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Outreach and communication How universities can use civic engagement and collaboration to impact their local communities as well as communicating and sharing knowledge with the public
Copyright © 2025 THE - Times Higher Education. All rights reserved. How can we take research from the lab to the marketplace ?
When getting the products of your research into the hands of the people who need them , challenges arise . Vorathin Epin , Ibham Veza , Mazian Mohammad and Abdul …
Effective public - speaking techniques for university faculty
University faculty need public - speaking skills when they seek to engage students , collaborate with colleagues , secure funding and further their careers . Patty Raun …
How to make public engagement work for early career academics
Academics need to be able to translate what they research to engage a wide range of audiences . But to do that , scientists must first find the public engagement shape …
Researchers need support to change the world – here ’ s how to provide it
To generate world - changing research , the Hong Kong Polytechnic University ’ s Research and Innovation Office took on the role of fostering collaboration and …
Using storybooks to share research with a wider audience
Storybooks offer a collegial method of sharing research findings beyond the peer - reviewed journals of academia – and putting it in the hands of the people who can best use …
As librarians , we should embrace open research
Open access represents a new opportunity , and librarians are ideally placed to implement it . Nazarbayev University ’ s library team offers their advice
The library ’ s role in digital education : content is still king
University libraries have a huge opportunity to evolve and strengthen their roles . To do this , they must demonstrate the value of their digital content by promoting …
Pledges and charters in medical schools : catalysts for change or performative promises ?
Pledges demonstrating support in addressing issues such as racism and misogyny will often garner interest and may even attract pockets of funding . But they also risk …
THE podcast bonus episode : an interview with Kathryn Sikkink , Ryan Family professor of …
Human rights scholar and award - winning author Kathryn Sikkink talks about her work with the Harvard Votes Challenge , how young people are more savvy about …
THE podcast : how to turn university students into engaged citizens – and voters
Political scientists , in the US and the UK , discuss how universities can support Generation Z to engage with the democratic process , how to foster safe and open …
Steps to take to encourage more support for public engagement in research
By fostering a culture in which public engagement is not just encouraged but embedded into the fabric of academic life , institutions can leave a lasting impact on both the …
‘ Strengthening institution - wide commitment to trans inclusion is more important than ever ’
Guidance for museums , galleries and heritage has insight for universities as they prepare to bolster freedom of speech , write four academics
How to foster a civic mindset in the era of AI
Create spaces that allow small groups of people to see themselves in a broader context , encourage them to dream of what possibilities and opportunities could exist and …
Why have higher education ’ s female leaders had to wait so long for equal pay ?
The higher education sector ’ s gender pay gap stands at 14 . 8 per cent , three percentage points higher than the UK as a whole . Janet Jones asks why and what we can do about it
Film storytelling can enhance learning in STEM subjects
In the era of social technologies , authentic storytelling becomes a powerful tool for cultural and social change , a fundamental role of higher education , …
How to harness community knowledge to tackle complex policy challenges
Working with local communities can help uncover new insights to tackle complex social policy challenges . Saffron Woodcraft and Joseph Cook explain how to set up …
Celebrate Black History Year and tackle racial inequality all year long
Instead of consigning the recognition of Black histories to one single month , Deborah Husbands , Stephen Bunbury and Dibyesh Anand advocate for a Black History Year
How to engage with the media and expand the impact of your work
Academic scholars are generally not trained to write for broad audiences , so how do you get your compelling , newsworthy research out there ? Gregory R . Goldsmith …
How to facilitate knowledge exchange and build trust with policymakers
Those seeking to create impact with their evidence should be ready to understand how public sector bodies make sense of the value of research , writes Julian Molina
We set up a thought leadership programme to amplify PhD research
Dalhousie ' s OpenThink programme shows how universities can empower the next generation of thought leaders and facilitate public engagement
The language of inclusivity is not inclusive
Terms such as equity , diversity and inclusion give the impression that they are dealing with what is present . In fact , EDI work deals with what is absent , writes Pascal …
Six ways to boost international student recruitment
International students bring diversity , talent and economic value to our universities and society . Here are some ways to encourage them to apply to your institution
Fostering student co - creation to give back to the community
Engaging in local civic projects offers students meaningful learning opportunities , fosters co - creation and supports the community at large . Here , Martha Sullivan outlines the …
Conference presentations 101 : master the art of speaking to an audience
Don ’ t get stage fright when it comes to presenting your research . Ayten Ordu offers her tips for preparing for speaking success
Use students to facilitate impactful collaborations that benefit the community
Using students to connect third - sector organisations with people who can help them brings benefits to all involved . By Martin Parker
Why press releases are a waste of your comms team ’ s time
Most universities will track press release output as part of overall communications metrics – but , asks Kylie Ahern , have you considered other ways to generate …
To build a community in higher education , start from the ground up
Gareth Morris and Fiseha Berhanu Tesema outline grass - roots initiatives to help make your campus a socially cohesive place to work and study
Science communication tips for university marketing teams
When research reaches a broader audience , it improves the society we live in and inspires the next generation of scientists . Iris Lai offers her advice on engaging the …
Defining first - generation is harder than you think
The first step towards providing better support for first - generation students should be to acknowledge the variety of definitions that exist and develop a better shared …
Why your students need to learn the skills of a journalist
Interviewing real people to gain original stories and insights is a skill that will serve your students well in the age of AI . Julie Nightingale offers tips
‘ Resilience is grit amid uncertainty ’
In this extract from ‘ The Resilient University ’ , Freeman Hrabowski and co - authors offer the resources and mindset that higher education institutions need to develop …
In - person events are still necessary
Should academics be travelling to events that could be done virtually ? Drawing on her experiences at COP28 , Denise Baden shares tips on how to make the most of …
How to establish peer - to - peer support networks for online , first - generation students
Given the limited opportunities for organic peer - to - peer interactions online , universities must use a data - driven approach to create opportunities for students to …
How can we encourage more prospective first - generation students to apply to university ?
Reflecting on her experiences as a first - generation student and widening participation practitioner , Raeesah Ellis - Haque shares insight into how universities can ensure …
Building trust in research : how effective patient and public involvement can help
Involving patients and the public in research results in more relevant outcomes and gathers insight into what issues affect and are of importance to them and …
Empower communities using the Tree of Hope activity for post - project evaluation
Post - project evaluation tools that generate useful participant feedback drive positive , enduring change , write Suthawan Thummasungwan and Prakit …
Show your research impact : a guide for academics and researchers
In academia , effectively demonstrating and communicating the real - world impact of research is increasingly vital for scholars , driven by demands from …
Maximise your research impact with these seven LinkedIn tips
LinkedIn works as a powerful tool for academics who want to share their research , yet self - promotion can be daunting . Here are seven tips to engage with other …
Five things to know before you launch a research podcast
Starting a podcast can open up your research to a new audience . David Allan and Andrew Murray show how
Get the word out : four ways to communicate with non - academic audiences
Sharing scientific research with the wider public can be instrumental in breaking down the barriers to academic work . Ashleigh Johnstone offers advice
The four key steps to writing a successful funding bid
The art to writing successful funding bids lies in your vision – and assembling a crack team to enact it . Rob Waterson offers his tips
Community organising : a case study in parent engagement
Widening participation in higher education and improving the education journeys of young people cannot happen in isolation , writes Michael Bennett . Here …
Multilayered interventions to foster community relationships
Key components of positive community engagement include institutional - , faculty - and course - level links , writes Tom Williamson . Here , he offers a road map for …
The secret to long - term international research projects is trust and transparency
To build an excellent research team you want talented individuals – but they also have to enjoy working together . Christine Raines explains how teamwork and open …
THE podcast : how to do public engagement
What is best practice for universities ’ public engagement ? How do you enlist the public in your research ? And how do you keep them interested in the …
To extend your research ’ s impact , be bold and collaborate widely
International collaborations expose your work to new and bigger audiences and give you unique opportunities for cross - organisational and interdisciplinary …
Transforming a university campus into an athletes ’ village
As an official partner of the Commonwealth Games 2022 , the University of Birmingham housed and fed over 3 , 000 athletes from across the globe . Malene Stanley …
Case study : how to do an independent evaluation on homelessness on six continents
From working with resident researchers to navigating local salary schemes , Suzanne Fitzpatrick offers lessons on how to carry out a large - scale international evaluation …
A blueprint for supporting students affected by forced migration
Higher education institutions should be places of safety , solidarity and empowerment for people affected by forced migration . Here ’ s how the Universities of Sanctuary …
How to engage your staff in just 15 minutes
You need to get updates and other messages to faculty and staff , but they don ’ t have much time for internal communications . Here , Kelly Hibbs offers tips to reach a …
