Article

Publicly promoting research enabled through CFI investments

Because of its unique status as a foundation entrusted with public money, the CFI attached paramount importance to operating in an economical,…

Because of its unique status as a foundation entrusted with public money, the CFI attached paramount importance to operating in an economical, effective, and transparent manner, and to communicating its activities and results to a wide audience. — John R. Evans, Past Chair, CFI Board of Directors

To achieve this goal, the CFI is always looking to collaborate with institutions on initiatives, such as events, announcements, stories, multimedia and social media campaigns, that will inform government decision-makers and the public of the research enabled by CFI-funded infrastructure, and the outcomes and impacts it has on Canadians.

To effectively communicate and promote the research enabled through CFI investments to the public, some institutions have:

Developed a diverse set of communications activities they use to promote research-related news, events and outcomes to their stakeholders. This includes social media, print, electronic and various forms of multimedia;
Developed relationships with specific media outlets in their community, tailoring communications products to their particular needs;
Implemented campaigns where communications products are promoted to targeted groups;
Produced a number of thematic research pieces and pitched them to media to be published as ongoing series;
Written their communications products as narratives so media outlets can easily adapt them into their preferred formats; and,
Proactively posted stories on their website for the general public when a researcher achieves a significant outcome, such as a major publication.

The acknowledgement made by institutions of research funders and collaborators in research-related publications is an effective way of informing government, decision-makers, the media and the public of the research enabled by the CFI. This is particularly true in our current media and social media environment, where universities and colleges are responding to society’s interest for information directly from sources like the institutions themselves, rather than filtered by third parties.

Here are examples of what some institutions are doing to promote their partners:

In their research e-bulletins, the University of Victoria and Université Laval prominently cite the research funders for each story they highlight highlight and describe how the funding enables the research being done.

University of Victoria

Ideas in Action: Research and discovery highlights from the University of Victoria (Available in English only)

Contact:

Jill Taylor

Manager, Institutional Programs
Office of Research Services
Telephone: 250 853-3847
Email: cfimanager [at] uvic.ca

Université Laval

Le journal de la communauté (Available in French only)

Contact:

Marielle Morissette
Conseillère en communication stratégique de la recherche
Direction des affaires publiques
Telephone: 418 656-2131 ext. 4674
Email: Marielle.Morissette [at] dap.ulaval.ca (Marielle[dot]Morissette[at]dap[dot]ulaval[dot]ca)