Register now for r4d Skills How to write policy briefs webinars and coaching

Distilling lessons emerging from research evidence enables policy recommendation and advice as well as possibilities for dialogue. Formulating key messages from research projects is challenging but rewarding.

One recognised tool for sharing results to non-academic stakeholders are policy briefs which can be used to communicate about project results, approaches and tools. The r4d programme encourages and supports r4d projects in their efforts to share their findings with target groups in the policy domain. For that purpose, the r4d programme launched a Call for policy briefs (PDF)on 1 April with two submission deadlines: 15 August - extended to 15 September 2019 - and 15 December 2019.

To support potential applicants, the r4d programme offers a series of webinars on how to write policy briefs . The webinars are designed to motivate and enable researchers to gain confidence and to enhance their writing skills for communicating effectively with non-academics. See also our r4d Skills How to write policy briefs flyer (PDF).

Webinar host and coach

Sarah Cummings External Link Iconis a researcher and consultant with much experience of communicating and writing for non-academic audiences. She gained her PhD in 2016 after a long career in communication and knowledge sharing. She was previously Communications Director of the IKM Emergent Research Programme (2007-2012) and advised DG DEVCO, European Commission (2013-2017). Currently, Sarah Cummings is Public-Private Partnership and Research Uptake Expert at Wageningen University & Research. She is also founder and editor in chief of the journal Knowledge Management for Development Journal External Link Icon, owner of the social enterprise Knowledge Ecologist and facilitator of many initiatives, such as the Knowledge for Development Partnership External Link Icon.

Webinar in three steps

  1. Preparatory work (short draft text)
  2. 1-hour webinar (max. 10 participants) (Presentation, Q&A on the topic presentation)
  3. Coaching by skype on request and based on refined policy brief texts

Webinar dates

The webinars are organised online on four different dates and at different times in order to enable participation from all continents.

  • Tues, 2 July 2019, 17-18 (CET)
  • Wed, 3 July 2019, 9-10 (CET)
  • Tues, 29 Oct 2019, 17-18 (CET)
  • Wed, 30 Oct 2019, 9-10 (CET)

Participation and Registration

All researchers of r4d projects are invited to participate in a r4d Skills Policy Brief webinar. Please note that participation in the webinar includes a small preparatory task. After the webinar, coaching will be provided upon request.

The participation in a webinar is free of charge.

Please register by sending an email to r4d@snf.ch External Link Icontwo weeks prior to the webinar you would like to attend. As the number of participants per webinar is limited to 10, we apply the first-come-first-served rule.

Registration deadlines

  • Webinar 2 July:                   18 June 2019
  • Webinar 3 July:                   19 June 2019
  • Webinar 29 October:          15 October 2019
  • Webinar 30 October:          16 October 2019