The press relations & science communication team is committed to bringing research to the attention of a wider audience. This is done through traditional channels such as press releases and background stories, which regularly attract national and international media attention for Radboud University researchers. But it is of course also important that staff and students are aware of the research that is being conducted on a daily basis. That is why we are increasingly turning to new channels to see if we can reach these target groups more effectively. We do this, for example, with videos on TikTok, an Instagram channel about the university's research, but also with a science festival in the Stevenskerk in September.
Lots of interest in science stories
To gauge how much staff and students already know about our research, a survey was conducted earlier this year among participants in the student and staff panel. Among other things, it showed that 63% of respondents are reasonably or very interested in science news.
This was 64 percent among students and 60 percent among staff. Forty percent said they wanted to be kept informed on a monthly basis, and 45 percent even wanted weekly updates.
A large proportion of them (48 percent) follow science news through channels both within and outside Radboud University. In addition, 32 percent indicated that they only follow science news through Radboud University channels – 25 percent of students and no less than 37 percent of staff. This suggests that a significant proportion of this target group is served through the university's channels. When asked which external media outlets participants follow for science stories, the most frequently mentioned were the University of the Netherlands (33 percent watch or listen at least once a month), TedTalks (14 percent), Kurzgesagt (9 percent) and NRC Wetenschap (15 percent).
Videos and articles are popular
We were also curious about what kind of science stories participants like. The most popular format that participants said they wanted to see at least once a month was short videos with explanations by a scientist. 49% of students and 56% of staff are interested in this.
Online articles followed closely behind, with 61 percent of students and 44 percent of staff expressing an interest. Animated videos, stories for social media and podcasts were also appreciated by around 40 percent of participants. The language used does not matter much: 25 percent prefer to watch, read or listen in Dutch, 15 percent in English, and 60 percent are happy with either.
Although we regularly highlight remarkable ongoing projects or interesting research that is just getting started, the vast majority of participants are most interested in the results and conclusions of research (80 percent). The start of the research (2 percent) and the research while it is ongoing (2 percent) are not phases that the panel was particularly interested in, at least for science stories.
Themes: AI, sustainability and behaviour
Finally, we were curious to find out which research themes the participants associate with the university. The top five, mentioned by around 50 percent of participants, consist of sustainability, behaviour, language, the brain and diversity. When asked which research themes should receive more attention, participants mentioned AI, behaviour, sustainability, the brain and education.
What happens next?
The results of the questionnaires will be used in the coming months to refine the research content offered on the university's channels. Scientists, other staff members and students who have ideas about topics that deserve the attention of a wider audience, who want to share their scientific findings, or who are interested in science communication, are welcome to contact the science editorial team at .
Participate in future questionnaires
Would you also like to give your feedback on this topic? Then sign up for one of the panels now.