UNU-MERIT Communications Results Plans Howard Hudson Editor

UNU-MERIT Communications: Results & Plans Howard Hudson, Editor / Communications Coordinator 18 July 2015

Network inspiration 1. Own channels 2. External channels 3. Current partnerships 4. Nascent partnerships “. . . more resources are being devoted to innovative means of messaging on our website. . . UNU researchers will also continue to be encouraged to work together across UNU institutes… thus… delivering a truly unique, multidisciplinary perspective. ”

Communication pillars 1. Own channels 2. External channels 3. Current partnerships 4. Nascent partnerships

1. Own channels: UNU-MERIT in 2014 • Highest web traffic of all UNU institutes: 109 k users /. 81 m pageviews • Largest social media: Over 65, 700 views on You. Tube, 4, 000 likes on Facebook, 1, 400 followers on Twitter.

Expanding our own channels: Further in 2015 • More blogs: 15 in 2014… 20 in first half of 2015: Partly thanks to comms workshop for researchers & Ph. D fellows (v. link below) • Multimedia: More in-house production: audio, photo, video, etc. • Better targeting: Geographic & interest-based audiences, esp. on Facebook http: //bit. ly/1 Lyfm 59

Expanding our own channels: Social audience Survey on OW 2. 0 magazine (2011) - 68% with a university degree - 10% with a Ph. D - 80% under 40 years

Expanding our own channels: Feedback loop Facebook > website: Over 83% rise in referrals You. Tube: Almost 10% rise in views

Expanding our own channels: Main website

2. External channels Partner of the UK Press Association 10 PRs since September 2014: mainly research reports & policy briefs Zero cost: Non-profit account Recommended to other institutes

External channels: News articles 2014 • International: Al Jazeera, Bloomberg, National Geographic, Reuters. • National: RTBF (Belgium), The Globe & Mail (Canada), Le Figaro (France), ZEIT Online (Germany), Trouw (the Netherlands), Channel 4 News, The Guardian, The Daily Mirror (UK).

External channels: News articles 2014

3. Current partnerships: Comms & outreach • UNU-wide: new ‘sharing economy’ means larger institutes help smaller institutes, as well as headquarters. - Hosted first UNU comms meeting in Maastricht, May 2014 - Led two sessions at UNU comms meeting in Tokyo, June 2015 - Now coordinating joint media work: articles, events, outreach, etc. - Leading comms innovation: New Wordpress website, social media accounts, promotional trailers; now producing UNU-wide multimedia (WWW 2015)

Current partnerships: Comms & outreach • EU & UN agencies: often the commissioned or junior partner = lower visibility. Contractual solution suggested by UNU-EHS. - Untapped potential for work on innovation (EU Scoreboard), migration (UNHCR, ILO, IOM, WB) & sanitation (India, Kenya). • National governments & international organisations: Good contacts via DEIP innovation workshops, now with media session. CPR tie-ins?

4. Nascent partnerships: Comms & outreach • Chatham House, London: Member since 2014. Learning from a top global think tank. Speaker options, e. g. MDG Legacy event, 10 September • United Nations Regional Information Centre, Brussels: App promotion & launch event, 10 November: ‘World Science Day for Peace & Development’ • World Federation of Science Journalists, Montreal: Events & partnership proposal shared at UNU comms meeting. Interest from migration network.

Postscript 2015: How important is comms? • World Bank reports, 2008 -12 (v. link below) • Never cited: 86% • Downloaded <100 times: 40% • Never downloaded: 31% • Dead ends = Jargon-filled PDFs • Live ends = Multi-layered approach via articles, blogs, briefs, op-eds, training & videos in clear language. http: //bit. ly/1 uevr. Xs

Postscript 2015: What’s missing? • UNU Head of Communications - Little oversight from either Maastricht University or UNU HQ - Need to build relationships with both UN counterparts & press corps in Geneva, NYC & Brussels - Create & maintain partnerships for UNU - Balance interests of all institutes • UNU Communications Strategy - incl. audience targeting, core messaging, coordination, etc. (last done Nov. 2011) - in order to fulfill our charter commitments: “The University shall disseminate the knowledge gained in its activities to the United Nations & its agencies, to scholars & to the public, in order to increase dynamic interaction in the worldwide community of learning & research. ” (Article 1. 4)