Communicating with the private sector – a toolkit for science granting councils in Africa

The team developed the toolkit Communicating with the Private Sector to help Science Granting Councils (SGCs) in Africa improve how they communicate with the private sector and support research and development. As a result, once participants complete the training, they will be able to build partnerships between research institutions and businesses.

Why communicating with the private sector matters to establish and build partnerships in science research

Communicating effectively can help SGCs explain their goals which could attract private investment and partnerships. In particular, by approaching communication in a strategic and planned way, participants deliver purposeful information that gives partners a clearer understanding.

About the toolkit

The toolkit is designed to train people working in science, technology and innovation. Moreover, it will also be particularly useful to those involved in research and funding.

It includes a 3-day workshop that involves activities, discussions and exercises. Specifically, this includes covering 7 sessions focusing on core elements of communication with private sector, including:

1. Getting started
2. Settling in
3. Learning by action
4. Evaluating to learn
5. Learning from peers
6. Webbing it (online tools)
7. Winding up

To begin with, the team conducts a survey beforehand to understand participants’ skills and interests and tailor the training to their needs.

This includes some of the key pieces of work participants will get involved in, such as:

• Learning how to target the right audiences with the right messages, on the right channels
• Designing communication plans that support their goals
• Using online tools and social media to enhance their communication
• Measuring the results of communication
• Developing a one-year communication plan for their organization

Outcomes

The objective of the toolkit and training is for each participant to leave with a clear and actionable plan for improving communication with the private sector. Because of the structure of the sessions and their content, participants will be equipped with the tools to communication with private sector effectively on behalf of their company.