Author: Giulia Ballarin

Giulia Ballarin (giulia.ballarin@unive.it) is a Project Manager at Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, specializing in the management and reporting of EU-funded research projects within the Department of Economics. She has previous experience in Fundraising, Communication, and Graphic Design. She holds a European Joint Master’s Degree in English and American Studies (M.A.) from Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Publishing: Design and Management from the University of Verona.

Interview with Mike Young

Written by Giulia Ballarin on June 23, 2026. Posted in Content, Cross-Cutting Issues CS - english. No Comments on Interview with Mike Young

About Mike Young

I am the founder of Mike Young Academy, a Copenhagen-based agency that offers workshops for researchers and science communication professionals, and social media audits for universities.

I am the former editor of the English-language University Post (2009-2016), a media hub for a community of reporting students and scientists in Copenhagen. Before this I worked for many years as both a journalist and as an experienced lecturer in media studies.

My book Social Media for Research Impact, co-authored with Marcel Bogers, was published by Routledge in January 2026.

Questions

During the 2024 Research Communication Week organized by Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, you gave the workshop “Social Media for Researchers,” in which you presented a mindful approach to social media. How does this translate in research communication?

Mindful in this context means the following: researchers should use social media to let social media help their science, that is, disseminate their work, find people to work with, get new ideas, and collaborate with others. But they should not get drawn into the gamification and competition that the social media platforms themselves promote and that academia itself promotes in other contexts. This means not competing for engagement metrics like reach, followers, and attention. Social media should be used for your science, and ultimately for your professional satisfaction, not to brand yourself, or somehow win in a career game. This means using social media to reach, find, think with, and collaborate with singular new people and at your own pace, not trying to reach many people at the same time.

Beyond being mindful, scientists should be aware that there are ethical reasons for acting on social media. These can sometimes conflict with the mindful practices.

Can social media amplify the policy impact of science?

Yes. Directly by scientists with specific expertise areas joining and helping to inform conversations about the specific policy-related issues that are related to, and surround, their own specific research area. Indirectly by helping to put their research and expertise into the conversations of key stakeholders like funders and government officials, etc.

Can you give us a preview from your and Prof. Marcel Bogers’s upcoming book Social Media for Research Impact?

Social Media for Research Impact reviews the effects of the professional use of social media on science and scholarship, providing practical tips, tools, and guidelines for platforms, practices, and routines on social media for academics. It offers a series of case studies from researchers worldwide and illustrates the diverse and often unexpected ways social media enhances academic work, from building collaborative networks and expanding audience reach to creating real-world impact.

Researchers and science communicators are leaving X (Twitter) for other microblogging platforms, what are the best alternatives? How could they curate feed and search and find the right influential members of the science community?

Bluesky looks to be the best alternative microblogging platform at present. Just like on X, you can set up lists of key people. Unlike X, they are, as a default, public, and this takes away part of their usefulness. What is good about Bluesky however, relative to X, is that you can have much more control of your newsfeed. This keeps your focus as a scientist, as you can almost free yourself of political posts, influencers, and marketers.

Starter packs on Bluesky are also an interesting new feature that allows people to share groups of influential sets of scientists and set up communities.

Which tips would you give to researchers in need to connect and engage with journalists and policymakers?

In my workshops I have scientists set up specific routines or networking pathways to reach these two groups on LinkedIn and other social media.

The questions were asked by Giulia Ballarin (Ca’ Foscari University Venice)

Do you want to know more about the policy engagement toolkit?

Do you want to share your experience in policy engagement? Do you think about contributing to the policy engagement toolkit? Feel free to contact Tome Sandevski via science-policy@pvw.uni-frankfurt.de

Bilingual Webinar: “Agri-food Policy: A Comparison between France and Italy”

Written by Giulia Ballarin on June 15, 2026. Posted in Content, Dialogue-Oriented Formats CS. No Comments on Bilingual Webinar: “Agri-food Policy: A Comparison between France and Italy”

Key Features in a nutshell

Bilingual webinars are the ideal format to virtually put face-to-face scientists and local/regional policymakers and break the language barrier.
The remote component and its short duration (1h an half maximum) allow flexibility in terms of time, which meets the needs of the often-busy schedules of policymakers.
Online formats such as webinars are more sustainable than in-person transnational meetings in terms of time, costs and inclusivity.
The Q&A and comments sections of the platforms allow the interaction with a broader public such as civil society.

How does the format work

Université Lumière Lyon 2 and Ca’ Foscari University of Venice have piloted the bilingual webinar format, within the framework of the Erasmus+ project ENGAGEgreen: Enhancing Institutional Capacities for Policy Engagement for Green and Digital Transitions.

This type of webinar format, with the addition of Remote Simultaneous Interpreting (RSI), allows local and regional policymakers, who might not be familiar or comfortable enough to carry out a discussion in a different language, to actively participate in the webinar.

In their inclusivity, bilingual webinars help foster stronger relationships among host institutions and policymakers, thus broadening the network, and engaging in the discussion also the civil society.

Participants (including organizers and speakers):

10 Researchers

1 Student

9 NGO/Civil society

7 University personnel (Research/Project managers)

4 Other (freelance, company, Coldiretti)

Before the webinar:

In preparation for the webinars, host institutions meet online bilaterally to decide on common topics, possible speakers and the target audience. Subsequently, host institutions and speakers agree on the agenda and time slots dedicated to each speaker, to be included in the online registration form and communication material to be shared on websites and social media.

It is advisable to share with the interpreter the presentations or other support materials.

The videoconference platform chosen for this webinar format is Zoom. It allows RSI, the creation and customization of a registration form and automated reminders to attendees (e.g. 1 week, 1 day and 1 hour before the event), as well as follow-up emails and surveys.

15 minutes prior the start of the webinar the Research manager (or other support staff) initiates a “Zoom practice session” together with speakers, moderator and interpreter. This is to confirm all technical aspects such as audio, selection of language, and sharing of presentations, are ready for a smooth presentation.

During the webinar:

During a 1-hour webinar, a lineup of 3 speakers (ideally 1 moderator, 1 researcher and 1 policymaker from the respective regions/nations) will shortly present their cases and related challenges, to be followed by a round of open discussion, and concluding with taking Q&A from the broader public.

With the support of RSI, which translates the conversation in real time, participants to the webinar are able to follow the discussion without breaks and without the possible misunderstandings of listening/speaking in a language that is not native.

Research managers (or other administrative staff) can support the back-end moderation of the webinar, such as select questions from the participants, and assist the speakers and translators in the event of technical issues.

The structure of the programme is as follows:

15 minutes before the start – practice session with speakers, moderator and interpreter

5 minutes of welcoming & project introduction

15 minutes for the presentation of Speaker 1

15 minutes for the presentation of Speaker 2

5-10 minutes of discussion among speakers

10 minutes for the Q&A

(It is advisable to keep the overall duration of the webinars under 2 hours).

After the webinar:

The webinar is followed by social media posts to communicate the outcomes of the discussion. An automated follow-up email is sent to all participants including a short evaluation questionnaire and the link to the ENGAGEgreen project’s website.

This format of webinars can also be replicated with other project partners or stakeholders or repeated annually as a form of follow-up and to take in the state-of-the-art of the topics discussed.

Challenges (and way to address them)

Identification of common topics of interests between the two national institutions. Mitigation measures: monitor common areas of study, investigate with other departments/units of the university about scientists/researchers to involve, contact the already existing network of policymakers.
Match schedules of the speakers. Mitigation measures: propose multiple dates and time slots well in advance from the final date of the webinar. Set preliminary and recurrent meetings, to confirm the agenda and keep everyone updated.
Possibility of increasing the number of languages and speakers, but this implies a longer duration and higher translation costs. Mitigation measures: investigate the possibility of using AI tools to generate subtitles or interpretation.
Production of promotion material in both languages and carry out parallel promotion both on- and offline. Mitigation measures: Create some draft posters/promo material in a common language (e.g. English) and have each partner translate in the respective native language. Moreover, each should disseminate the promo material with the respective networks/dedicated mailing lists.

Tasks and Ressources

Project team

The personnel from the department/unit directly involved in a specific project liaise with other structures of the university/institution to identify the most suitable speakers on the chosen topic, both from academia and among policymakers and other organizations and stakeholders.

Knowledge exchange managers and research managers

Knowledge exchange managers and research managers play a key role in all phases of the organisation of webinars, from bilateral preliminary meetings to post-webinar debriefing. They can help identify possible topics for the webinars and coordinate the drafting of the programme. Moreover, they can assist in organising the webinar, like identifying the most suitable platform and setup the webinar, contact interpreters, or moderate the session. In addition to that, they can liaise with communication offices to give support in the preparation of press releases and social media posts before or after the webinars.

Speakers: Scientists/Researchers and Stakeholders

Researchers: The researchers need a clear understanding of the context in which they are speaking. Their contribution should balance scientific rigor with relevance for policy development. They should deliver high-value scientific content – not something obvious to the audience – while ensuring it is accessible to non-scientists. They must also adhere to the fast-paced timing typical of online events.

Stakeholder/Organization: It is important to involve individuals who represent a specific sector (for example, an economic sector) and who can effectively engage with researchers. This requires a sufficiently strong knowledge base to understand and meaningfully discuss the scientific issues presented.

Moderator: Given the complexity of connecting research and policy, the moderator’s role is to keep the discussion aligned with the objectives of the webinar. The moderator should be able to guide speakers back to the intended goals if the conversation diverges.

Required funding for activities

If the hosting institution does not have a licensed version of Zoom, which allows the webinar format, upgrade costs may apply.

Given the bilingual nature of this format of webinars, Remote Simultaneous Interpreting costs are required. AI-generated translation has not yet been considered.

Examples

Ca’ Foscari University of Venice website
Université Lumière Lyon 2 website

Engaging with the Policy Alumni Community

Written by Giulia Ballarin on June 15, 2026. Posted in Content, Dialogue-Oriented Formats CS. No Comments on Engaging with the Policy Alumni Community

Key Features in a Nutshell

The event Engaging Green Policy Decision Making, organized by the project team of ENGAGEgreen of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, its Alumni Brussels Chapter, and hosted by Ca’ Veneto (seat of the Veneto Region in Brussels), hosted participants from the alumni community living and working in the political capitals of Europe who are likely to be involved in policymaking institutions or other similar entities.

Held concurrently with the ENGAGEgreen Dissemination and Stakeholders Conference, the informal networking event gathered participants from a preexisting pool of contacts (alumni). Already familiar with the university and the region (subnational Italian government authority), they were more likely to attend, providing a natural opportunity for them to reengage with each other and explore the project’s topics.

The program includes a dialogue between a moderator and a researcher involved in the project in which the former leads the discussion with questions on the chosen topic and welcomes questions from the audience.

How does this Format work?

Before the event

Preliminary meetings between the project team and the hosting institution are organized to present the initiative and share the rationale of the event and to confirm the date and time and the possible supporting staff available. Consequently, the organizers arrived at a consensus regarding the conception of an event that would encompass the formality of an academic event while also incorporating the informality of a shared reflective moment. Given the busy schedule during a working day, it was organized outside working hours and at its conclusion a light cocktail was offered by the host institution.

One or more meetings with Alumni representatives are needed to align on topics, speaker(s), and promotion of the event.

Finally, the communication activity: a LinkedIn event post by Ca’ Foscari Alumni Brussels Chapter and promotion by the speakers and organizers.

During the event

All organizers meet in advance to finalize the setting and schedule and to welcome the attendees. Being an informal event, no registrations are required.

After the event

The organizing university sends a message of thanks for the co-hosts, and another for the participants, inviting them to follow the project’s updates on social media, and asking to complete a short questionnaire providing feedback on different aspects of the event.

Challenges (and way to address them)

Uncertainty about the number of attendees and spaces required; mitigation measures: set up a registration form with a deadline, so that the number of possible participants can be known at least a day in advance
Alumni present in the region; mitigation measures: scout beforehand regarding the presence of an alumni community; if not present, involve alumni from other partner universities present in the region or change the target audience depending on the co-organizers network there

Tasks and Resources

Project team and host institution

The personnel from the university directly involved in the project liaise with the host institution to identify the most suitable speaker or moderator on the chosen topic, both from academia and among policymakers and other stakeholders. They organize regular online meetings to coordinate on registration, support staff, and possible infrastructures/services needed (e.g., screen, microphone, promotional material to be printed).

Speakers

Moderator: Meets online with organizers and the main speaker to confirm the schedule and agree on topics and questions. In this case, the moderator is also part of the alumni community, a vital link to the target audience.

Professor: Meets online with organizers and the main speaker to define the topics, based on their expertise, and the attendees. Decide on the topic and try to identify the main issues that may concern the invited guests.