Science Communication and Media Skills

This course will introduce the participants how to work strategically with research communication via traditional news media and social media. Based on research and theory, the course will also provide central tools and ways of working strategically with research communication – on how to get started and how to maintain a certain level of activity.

The purpose of this course is to provide participants with knowledge on research communication; on how researchers can successfully appear in the traditional media and on social media; and on how journalists work and think when working with researchers. The course will provide specific tools, which the participants can use in their everyday practice when working with journalists and social media.

The workshop format in this course entails that all input and tools are connected to the individual researcher’s own research project – and joint discussions give the opportunity for mutual inspiration. During the course, we will focus on strategic elements such as why research communication is important, what types of researcher that might be relevant for the individual, tactical/operational themes like messaging, social media and traditional media, interviews and how to prepare and participate in interviews, and how to formulate a communication plan. The course also contains an element on deciding what kind of exposure level within media/social media that the individual participant is comfortable with and which level they strive to achieve.