NDI organized a communications training for researchers on Wednesday 12 June 2019 at Aalto University. The communications training “Make an impact with science communication” provided inspiration and tools for researchers for interacting with decision-makers and sharing their research results and policy recommendations in an effective manner. Participants got to practice stakeholder communication, coming up with key messages and writing an effective policy brief.
During the day, participants heard and discussed successful real-life examples of co-creation and interaction by decision-makers and researchers. Ms. Tarja Haaranen, Director at the Ministry of the Environment of Finland, shared her experiences in successful communication with experts and researchers. Ms. Armi Temmes, leader of Smart Energy Transition project, Professor of Practice of Corporate Sustainability at the Aalto University introduced the participants how to use co-creation in a research project. Ms. Marita Laukkanen, Chief Researcher and Research Leader at the VATT Institute for Economic Research and Adjunct Professor of Economics at the University of Helsinki spoke from her own experience, how researchers can contribute to societal debate via social media based on their research.
Presentations of the training are available below:
Tarja Haaranen: Successful science communication through the eyes of a decision-maker
Armi Temmes: How to use co-creation in a research project?
Marita Laukkanen: Why use social media as a researcher?
In the afternoon, the training was focused on defining stakeholders and key messages. Participants also learned how to turn their own research results into a policy brief with recommendations for policy actions.
Participants of the training represented the Saint Petersburg State University of Economics (UNECON), the Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov (NArFU), the Northern State Medical University, the University of Oulu and the Aalto University.
The training was conducted by Kaskas Media, a Finnish communications agency that specializes in science and expert communication. The training was a part of the “Development of a think tank functions of the Northern Dimension Institute – NDI Think Tank Action”.
NDI Think Tank Action focuses on developing and institutionalizing think tank functions of the NDI to provide relevant research-based knowledge and a neutral platform for open dialogue, people-to-people contacts and co-creation among the decision- and policy-makers, civil servants, business, NGOs and the academic community.
The NDI Think Tank Action is a 3-year (2019-2021) project co-financed by the EC DG NEAR.
