„The public relations sub-project involves non-scientific publics in the research process and research communication. At the center of the public relations work are the controversies and issues that are being researched across the sub-projects.“
Knowledge, transfer and partners in research and public engagement
What is the role of Researchers in local, regional and national innovation ecosystems? Our training series discusses new ways and methods to engage with stakeholder and reflect on the impact our research might have. All parts will be lead by city2science.
Openness, transparency and the ability to communicate with diverse audiences inside and outside academia are key competences in 21st century research and innovation. Transferrable skills in the areas of science communication and public engagement are increasingly relevant for academic and non-academic career paths, as well as for the acquisition of national and international funding. The interdisciplinary and interactive training series invites researchers to gain practical skills in science communication and public engagement. The course will empower researchers via a mix of input, reflections and practical sessions. A major goal of the training will be to enable participants to develop a communication plan related to (their individual) research topics and to communicate their key messages to diverse audiences in a clear and effective way.
Part #1: Start the Dialogue, Open Up Science! – Introduction to Science Communication and Public Engagement
Current developments in science communication and public engagement
Key concepts in science communication
Identification of potential target groups and stakeholder
Reflecting roles and responsibilities of researchers in science communication
Clarification of individual needs in science communication
Part #2: Open Science and Open Innovation in Science Communication
Open Science and Open Innovation as a collaborative approach to research and development
Development of external collaborations and broader networks of stakeholders, including other researchers, industry experts, customers, and multiple publics outside academia
Integration of open innovation practices into own research processes
How to approach new and relevant stakeholders and how to engage in open innovation processes
Discussing benefits and challenges associated with Open Science and Open Innovation
Discovering the innovation potential of your own research
Part #3: Communication Strategies and Pathways to Impact
How to plan strategic communication and engagement activities related to (individual) research topics
Develop skills and get to know concrete tools for clearly communicating research to target audiences and potential stakeholders
Introduction to “Challenge- and Impact-Driven” research and communication
Measures to maximize impact: Communication, dissemination and exploitation strategies
Using different communication tools with a focus on Social Media, e.g. how to create a research(er’s) profile on Social Media
Part #4: Stakeholder Engagement and Engagement Formats
Basic understandings of research with and for society
From information to collaboration: Ways to engage multiple publics with research
Develop concepts and initial strategies for research projects
Learn how to plan strategic communication and engagement activities related to research
Concrete tools to clearly communicate research results to the respective target groups and potential stakeholders
Innovative approaches and formats for science communication including ideas for creative event formats
About city2science
city2science supports strategic alliances between city and campus and develops innovative formats of science communication.
city2science offers individual consulting services for universities and research institutions as well as cities, municipalities and regions, including consulting and application development, especially in European funding programs
city2science has internationally recognized expertise in the theory and practice of science communication and public engagement. Based on many years of experience in theoretical reflection as well as in the practical implementation of innovative strategies and formats of science communication, city2science offers a comprehensive range of services in this permanently evolving future field.
We are excited to announce our upcoming summer program which includes
several workshops and conferences incl. the RESAW 2025 “The Datafied Web” conference, which doubles as the CRC’s annual conference,
the lecture series “Unstitching Datafication,”
three MGK Masterclasses (Workshop [Media] Practice Theory),
the MGK Writing Retreat and Research Colloquium,
and a Summer School.
This semester’s edition of the Research Forum will feature an event series dedicated to Science Communication & Public Engagement, including sessions on open science, communication strategies, and stakeholder engagement.
We look forward to inspiring talks and intriguing discussion. See you in Siegen or online!
Numerous universities and research institutions jointly announced that they will cease their activities on Platform X. The University of Siegen participates in the initiative. The SFB also follows the call and freezes its account on Platform X.
The CRC 1187 offered visitors of all ages exciting insights into the everyday world of digital media and the opportunity to reflect on their own digital everyday life with an interactive stand at the “Open University”, hosted by the University of Siegen on June 8.
On Saturday, June 8, 2024, the Schlossplatz of the Lower Castle in Siegen was transformed into a lively research laboratory. As part of the annual “Open University”, more than 50 stands and hands-on exhibits offered insights into various aspects of university life. The DFG Collaborative Research Center 1187 Media of Cooperation also presented a fascinating insight into our digital present. Visitors of all ages explored the CRC stand to share their own experiences with smart devices and learn more about the research investigating our digital and cooperative lives.
The centrepiece of the CRC stand was a 12m long tent wall, which was transformed into a colourful map of our digitalized world over the course of the day. Visitors used sticky notes to mark where and how they use smart devices in their everyday lives on an illustrated map of the city and their homes. From children talking about tablets in kindergarten, to students presenting their favorite apps, to pensioners sharing their experiences with digital assistance applications – the diversity of contributions reflected the ubiquity of digital technologies in our lives. CRC researchers used this opportunity to talk to visitors and gain new perspectives on their work.
The CRC 1187 stand was well received, highlighting the growing public interest in research into our digitalized society. The research centre has been studying digital, data-intensive media since 2016. The researchers are investigating how digital technologies shape our everyday lives and how people shape and use them together. The CRC’s work currently focuses on sensor technologies and artificial intelligence and the question of what influence these have on our daily lives and work. At events such as the “Open University”, the CRC aims to make its research relevant to everyday life in direct exchange with the public and at the same time raise awareness of the importance of digital media in our society.
Summary
For the third funding phase, SFB "Media of Cooperation" will be supplemented by the public relations module in order to systematically involve non-scientific publics in the research process and research communication. The SFB's declared goal of conducting basic digital research and examining the cooperative constitution of data-intensive and sensory media forms the basis for classifying and designing developments in the field of digital media and technologies. To this end, SFB is developing a concept of public relations that does not see it as classic science communication in the sense of an outreach to a specialized sub-public 'science', but as science in cooperation with different publics.
Central points of reference for working with publics are the controversies and issues that are researched across the various sub-projects and specific publics involved in their negotiation processes and create them cooperatively. Not only negotiating controversies in digital media plays a role, but also the controversies and crises of the media themselves. This cooperative and reciprocal interlocking of controversies, public opinion and media research must be made visible and specifically integrated into public relations work. This is preceded by an understanding of “staggered public spheres” (Zillinger 2017). The sub-project differentiates between broad, specialized and critical publics. By getting the general public interested in controversies, involving specialized publics in a cooperative manner in research design and creating critical publics on controversial topics across these, Ö addresses and informs about existing issues with a view to the research taking place in the sub-projects.
The public relations sub-project will coordinate, continuously reflect on and communicate the processes and forms of collaborative knowledge production in terms of opening up scientific practice. Results of cooperative research and design are presented in short publications (e.g. blog posts, newspaper articles, SFB working papers, graphic recordings), scientific contributions, an SFB toolkit and a concept paper for cooperative research and design at SFB, University of Siegen, respective stakeholder groups and publics. The measures aim to create a cooperative public that, in close cooperation with SFB's staggered publics, provides critical and formative impulses.
