning: Our framework A conceptual foundation of the approach of CAAST-Net Plus to C&D planning has been the disaggregation of communication from dissemination. Communication, on the one hand, we see as a ‘two-way street’ — a process of interaction, dialogue and exchange of information between communicators (stakeholders/target audiences); in short, a conversation between communicators. Dissemination, on the other hand, we see as more of a ‘oneway street’ — a process characterised by the distribution of information through particular media channels to a particular target audience; in brief, a push of information in a strategic direction. Our conceptual model (Figure 1) also makes a distinction between so-called ‘internal’ communication (communication inside a research network, between partners), and ‘external’ communication (communication between a network and its stakeholders or beneficiaries). In the same way, we also distinguish between internal and external dissemination. In each of these areas a set of dynamic stakeholder/audience needs are continuously addressed by a project’s C&D plan, which should focus on: + Defining key messages; + Establishing target audiences for those messages; + Selecting the appropriate C&D tools to deliver those messages; + Tailoring information to the intended outlets; and, + Evaluating results and maximising the exposure of messages.
Lining up C&D goals to project goals
Internal communication
External communication
1 2 3
Internal dissemination
External dissemination
4 5
ldentifying stakeholder needs Choosing and using the right tools Meeting stakeholder needs Assessing progress
Figure 1. C&D in CAAST-Net Plus: A model We explain each quandrant of Figure 1 in more depth below.
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 7
Internal communication is all about the reciprocal exchange of information between partners.
Partner-to-partner conversations Internal communication is all about the reciprocal exchange of information between partners, and represents an essential component of the functioning of a research network. Much of the substance of this type of communication is likely to be technical or administrative in nature, and concern the management and delivery of work against the network’s goals. Internal communication often contains classified or restricted information, such as information about project finances or project progress, which is not suitable for wider audiences. Secure environments are therefore needed for internal communication to take place without placing the partnership or its partners at unnecessary risk. Internal communication usually takes place via email, telephone, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), or in-person face-to-face meetings. It can also take place on a purpose-built platform, such as an intranet.
Tool
Trend
The CAAST-Net Plus Experience
Telephone/VOIP (for one-on-one meetings)
While ‘traditional’ telephone systems are still widely used in most organisations, and a widely used option for official one-to-one conversations, they remain a relatively expensive option, particularly when it comes to the cost international calls. VOIP telephone systems are increasingly preferred where internet connection reliability is robust. In settings where bandwidth is weak, older generation telephone connections still represent the last best option.
The use of both telephone and VOIP was prominent in the CAAST-Net Plus internal communications environment for exchanges between two and sometimes more partners.
Individual email accounts
Email arguably represents the most flexible, widely used and generally popular form of online communication. It is now the tool of choice for official memoranda or correspondence rather than paper-based circulars. Organisations and companies employ the services of a dedicated email provider, such as Google Mail.
In a large network-based project such as CAAST-Net Plus, where partners are geographically dispersed, email was the most frequently used internal project communication tool.
Group email address/listserv
A group email address/listserv is a central address that individuals can write to and that ensures that messages are delivered to a discreet list of recipients. A group email address is an efficient and effective route for addressing a larger audience without typing in individual addresses.
Building on the experience of the CAAST-Net project, during which a mailing list/listserv approach was regularly used by partners to engage in email conversations with all other partners, CAAST-Net Plus adopted its own listserv for internal communication. This was hosted by a dedicated service operated by the Centre for Social Innovation (ZSI).
Instant messaging services
Instant messaging services, such as those provided by Skype or WhatsApp, or short message services (SMS) via mobile phones, provide immediate conversational spaces for partners to address a single or set of issues relatively quickly and cheaply.
In CAAST-Net Plus partners used IM or SMS to communicate with each other, including and especially during project events.
Continues overleaf...
8
|
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
Tool
Trend
The CAAST-Net Plus Experience
Face-to-face meetings
Notwithstanding their expense, particularly where participants come from a wide range of regional/ international locations, it is often remarked that there is ‘no substitute’ for face-to-face meetings. Face-to-face meetings provide opportunities for personal and professional relationships to be developed in ways that are not possible through remote working. These types of meetings are enablers of communication: there are many facets such as non-verbal body language, gesticulations, tone and inflection that are made possible by face-to-face exchanges. Partnerships are built on interpersonal trust and face-to-face meetings are important in building this trust.
CAAST-Net Plus built a face-to-face annual meeting into its work plan, allowing one partner from each representative organisation to participate. These meetings provided essential opportunities for operational project management as well as relationship-building between partners through social interactions. Projects should not ignore the value of social interaction in network buidling.
Videoconferencing
Videoconferencing relies on there being appropriate infrastructures at all ‘ends’ of the conference. While popular in corporate settings where infrastructure is robust, videoconferencing can be hampered by weak infrastructure.
Owing to the technology requirements, bandwidth issues, and cost of videoconferencing, CAAST-Net Plus partners rarely used videoconferencing for meetings or presentations.
Web conferencing
GoToMeeting, Skype for Business, or Adobe Connect are just some of the tools that institutions and organisations use to conduct web conferences/webinars. These tools usually allow participants to join through a secure internet link, or through telephoning into a central number. Depending on the quality and reliability of either the participant’s internet connection and or their telecom, and depending on the number of participants in web conferencing settings, the quality can be accordingly better or worse. Testing and checking several tools in this context is highly advisable.
The use of Skype for Business (formerly Microsoft Lync) was used on a number of occasions in CAASTNet Plus, particularly for internal status meetings between the coordinator and the project’s task leaders. In project status meetings, for example, some participants joined conferences via VOIP, while some joined via telephone. On a frequent number of occasions partners predominantly from Africa, but also from Europe, were ‘lost’ in the middle of meeting due to poor internet connectivity or telephone reception. The more partners there were on any given call, the greater the complexity of managing contributions became. In our experience, however, VOIP still posed many risks of technical problems for partners and calls usually took 20 minutes or more to be established.
Cloud data storage and data sharing services
Web-based tools such as Basecamp, *Unity, or Dropbox provide online collaboration environments, where documents and other types of files can be shared and discussed by collaborators. These tools which often include sophisticated engagement functionality, can be a much better substitute for a generic intranet.
In the first year of CAAST-Net Plus, Basecamp was used by partners to share and work collaboratively on documents. This petered out in the later phases of the project, when partners reverted to email.
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 9
External communication is all about the two-way exchange of information between the implementers of a project and their stakeholders.
Conversations between projects and their stakeholders External communication is all about the two-way exchange of information between the implementers of a project and their stakeholders (funders, policymakers, businesses, the media, and so on). The substance of external communication will be the technical dimensions of a project that are of interest to these target groups. External communication happens in great a variety of settings, not just on a website. It happens in ‘field’ settings, in conferences or seminars, and online. Each of these settings necessitates communicators have distinct abilities to, essentially, talk/ write, listen and respond, as well as access to communication dialogues or ‘platforms’ in which to do so.
Tool
Trend
The CAAST-Net Plus Experience
Conferences, workshops and roundtables
Large conferences, symposia and forums, as well as smaller workshops, are still a widely used approach for the communication (and dissemination) of research results and for networking purposes. Their relatively high expense is routinely justified by the wide range of activities and results that such events can deliver. In other words, there is a return on investment from conferences and workshops — social networking, building social capital, and fostering trust — though these ‘returns’ can be difficult to measure.
CAAST-Net Plus made extensive use of large stakeholder forums and smaller training and consultative workshops to achieve its objectives. All of these events brought CAAST-Net Plus partners into thousands of structured and unstructured conversations with each other, and with actors within the Africa-EU research and innovation cooperation landscape, including policymakers, funders, private sector actors, and research and innovation communties.
Interviews
Science and research journalism is an established field of professional practice. Most major news outlets employ science reporters, and there are also dedicated publications that focus on the reporting of science and science policy issues, such as Research Europe, Nature, New Scientist Research Africa, and SciDevNet, to name a few. Interviews between researchers and journalists represent an important opportunity for researchers to communicate their findings to a broader readership and for policymakers to communicate with their constituencies.
CAAST-Net Plus partners were interviewed about the project’s work by a diverse range of media outlets, including science policy publications as well as national news agencies. Most interviews took place on the margins of project events or via email.
Apps, blogs, microblogs, and interactive websites
Blogging, microblogging (for example Twitter) and apps are tools that support and enable conversation between users. Their exponential growth, to the extent that many such providers are now listed companies, means that these communication tools are replacing many ‘traditional’ communication modalities.
CAAST-Net Plus did not develop any apps or maintain a blog. It did however utilise Twitter extensively over the life of the project in order to disseminate information, to track discussions taking place at project events, and to amplify the messages of platforms working within the CAAST-Net Plus organisational ecosystem. By the end of 2016, the CAAST-Net Plus Twitter feed had over 800 followers, larger than most equivalent INCO-NET projects.
Social media websites such as Facebook and LinkedIn are by now extremely well-established platforms for communication between projects and their target audiences. Their different styles of usage, however, across institutional and geographic contexts, means that one tool might not necessarily translate effectively from context to context.
CAAST-Net Plus maintained and populated Facebook and LinkedIn account. However, these accounts did not attract large followings or audience engagement, and were largely used to post and store project reports, event notices and photographs.
Social media
10
|
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
Internal dissemination of information within a research network is about the ‘one-way’ sharing of project-related information between partners.
External dissemination of information is about the ‘push’ of project outputs, ready for external audiences.
Project information for project partners Internal dissemination of information within a research network is about the ‘one-way’ sharing of project-related information between partners. The purpose of internal dissemination is to keep a regular flow of important information circulating within the network.
Tool
Trend
The CAAST-Net Plus Experience
Management reports and presentations
Management reports can include a variety of data related to the ongoing performance of a project, such as technical progress reports or administrative information.
The CAAST-Net Plus coordination team produced an internal management report that was circulated to all partners approximately every quarter, and then stored on the project’s intranet. Each management report was typically produced after a meeting of project ‘work package’ leaders.
Internal newsletter or noticeboard
Internal newsletters or noticeboards contained on intranets represent avenues for project leaders and partners to post restricted information they deem to be of relevance to the research network. Many organisations maintain such noticeboards for regular announcements.
In CAAST-Net a weekly internal newsletter (the socalled CAAST-Net Alert) was a prominent feature of internal dissemination. Recognising that too much information can be counter-productive, in CAAST-Net Plus a more streamlined approach was adopted (see row above).
Purpose-built intranets/ Document repositories
Many project websites are constructed with a public-facing website and an intranet facility, which is accessible via username and password. Sophisticated content management systems enable users with variable permissions to post content that is publicly accessible or closed.
The CAAST-Net Plus intranet (or ‘Team Zone’), a feature of the overall CAAST-Net Plus website, provided partners with an opportunity to store and retrieve internal documents. The most frequent users of this service were the project coordinators, who used the intranet as the repository of official project information, and management and periodic reports. The ‘Team Zone’ was rarely used by the non-coordinating partners.
Project information for project stakeholders External dissemination of information is about the ‘push’ of project outputs, ready for external audiences, through a project’s dissemination channels. These channels could be actual events, in which reports and briefing notes are shared in hard copy with participants, or they could take form in a suite of online tools, such as a website and social media presence. Key to external dissemination, therefore, are the outputs, the channels, and the target audience.
Tool
Trend
The CAAST-Net Plus Experience
Website posts
Websites remain the most widely used key point of access for information about companies, organisations and or projects. But more importantly, many different genres of website, developed with varying levels of complexity, have emerged in recent decades: for example, websites that allow users to transact (retail or banking sites), to search databases (journals), to follow current events (newspapers), or to engage in social or professional networking (Facebook, LinkedIn).
The CAAST-Net Plus website was built by ZSI, based in Austria, and populated on a weekly basis with content developed by *Research Africa working in collaboration with CAAST-Net Plus partners. The website contained a combination of ‘static’ content (an About Us section for example) and dynamic lists with editorialised project news, events, or links. Between 20 and 40 new website entries were created each month (see Appendix D for more detailed website statistics). Continues overleaf...
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 11
Tool
Trend
The CAAST-Net Plus Experience
Social media posts
Social media posts have become a standard route for organisations to disseminate information about their activities. A proliferation of social media platforms means that there is wide choice in the types of sharing tasks that can be undertaken.
With the CAAST-Net Plus website’s content as the foundation of all project information, derivative social media posts were developed for different platforms, mainly Twitter, Google+, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Flickr, in order to increase the reach of our information and brand (see Appendix D).
Reports
Reports remain a standard format used for the synthesis of research results by an organisation or project. The trend, however, is that report content is being re-purposed for web pages or apps.
CAAST-Net Plus took a ‘less is more’ approach to reports in contrast to its predecessor project CAASTNet, aiming to produce fewer reports synthesising many inter-related tasks, rather than many reports on each individual task. This approach proved effective from both an internal project management standpoint as well as a dissemination effectiveness perspective. Reports were published both as online documents and, where feasible, as printed copies for event participants. A preference toward online dissemination was adopted in line with environmental considerations, and where printed materials were chosen, the use of climate-friendly paper was preferred.
Policy briefs
Policy briefs aim to synthesise the key findings/ recommendations of a research report for a specific policy audience.
CAAST-Net Plus produced a small number of policy briefs. These were strategically disseminated, for example, at events where large numbers of policymakers were in attendance or through mailing lists and partner networks. There was no structured format for policymakers to provide feedback to CAAST-Net Plus on the content of its policy briefs, which represented a weakness in our C&D evaluation data collection.
Brochures, banners, and pamphlets
Most organisations still produce hard copy and digital marketing ‘collateral’ (material) for dissemination of information at events as well as online. This material helps to build a brand identity that is recognised.
As indicated above, owing to environmental considerations, CAAST-Net Plus invested only very modestly in the production of a range of branding materials, such as brochures, postcards, and business cards for dissemination at project events and for online re-purposing.
News articles and op-eds
Project leaders or partners that can speak and/or write authoritatively about project’s outputs use news articles and/or opinion editorials to convey their analysis.
As in CAAST-Net, articles about CAAST-Net Plus appeared occasionally on SciDev.Net or in the Research Africa news line-up. Overall, CAAST-Plus partners were quoted more often by journalists in comparison to the number of opinion editorials that they wrote about the project’s work. CAAST-Net Plus could have taken advantage of popular research dissemination platforms, such as The Conversation, which could have resulted in more strategic communication. Continues overleaf...
12
|
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
Communication and dissemination activities involve thousands of daily outputs — think of your email inbox and outbox…
Tool
Trend
The CAAST-Net Plus Experience
Email newsletters
Tools such as MailChimp have made sending email newsletters very convenient and relatively inexpensive. These tools also produce useful analytics and have easy-to-use mailing list management functions.
CAAST-Net Plus produced two genres of email newsletter using the MailChimp service: the so-called Quarterly Update and so-called Announcement. The open and click rates for these publications are shown in Chart 6, Appendix D. The MailChimp mailing list (~1,200 members) was updated by ZSI on a continuous basis with new lists derived from project events.
Posters
Posters have for long been and continue to be a standard feature in the presentation of research at conferences.
CAAST-Net Plus produced one poster presentation, which was used at a global health conference in 2015.
Books
Edited anthologies or monographs represent a popular form of dissemination for academics and practitioners. The trend toward online publishing and reading means that anthologies and monographs are available for download or ordering through retail websites such as Amazon.
At the time of preparing this report, CAAST-Net Plus was working with an academic publisher toward the publication of an edited anthology of chapters reflecting its analysis of EU-Africa cooperation in research and innovation.
Video
YouTube has arguably transformed the ways in which video material is produced and consumed. Users are interested in content that meets their immediate demand, rather than being interested to wait for a programme line-up (except, to an extent in the case of live sporting events, or very specific news programming). Professional video content can be expensive to produce and it is therefore important that video products are accompanied with a digital strategy.
CAAST-Net Plus produced a short film in 2013 entitled Introducing CAAST-Net Plus. The film was disseminated on YouTube and via Compact Disc at project events. In 2015, the project also created a short introductory video clip about Horizon 2020, which it disseminated via YouTube and the CAASTNet Plus website.
Direct mail (via formal postal service and/or courier)
The use of direct mail, while not yet redundant, is far less popular now than ever before. The key driver of this decrease in popularity is of course the advent of electronic forms of information dissemination. In addition, the cost involved, combined with the need for extremely accurate and up-to-date address data, means that many organisations are turning away from routinely using this form of dissemination.
CAAST-Net Plus used direct mail only very selectively, for example, in the submission of formal project documentation to the coordinator and/or European Commission; or in the postage of hard-copy project reports on request.
Assessing progress: Outcomes, not outputs Communication and dissemination activities involve thousands of daily outputs — think of your email inbox and outbox, for example! The desired outcomes of all of this activity is what is important to assess. Are partners talking to each other about work that they are meant to be delivering together? Is there a project repository where all key documentation, such as work plans and budgets, can be accessed? Is there an evolving public record of engagement, in the popular press or in more specialist publications? While the data presented in Appendix D reflects on some of the CAAST-Net Plus C&D outputs, Table 2 presents some of our ideas for an outcomes-based evaluation approach to C&D.
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 13
Table 2. Outcomes-based evaluation framework
14
|
SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES (IMMEDIATE)
MEDIUM-TERM OUTCOMES (DURING THE LIFE OF THE PROJECT)
LONGER-TERM OUTCOMES /IMPACTS (BEYOND LIFE OF THE PROJECT)
INTERNAL COMMUNICATION
Partners start talking to each other about their joint work/ responsibilities. This is realised in actual email exchanges or call/meeting reports.
Project communication channels are well-established. Project and partnership performance is optimised through effective communication between partners. This is realised in a sustained tract of project communication.
While internal communication is suspended after project ends, relationships between individual and partner organisations continue beyond the project cycle through formal or informal mechanisms. This is realised in new collaborations in and through which ‘old partners’ continue to work together.
EXTERNAL COMMUNICATION
The project’s partners are talking about its activities with its stakeholders. The first dialogues between a project and its stakeholders take place, through online or in-person meetings.
A framework incorporating digital and non-digital components for continuous exchange/dialogue between partners and stakeholders is set in place. This framework supports and enhances the achievement of project goals. This is realised in a portfolio of project events, online discussion forums, and other interactive or dialogue opportunities.
The project’s outputs and outcomes are ‘taken up’ by its stakeholder communities. Evidence of a project’s contributions is found in policy, innovation or academic discourses.
INTERNAL DISSEMINATION
Critical project information is available for partners to access and use. This is realised in a basic flow of information from coordinator to partner, and vice versa.
All deliverables are documented and shared centrally, for example, through the project’s intranet. Management reports, planning documentation can be easily searched and located. A corporate record evolves and is accessible to all partners.
Partners receive a compendium of all relevant internal project outputs, for example, on a data stick or through a password protected cloud storage tool, and these outputs are used to enable corporate memory and satisfy corporate governance requirements. A full ‘corporate memory’ is available at the end of a project, for forward-planning or reference purposes.
EXTERNAL DISSEMINATION
Essential project information is available for stakeholders to access and use. A strong project brand is created with basic material available to the project’s ‘publics’.
All public outputs of the projects, such as publications, are shared through highly accessible channels and formats. This is realised in an ongoing set of dissemination actions that support the goals of the network.
Public outputs are accessed, used and shared. The project’s record of dissemination forms the basis of the work/activities of new initiatives, reflecting continuity rather than duplication of effort.
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
A clear division of roles and strengths is essential for an effective C&D team.
Setting up a C&D team Division of roles and strengths The CAAST-Net Plus C&D team consisted of technology and evaluation specialist (Austria’s Centre for Social Innovation), and a research policy content development specialist (*Research Africa). With its strong track record of building project websites and intranets for networks like CAAST-Net Plus, ZSI brought unique strengths to the C&D, such as its iterative/agile technology development approach, which allowed for CAAST-Net Plus partners to add their voices to the project website’s development, and its technology evaluation framework, which provided regular feedback on the use and uptake of the CAAST-Net Plus information system. Drawing on its strengths as publisher of independent news for the Africa research policy and funding environment, its vast contact book, and its graphic design capabilities, *Research Africa created a unique publishing and project management team to develop custom-made content for the CAAST-Net Plus project, such as magazines and reports. Overall, this division of roles and strengths provided structure to the C&D team—and enabled it to deliver results against its work plan on a consistent basis.
Managing the C&D team A mid-level manager from both *Research Africa and ZSI interfaced regularly on behalf of the respective organisational teams working on the project, to streamline the exchange of information, to plan, and to work on technical reports. Dedicated in-person meetings were arranged where feasible, for example at project annual meetings, to build inter-personal relationships and to resolve tensions. A toolkit, specifically developed for partners, explaining the project’s dissemination and communication strategy was prepared and updated during the life of the project. An annual ‘communication prize’ was developed to reward partner engagement with the C&D team.
Reporting Annual CAAST-Net Plus project meetings and regular project management meetings provided an opportunity for interfacing with the broader project. These situations provided an opportunity for the team to receive structured feedback and to anticipate broader project activities.
CAAST-Net Plus Quarterly Update YouTube
Information brochure
Posters
Group e-mail
Basecamp
Twitter CAAST-Net Plus Magazine Linkedln
Management reports
CAAST-Net Plus Announcement Press releases
Presentations Links to related websites
Postcards
Newspaper articles
Business cards
caast-net-plus.org
TV Interviews
To receive a copy of the CAAST-Net Plus internal C&D Toolkit, write to enquiries@caast-net-plus.org
Conversations
Google +
CAAST-Net Plus film CAAST-Net Plus reports
Figure 2. A word cloud of CAAST-Net Plus C&D tools
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 15
PART THREE
LESSONS LEARNED
C&D can be organised and carried out on a number of levels: individual and institutional levels as well as programme and policy levels.
Dissemination is not enough. Engagements that facilitate conversation and learning are key.
Language, culture, systems and technology are all embedded in C&D, making it complex. A simple Skype meeting can be hindered by lack of bandwidth, translation difficulties, or difficulties in understanding colleagues’ tone or inflection.
Start with audience in mind… In multi-country research or innovation network projects, C&D can be organised and carried out on a number of levels, such as the individual and institutional levels as well as the programme and policy levels (Appendix B). At each level there are diverse audiences and C&D strategies that can be adopted to meet the needs of those audiences. It is essential, therefore, for a project’s C&D team to return to some basic critical questions from time-to-time, such as: Why are we communicating or disseminating information? Is it simply to meet the project’s contractual need or requirement? Or are we actually trying to meet the needs of our target audience(s)? As a project, what, if anything, do we want the receivers of our information to do with that information? Is this use-value explicit or implicit? Returning to the basic questions is essential.
Keep the policymakers close It is critical to ensure ongoing engagement with the relevant policy players in your project’s policy environment. But the chances of a project having its research results ready in the right format at the right time for a policy development process can be increased if a project, by design, situates itself in the ‘research-policy nexus’ (the environments in which policymakers are receptive to research results). With a policy audience, dissemination is simply not enough and, although the format in which research results is presented is important, the ways in which it is communicated, and the opportunities for sharing both knowledge and experience, are even more important. Engagements which facilitate conversation and learning will have more impact than simple conference presentations or policy briefs on a website. Keep the policymakers close.
Meet online often. Do not eliminate face-to-face meetings Partner expectations and preferred methods of C&D are extremely important for projects to work out. Understanding partners’ capabilities is also essential, as is allowing for a diversity of approaches. Language, culture, systems and technology are all embedded in C&D, making it complex. A simple Skype meeting can be hindered by lack of bandwidth, translation difficulties, or difficulties in understanding colleagues’ tone or inflection. While some partners may prefer email, others may be more comfortable with verbal discussions. Our advice? Work online most of the time but invest in meeting face-to-face regularly too, and in social events to foster bonding, networking and to build trust.
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 17
With the vast range of excellent and free technology and an appropriate strategy, a project can vastly enhance its C&D at very little cost.
C&D is a constant work-in-progress that requires flexibility and adaptive capacity.
Sending out the wrong message can cost a project its reputation or status. Making amends can be time-consuming and difficult.
Don’t try to reinvent the smartphone. Build, strategically, on the shoulders of Silicon Valley An effective project website, which translates the key messages of a project for internet audiences, which serves as a repository for project documentation, and which links to sharing platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn, is a necessity. Keeping a project’s website updated, however, requires the appropriate resources, communication expertise, and information technology acumen. With the vast range of excellent and free technology, and an appropriate strategy, a project can vastly enhance its C&D at very little cost. The lessons, then, are these: Retain modest ambitions for your project’s website (it is unlikely to become the next Facebook); draw selectively and strategically on the plethora of technology resources that are available to strengthen your work; work together with more popular research communication platforms; and avoid, at all costs, building new ‘portals’ if there is no sustainable business case.
Stay agile. The pace of change demands it Communication and dissemination is an iterative process that evolves as the environment(s) within which it takes place change. In the present era of technological ‘disruption’, the pace of change is extremely rapid. Although there are multiple tools available to facilitate better C&D, there are also multiple barriers to effective C&D. In this context it makes sense to think of managing C&D in a project as ‘orchestrating’— that is, planning, coordinating and delivering discrete C&D activities for different audiences at different times of the programme with a variety of purposes. It is a constant work-in-progress that requires flexibility and adaptive capacity.
Invest in quality control. Small mistakes can be costly Sending out the wrong message can cost a project its reputation or status, and making amends can be time-consuming and difficult. In CAAST-Net and CAAST-Net Plus we experienced this — to greater and lesser degrees — on a number of occasions. Investing in a quality control mechanism for C&D outputs can help to ensure that a consistent set of messages is delivered that line up to project objectives. Don’t wait until it’s too late to act. Less is more. Keep an eye on quality versus quantity.
18
|
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
​All CAAST-Net Plus reports and presentations http://l.caast-net-plus.org/l7
PART FOUR
SUMMING IT UP
1
The C&D function is vital in the design of a network-based research and innovation project. Aspects of C&D should be discussed from the outset of projects, as should the specific needs and technological capabilities of each of the project’s partners. While online work is increasingly preferred, meeting face-toface regularly is critical to building trust and strengthening professional relationships. The social dimensions of communication and project work should also be used to strengthen the bonds between partners.
2
With both internal and external dimensions, C&D occurs throughout the lifecycle of a project. This makes it diverse and multi-faceted, with no standard set of procedures that apply to all projects at all times.
3
It is impossible to do C&D effectively without some kind of theory of change that is routed in an understanding of the social, economic and political context in which it takes place, an analysis of the stakeholder group(s) in at which C&D is targeted, as well as an appreciation of the challenges and opportunities that may arise when C&D activities are undertaken.
4
Using this theory of change as a basis for action, it is possible to carry out a C&D strategy that anticipates the pitfalls and embraces success. Considerations when developing a C&D implementation plan include: + The audience: policy groups, practitioners, researchers, businesses, communities. + The level of engagement: personal, organisational, programme level or policy level. + The best form of engagement: policy brief, meeting, roundtable, scholarly article, op-ed, tweet. + The best tools to engage with: website, social media, app, printed report. + Challenges: language, different personal preferences and differing ICT infrastructures.
5
Digital C&D technologies are cost-effective and well-suited to provide information to a geographically dispersed network, with instant ways of reaching each other. However, for partners in bandwidthconstrained areas there is a lot of value in having hard-copy versions of reports or brochures.
6
The political sensitivity of content produced for newsletters and websites must be considered when deciding whom to hire or engage to do the C&D activities for a project. Partnering with a news bureau can be valuable in terms of accessing skills and tapping into media networks, but can also throw up conflicts about the content being publicised.
7
Communications staff on either side of the Mediterranean can help overcome some of the cultural communication challenges faced in EU-Africa research and innovation partnerships.
8
Investing in building and maintaining a project’s brand is essential in order to foster brand recognition and brand continuity within the project’s partner and stakeholder communities over its lifetime.
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 21
REFERENCES & RESOURCES
African Union & European Union. (2007). The Africa-EU Strategic Partnership: A Joint Africa-EU Strategy. African Union/European Union. Blewett, C. (2016, May 11). Academics need to embrace new ways of writing and sharing research. Retrieved May 13, 2016, from The Conversation: http://theconversation.com/academics-need-to-embrace-new-ways-of-writing-and-sharing-research-59010 CAAST-Net. (2012). Analysis of synergies with related portals. Retrieved September 27, 2016, from CAAST-Net Plus: https://caast-net-plus.org/object/document/301/attach/Deliverable_6_9_7.pdf De Haardt, L., & Van De Water, H. (2015). Research: How do you get it out there? Brussels: VLRUOS. Development Research Uptake in Sub-Saharan Africa. (2016). A research communicators’ guide for African universities. Retrieved September 2, 2016, from DRUSSA: http://researchcommunicationguide.druss.net/ European Commission. (2010). Communication and visibility manual for European Union external actions. EuropAid. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. European Commission. (2012). Communicating EU research and innovation: A guide for project participants. Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. European Union. (2010). The changing face of EU-African cooperation in science and technology: Past achievements and looking ahead to the future. European Commission, Directorate-General for Research International Cooperation (INCO). Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. European Union. (2015). Investing in European success: EU-Africa cooperation in science, technology and innovation. European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Hogan, S. (2009). Communication and dissemination on FP7 projects. Brussels: European Commission. The Royal Society. (2011). Knowledge, networks and nations: Global scientific collaboration in the 21st century. London: The Royal Society.
22
|
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
APPENDICES Appendix A: Task scope and methodology
Task scope This report was conceived as a task in Work Package 6 of the CAAST-Net Plus Description of Work as part of a Coordination and Support Action project grant funded by the European Commission Framework Programme 7 contract (no. 311806). The formal task description is given as follows: The activities and outputs of the work package will assure a full and effective flow of information between the project and the actors and stakeholders of the bi-regional STI landscape and the wider community beyond. Through this process the WP will develop significant understanding of the communication and information needs of the bi-regional STI relationship and of bi-regional cooperation projects in particular. The WP will publish an assessment of the communication and dissemination needs of bi-regional partnerships for global challenges, targeted at programme owners. (CAAST-Net Plus, DOW, p. 30; emphasis added) The CAAST-Net Plus partners responsible for delivering the task were the co-leaders of Work Package 6, namely, *Research Africa based in South Africa and the Centre for Social Innovation based in Austria (‘the report team’). As the task description suggests, this report is intended to serve as an ‘action research report’ to the extent that it makes an attempt to: + capture the experiential learning (learning by doing) of the CAAST-Net Plus communication and dissemination team; and, share learning and insights with programme owners involved in supporting bi-regional STI cooperation + initiatives.
Methodology The report’s development was planned to occur over two stages and through an iterative process of review, feedback and improvement. In the first stage, the following exploratory activities were undertaken by the team: + Development of a communication and dissemination toolkit for CAAST-Net Plus partners, which formed the basis of the project’s ongoing communication and dissemination activities from 2013-2016 (see page 15). + Consultation with four discussion ‘buzz groups’ at a CAAST-Net Plus annual meeting of stakeholders in Portugal, in 2014, as a first opportunity to solicit project partner/stakeholder feedback on the issues under examination in the report (group discussion results are given in Appendix B). + Preparation of an interim self-assessment report in 2015 in which the CAAST-Net Plus team outlined lessons learnt from its communication and dissemination activities. To this end, conversational interviews were undertaken by Linda Nordling of *Research Africa with Dr Andy Cherry of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, Isabella Wagner of the Centre for Social Innovation and Gerard Ralphs, Refilwe Mashigo and Alison Bullen (all from *Research Africa). Interviews were conducted in the period January to March 2015. + The interim report was formally evaluated by the CAAST-Net Plus External Review Panel (ERP). + The interim report was presented by *Research Africa at the third CAAST-Net Plus annual meeting in South Africa in 2015, where further oral and written comments were provided by partners. + The interim report’s key messages were also disseminated via the CAAST-Net Plus Magazine and through the Cooperation Stories section of the CAAST-Net Plus website.5
5
https://caast-net-plus.org/story/12.
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 23
Building on the feedback received from the ERP and project partners at the third annual assembly, in the second stage in the development of this report, the team undertook the following activities: + To gather additional data, a survey questionnaire was developed from the conceptual schema presented in the interim report and circulated through the CAAST-Net Plus website, social media channels and also to the CAAST-Net Plus partner email list on 20 April 2016. Its specific purpose was to ascertain the frequency of use of different tools/approaches for communication (internal and external) and dissemination (internal and external), as well as their sufficiency (usefulness). The survey response rate was extremely low and only a very modest sample of responses were received and assessed (n=12) (Appendix C). + Collection and analysis of a time series of CAAST-Net Plus website and social media statistical data (Appendix D). + The preparation of the final report.
24
|
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
Appendix B: Buzz group questions and group discussion summary reports
Four buzz groups were convened by Gerard Ralphs of *Research Africa at the CAAST-Net Plus annual general meeting and stakeholder forum held in Lisbon, Portugal, in June 2014. The purpose of the exercise was to ascertain, through group discussion, the communication/dissemination needs and challenges at different levels of stakeholder engagement in the Africa-EU research cooperation environment, namely policy, programme/project/institution/ individuals. Groups were given a set of key questions to discuss and report back on to the plenary.
+
Group 1 – Policy Level: What types of information do the policy developers need? In what form does and should this information come to them? + Group 2 – Programme/Project Level: How can programmes/projects/partnerships get even better at communicating their outputs, outcomes, and impact – to inform policy or to catalyse new product development (uptake)? + Group 3 – Institutional Level: What systemic communication and dissemination challenges exist at the institutional level (universities/research councils/SMEs) – in Africa, in Europe, bi-regionally? + Group 4 – Individual Level: What strategies and channels do individuals – researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers — use to stay up-to-date with what is going on and avoid information overload? Who are the ‘trusted’ sources and brokers?
Summary Reports +
Group 1 (Policy): Packaging and presentation are key, the Group found. There should always be a brief summary to accompany a full report. In terms of accessing information, it was noted that it was important for policymakers to be able to approach established authorities for information. It was also suggested that new institutions be created to generate information or specific tender-based requests for existing institutions to perform this work. (Rapporteur: A. Cherry)
+
Group 2 (Programme/Project): The Group acknowledged that it was important to use different methods of communication and have different messages for different audiences as there are always different target groups who need to be influenced and this can be a very large and broad set of stakeholders. A dedicated work package for communication in a project/programme ensures that common resources are used by all partners and that there is a programme level ‘brand’ which ensures consistency in messaging. (Rapporteur: M. Hughes)
+
Group 3 (Institutional): Institutional websites were seen by the Group as essential to communicating at an institutional level as well as print media and TV in certain cases. Social media was seen as useful, in some instances, with email communication again being seen as the most common and useful way of communicating. One challenge is identifying trends in communication which are worth following as an institution as well as ensuring that there is an institutional message. A second challenge identified was coordinating the institutions messages and the tools/mechanisms they use with programme messages. Partner institutions may have differing capacity in the area of communication—i.e. some institutions may have well-established media/ communications departments with the capacity to do layout and design, editing and proofreading, whereas other partners may be very limited in resources. One of the advantages of a structure such as CAAST-Net Plus, which has a work package dedicated to communication, is that there is support available for those partners who do not have a wealth of resources. At an institutional level the challenges can relate to marrying institutional and programme messages – an institution may have its own systems and branding requirements which may conflict with programme level branding. (Rapporteur: S. Calamassi)
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 25
+
26
|
Group 4 (Individual): For some members of the Group, social media was seen as an important tool for communication, as was solicited email (requests for information or one-on-one communication). Search tactics were demand-driven—i.e. the tools and channels used to access information was dependant on the context. People relied on information received by other close colleagues—i.e. in forwarded emails (peer-to-peer emails), in-person discussions, and used different sources for different news/info, depending on what information is needed. Many were part of listservs and registered for newsletters to keep in touch with what they needed to as well as to distribute information. It is clear that although personal preferences change in terms of accessing and sharing information, there is a large amount of flexibility, depending on who you are talking to and why. (Rapporteur: R. Mashigo)
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
Appendix C: Synopsis of results from a CAAST-Net Plus questionnaire on communication and dissemination in EU-Africa STI partnerships (n=12)
Headline results + 50% of the responding experts had between 4 and 9 years of relevant experience. A quarter had more than 9 years. + Approximately half of respondents were from Africa and half were from Europe. + In the area of External Dissemination: the most frequent channel of choice was a Website, followed by Google+ and Reports. Website was assessed as highly or fairly sufficient to enable external dissemination by almost 75% of the respondents, while Google+ was not assessed as effective (not even 25% reported that using Google+ was to some extent sufficient). High scores of sufficiency were reached by Reports and Email newsletters (approximately 75% and 83% respectively). 50% of the sample considered Films as either highly or fairly sufficient.
+ In the area of Internal Dissemination: Internal newsletters were more often used than Management
reports. Email, personal meetings and even telephone calls were listed as important tools for disseminating results internally. Management reports and emails were rated more likely to be highly or at least fairly sufficient (by 66% and 50% respectively). As a major challenge in this area, internet connectivity was mentioned.
+ In the area of External Communication: Most often respondents chose Website as the preferred
channel, but besides that, Face-to-face meetings were assessed as important. 58% assessed Website as highly or fairly sufficient and 67% describe Face-to-face meetings as highly or fairly sufficient. As major difficulties in external communication specifically, internet connectivity was mentioned again, but also the lack of reaction and feedback by the audience(s).
+ In the area of Internal Communication: The most important tool is Email according to our
respondents, followed by Group email list (listserv), Face-to-face meetings and only afterwards Telephone conferences or Skype. The Intranet option was not assessed as too useful with no clear tendency towards its sufficiency. High or fair sufficiency was assigned to Group email list (listserv) (58%), Email and Face-toface meetings (67% each), but also Telephone conferences (58%) and Skype (42%). There were hardly any problems reported in internal communication, especially not so when it happened face-to-face. One respondent mentioned a lack of feedback during internal communication as a specific challenge.
+
Key lessons learned across all areas included the following: • “I think we could depend more on video conference technology, it could offer prompt discussion and decision making among the whole group, Skype meeting was doing well with me also if internet access is available.” • “Communication and dissemination is key for successful collaboration. It must be done very much in advance of planning meetings and events.” • “Knowing the appropriate channels in each country or organisation.” • “Personal contacts are very important.” • “Communication and dissemination should be facilitated and strengthened through networking and through regular meeting.” • “Partners must be motivated and time should be allowed from the institutions to those partnering in the programs and projects. The participation should not cost Money (transport) to partners or result in extra task for them in their position.”
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 27
Appendix D: Key CAAST-Net Plus website and social media statistics (2013-2016)* *All data courtesy of the Centre for Social Innovation, Austria
CAAST-Net Plus Website Chart 1. Country of origin of website visitors 0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
Chart 2. Regional breakdown of website visitors
25%
0
500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000 4500 5000
Kenya South Africa United States
2016
EU United Kingdom Germany Norway France Nigeria Belgium
2016
Austria
2015
Ghana
2014
2015
Finland
Africa
Egypt
Europe
Ethiopia
Other
India
Unknown
Spain
2014
Netherlands Greece Uganda Portugal Italy Brazil Canada Mauritius Switzerland
2.5
Chart 3. Number of return visits per unique visitor
2
1.5
1
Monthly visits per unique visitor
0.5
0
May Jul
Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul
2013
28
|
2014
Sep Nov Jan Mar May Jul
2015
Sep Nov Jan Mar
2016
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
Chart 4. Comparison between unique and return website visitors 7000 6000 Visits Unique Visitors
5000 4000 3000 2000
0
May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
1000
2013
0
2013
2014
2015
2016
Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
20
2014
40
60
80
2015
100
120
140
2016
160
Chart 5. Monthly web posting by type of post
Item Posts News Posts Event Posts
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 29
CAAST-Net Plus Email Notices Chart 6. Open and click rate of CAAST-Net Plus email notices 0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Quarterly Update | April 2014 Announcement | May 2014 Quarterly Update | August 2014 Quarterly Update | October 2014 Announcement | November 2014 Quarterly Update | January 2015 Quarterly Update | April 2015 Announcement | May 2015 Announcement | July 2015 Quarterly Update | August 2015 Announcement | October 2015 Quarterly Update | November 2015 Quarterly Update | January 2016 Announcement | February 2016
Open rate Click rate
Announcement | March 2016 Quarterly Update | April 2016 Industry average
Notes: The percentages for both bars show the number of clicks and opens as a proportion of the total mailing list size.
30
|
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
CAAST-Net Plus Social Media Chart 7. Monthly Facebook posting (by type of post) 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Jan Feb Mar Apr May
2013
Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar
Share
Apr
Link
May
2014
Jun Jul Aug
Photo Video Status update
Chart 8. Geographic origin of Facebook page Likes
Sep Oct Nov
0
Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May
2015
Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan
2016
Feb Mar Apr
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
South Africa Tunisia Kenya Finland Austria Uganda
2016
Egypt
2015
Ghana
2014
Italy Nigeria Cameroon Greece United States of America Angola Botswana Burkina Faso
Africa EU Other
Denmark Ethiopia Germany India
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
| 31
Chart 9. Twitter behaviour 0
2013
50
100
150
Chart 10. Geographic origin of Twitter Followers 200
250
300
0%
Jan
South Africa
Mar
USA
May
UK
Jul
Belgium
Sep
15%
20%
25%
Netherlands
Retweet
Jan
Nigeria
Reply
Mar
France
May
Ethiopia
Jul
Germany
Sep
Spain
Nov
Italy
Africa
Jan
Ghana
Other
Mar
Uganda
May
Tanzania
Jul
Sweden
Sep
Finland
Nov
Australia
Jan
Canada
Mar
Austria
2015
2016
10%
Kenya New tweet
Nov
2014
5%
EU
Chart 11. Twitter engagement trend 300
Number of tweets New followers Twitter Engagements
250 200 150 100
0
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
50
2013
32
|
2014
2015
2016
COMMUNICATION AND DISSEMINATION IN AN AFRICA-EU RESEARCH AND INNOVATION COOPERATION NETWORK
Copyright © 2016 by the CAAST-Net Plus consortium. All rights reserved. CAAST-Net Plus (2013-2016) Advancing Sub-Saharan Africa-EU Research and Innovation Cooperation for Global Challenges AUTHORS: Gerard Ralphs, Isabella Wagner, Alison Bullen, Refilwe Mashigo and Kaisa Granqvist ORGANISATIONS: Centre for Social Innovation and *Research Africa Please send any queries about this report to enquiries@caast-net-plus.org. Any citations to this report should read: CAAST-Net Plus (2016) Communication and Dissemination in an Africa-EU Research and Innovation Cooperation Network: A Reflective Report on the CAAST-Net Plus Experience (2013-2016)
CAAST-Net Plus is funded by the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n0 311806. This document reflects only the author’s views and the European Union cannot be held liable for any use that may be made of the information contained herein.
Publication compiled by: *Research Africa (www.researchresearch.com/africa) Design and layout: Tracey Watson Cover images have been sourced from open access image repositories, unless otherwise specified. No copyright infringement is intended. All photographs used in this report are courtesy of CAAST-Net and CAAST-Net Plus partners and stakeholders. Images are used with the kind permission of their owners.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This report is an output of the CAAST-Net Plus project. All survey respondents and commentators on earlier drafts, including the CAAST-Net Plus External Review Panel, are acknowledged for their contributions. The authors would like to thank Dr Andy Cherry, coordinator of CAAST-Net Plus, for consistent support throughout the development and production of this report. Linda Nordling, editor of Research Africa, is thanked for her helpful and insightful comment on previous drafts.
ABOUT THIS REPORT CAAST-Net Plus is an EU-funded network of national science authorities and specialist agencies working together to promote cooperation in research and innovation between Africa and Europe. CAAST-Net Plus efforts focus on three global societal challenge areas — climate change, food security and health. As a project with a limited lifespan, CAAST-Net Plus has from the outset aimed to leave a tangible legacy whether through conducting research with the potential to influence policymaking, or whether through bringing diverse actors together from Africa and Europe to think about longer-term options for addressing global challenges. This report, then, is not just another ‘project report’. It is an action report: a tool for fostering engagement by and between the actors from the two regions in the area of project and programme communication and dissemination.
Follow us online Subscribe to our newsletter www.caast-net-plus.org/newsletter www.caast-net-plus.org
Find us on LinkedIn
Find us on Facebook
Twitter: @CAAST_Net_Plus
Find us on Google +
enquiries@caast-net-plus.org