Do you ask yourself any of the following questions as a member of the academic community?
1) How will my research create impact in the real world?
2) My research is so technical. How will I communicate to people in other disciplines so that it is used constructively?
3) How will I communicate my work to important stakeholders including the general public?
If YES, then this workshop is for you! Policy intersects with almost every academic field. Many research or knowledge products can effect greater change if they are also communicated to non-academic audiences in the policy world. This workshop will introduce participants to policy communications.
This is the first edition of the Policy Communication Workshop run by the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions (CSDI) at the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at UBC, in partnership with the Public Humanities Hub.
Professor Heidi Tworek and KJ Sharan will lead a 90 minute workshop on the different strategies of policy communication and how to use communication as an advocacy tool. We will discuss how to create and disseminate effective, inclusive and powerful policy products. And hopefully make the prospect of policy communications more approachable! The workshop is open to students, faculty and staff of UBC.
The workshop will cover the following topics:
- The purpose of policy communication
- The different kinds of policy communication products
- Op-eds
- Policy briefs/memos and policy reports
- Issue briefs
- How to understand which kind of product is appropriate for your objectives
- How to identify the right audiences for your products
- Writing style guidance and tips
This event is free and open to UBC students, faculty, and staff. Registration is required. The conversation will be hosted via Zoom. A link to the event will be sent to the email given in your RSVP.
Tuesday, November 1, 2022
12:30 PM – 2:00 PM (Pacific Time)
Buchanan Tower 323
1873 East Mall, Vancouver BC V6T 1Z1
Or online via Zoom
This will be a hybrid event with livestreaming. Please indicate on the registration form whether you will be attending in person or online.
Part of our Public Scholarship Series. Stay tuned for our forthcoming toolkit on “Policy Communications as Public Scholarship“.
Facilitators
Dr Heidi Tworek is Canada Research Chair and Associate Professor in Public Policy and History. She directs the Centre for the Study of Democratic Institutions (CSDI). Her academic work explores the history and policy of media and communications. Alongside her award-winning academic publications, she regularly writes policy reports and op-eds as well as testifying before the Canadian government and the European Union. She teaches a course on policy communications in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs.
Kshitij (KJ) Sharan recently completed his Masters in Public Policy and Global Affairs from UBC and holds a BA in Economics and Political Science from McGill University. After completing his undergraduate degree, Kshitij spent 5 years founding and scaling large sized non-profits and social enterprises in India across sectors of anti human trafficking, water & sanitation, quality education and political strategy. He has extensive experience in using communications for advocacy, policy change and behavioral impact.