How to communicate and promote EU-funded project results Michael H. Wappelhorst press officer Communication Unit Reserach DG, European Commission [email protected] SMEs in Health Research, Brussels, 19 March 2007 EU research: some key figures about 2,000 new projects launched per year at peak activity: > 30 000 proposals; > 4 000 experts per year EU RTD budget: ~ EUR 5 billion per year per project: > 7 partners from 3 countries European Commission: research related press information European Commission > Research > Press centre: www.ec.europa.eu/research/press.cfm EUROPA > EU PRESS ROOM: www.europa.eu/press_room/index_en.htm REPRESENTATIONS of the European Commission in the Member States www.ec.europa.eu/represent_en.htm A European challenge: 27 MS & associated countries Reseach Press Centre (European Commission) CORDIS News AlphaGalileo.org etc. RTD communication unit: „press office“ of Research DG* Mission: Communicating European Research to provide information on, communicate and promote visibility of (and access to) EU-supported research programmes, projects and initiatives Main activities: media, publications, events, web, desktop publishing, visitors * 24-page corporate brochure in EN/FR/DE (2004): The Directorate-General for Research - building Europe's Future www.ec.europa.eu/dgs/research/index_en.html RTD communication activities staff: 27 posts (press, AV, web, DTP) services to other services 6 framework contracts (PR, AV, events) Main activities: – Web (EUROPA) – Media events (~1/week) – RTD info magazine – European Research Headlines – EuroNews: Futuris – Publications (RTD: 400 per year), incl. videos, DTP – Research Enquiries service (RTD entry point) – Visitors – Events RTD Out „press office“ of Research DG: activities in detail (1/2) Information on research policy and programmes: provision of information (different publications on FP7 and the European Research Area) Information of the general public: - Research*EU (former RTD info) – Magazine on European Research (production of Research DG’s flagship publication (6-10 issues per year; circulation 84.000 copies, in EN, FR, DE in print plus ES online); - leaflets European research in action presenting results from European research (some available in >20 languages); - management of the thematic research web site (to become a European research portal). www.ec.europa.eu/research/index_en.html „press office“ of Research DG: activities in detail (2/2) Press activities: preparation and distribution of ~ 3 research press releases per week and organisation of ~ 1 media briefing/press conference per week; management of a database of ~ 3000 (European science) journalists Services for the services (DG RTD): management of 6 framework contracts for information and communication services, publication policy, contacts with EU Publications Office (including management of mailing lists and publication stocks), CORE group (EC communication group) Public understanding of science: management of the European Science Week; promotion and support of communication activities at the level of FP projects; management of specific “science in society” calls for proposals related to communication Bringing the good word to Member States Biggest campaign ever to study the ozone layer and ozone loss 54 journalists 70+ press reports ►44 media events in 2003 ►3 kilos of articles! RTD actitivities supporting EU-funded research projects prepare press releases (to be issued by spokesman‘s service (PRESS DG) in agreement with the cabinet of the Research Commissioner) prepare media invitations („diary notes“) for events in and outside Brussels (~3 weeks before event) prepare research „headline“ (daily news item on website) support EC project officers and project partners on possible communication strategies (media guide, nationalised press releases, publications, …) News alerts BAD: Commission launches European Round Table on GMO Safety Research, and publishes Review of Results of GMO research Brussels, 3 April 2003 GOOD: GMOs: are there any risks? News alert Science in the Candidate Countries: enthusiastic but with poor prospects, the young abandon research careers Important questions for the future of science in an enlarged Europe are raised by the first major Commission survey in the Candidate Countries published today. More than half of all people questioned had little interest in science and technology, with young men in Cyprus and Hungary the most likely to value science, and older women in Bulgaria and Turkey the least. Young people are turning their backs on scientific careers, citing poor salary prospects as the chief reason. However, eight out of ten people believed that science could improve their quality of life and cure terminal illnesses and that generally European research delivered positive results. Presenting the results of the Eurobarometer on research in the Candidate Countries, European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin said: "People are more optimistic about science in the Candidate Countries than in current Member States. They are more confident in the capacity of science and technology to build a better future. But they are abandoning research due to a lack of resources and career prospects in science. The time is ripe for greater investment in research in these countries as part of an enlarged EU. We must ensure that we invest now in our scientific legacy for future European generations.” For this Eurobarometer survey sample questions were fielded in November 2002 to a total of 12,247 nationals in the 13 candidate countries: Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Turkey. Lacking information… The Eurobarometer shows there is a clear science divide in society. 56% of Candidate Countries’ nationals are neither interested in nor informed about science and technology (EU15: 45%). Only 35% of people expressed an interest in science (EU15: 45%). Two thirds of participants in the survey think they are badly informed about science and technology. High interest in science and technology is seen in Cyprus (58%), Hungary (53%), Malta (50%) and Slovenia (50%) while two countries present a below-average interest: Bulgaria (34%) and Turkey (22%). Romania is exactly on average: 35%. ….but confident science can improve our quality of life Demographic analyses show that women are less interested in scientific topics (29%) than are men (41%). The youngest age group has the highest level of interest in science and technology (44%), compared to 26% in the oldest age group. Science is seen as a very positive value in the Candidate Countries; citizens expect a lot from scientific progress. About eight in 10 people in the candidate region believe European research portal and European Ressearch Headlines EUROPA > European Commission > Research www.ec.europa.eu/research/index_en.html Research Press Centre: media invitations & news alerts www.ec.europa.eu/research/press.cfm RTD (co-)organised major events: Communicating European Research (CER) and several FP7 launch conferences Launching FP7 – Information Multipliers Event (Feb. 2007) - multilingual information material www.ec.europa.eu/research/fp7/index_en.cfm?pg=event-070207 German EU Presidency FP7 launch event: Europe on its way to the top (Jan. 2007) ~1600 participants www.ec.europa.eu/research/press/2007/pr1501en.cfm CER 2005 (Nov. 2005) - major conference on European Research in 2005, ~3000 participants - media briefings on EU funded research projects & results - participants’ forum + exhibition - proceedings published with Springer, Berlin (2006) www.ec.europa.eu/research/conferences/2005/cer2005/index_en.html Guide to communication and media relations defining key messages; establishing target audiences and selecting the appropriate media; preparing and supplying information to the press; building good relationships with journalists; evaluating results; maximising the exposure of news stories and press articles, and tapping useful Commission resources online version: www.ec.europa.eu/research/science-society/sciencecommunication/index_en.htm also available: Communicating Science - a scientist's survival kit Communication case histories Practical examples (online/in printed guide): • CHOPIN - childhood obesity • EPICA – ice coring in Antarctica • ASSET - plastic bridge • WAVE DRAGON – power from the sea • Bridging the Gap – science webcasts • Bringing the science & public spheres together – Natural History Museum • Engaging activities with researchers – Techniquest Teacher Scientist Network Information General information on research: www.ec.europa.eu/research General information on the EU Research Framework Programmes: www.ec.europa.eu/research/fp7 Information on research programmes, projects and FP call documents: www.cordis.europa.eu/fp7 General information requests: www.ec.europa.eu/research/enquiries