Inspiratiekader MO ENGELS

Nederlandse versie

Inspiration framework Societal Outreach for PhD-students

A valuable societal contribution to promote the health and well-being of everyone through PhD-research

Objective of the inspiration framework

Added value for the PhD-student

Expectations for the SO-activity

Range of activities

Goodpractices by PhD-students of the faculty

Objective

Objective of the inspiration framework

1. Providing guidance to PhD-students on potential initiatives related to societal outreach that can be undertaken during the PhD-trajectory
2. Establishing minimum criteria for the "Societal Outreach" activity within the PhD- trajectory
3. Equipping process supervisors in the PhD-trajectory with tools to assume their coaching role towards the PhD-student regarding the societal outreach component

Added value

Added value for the PhD-student

1. Promoting knowledge dissemination and health literacy among diverse (non-academic) target groups
2. Achieving societal impact
3. Enriching the PhD-research
4. Engaging in societal involvement
5. Developing communication-, leadership- and collaboration skills
6. Strenghtening professional skills

Expectations

Expectations for the societal outreach activity

1. The contribution must be substantial and linked to one or more of the key areas of societal outreach.
2. The activity should be targeted at a specific group within society, such as children, seniors, local communities, vulnerable groups, the general public, etc.
3. The activity must be relevant to the target group(s) and align with the expertise or research of the PhD-student.
4. If possible, it is recommended to seek interaction with the target group by actively involving them in the activity.
5. If possible, the activity should contribute to sustainable long-term results, such as building long-term relationships with the target group or creating lasting (societal) impact.

Range of activities

Societal valorization of research

Public Engagement

Contributing to an active alumni network

Disseminating academic knowledge to a non-academic audience

Focus areas of societal outreach within activities can be developed

Range of activities:

Pursuing interaction with and unlocking academic knowledge for non-academic audiences

Focus area 1

Participation in initiatives related to science communication to the general public

Range of activities:

Contribute to an active alumni network

Focus Area 2

Organise activities for alumni

Initiatives with a broad focus of research expertise

Initiatives specifically aimed at supporting socially vulnerable groups

Societal engagement

Focus Area 3

Supporting societal institutions or actors with scientific expertise

By developing tools for the social application of research

By focusing on participatory research

Societal valorization of research

Focus Area 4

Focusing on societal applications related to the research

Eline Lievens

Eline snagged first prize at the PhD cup and was one of the finalists of the Thesisthread. Eline also penned her PhD-research into a book that supports sports coaches and teaches insights on the importance of muscle fiber type in sports. More information?Eline.lievens@ugent.be

Eva De Jaegere

Anneke Vandendriessche

During her PhD, Anneke Vandendriessche, developed a program with young people to promote healthy sleep. She presented this program in an accessible handout that was widely distributed to the public. More information? Ann.vandendriessche@ugent.be

During her PhD, Eva De Jaegere developed a serious game offered as an app for better prevention of suicidal thoughts in young people. She also developed educational materials for teachers and pupils about suicide.More information? eva.dejaegere@ugent.be

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Good practices

Societal outreach enables PhD-students to share their research and expertise with a broader audience beyond the academic world. This contributes to the dissemination of knowledge and increases public awareness of relevant topics in health sciences.

Promoting knowledge dissemination and health literacy

Strenghtening professional skills

Experience with societal outreach can benefit PhD-students in the job market. Employers often value candidates' skills and ability to effectively communicate and collaborate with various stakeholders

By engaging in societal outreach, PhD-students can create a direct impact on society. They can, for example, contribute to solving societal problems, influence healthcare policy, or stimulate public debate within the field of healthcare.

Achieving societal impact

By being involved in societal outreach, PhD-students are encouraged to become aware of societal issues and to actively contribute to positive changes in society.

Engaging in societal involvement

Enriching PhD-research

Engaging various stakeholders through societal outreach can enrich PhD-research by integrating new perspectives, insights, and ideas into the research. This can lead to more relevant and impactful research outcomes

Developing communication-, leadership- and collaboration skills

Societal outreach provides PhD-students with the opportunity to develop valuable communication-, leadership-, and collaboration skills. This involves explaining complex concepts in an accessible way and learning to communicate and collaborate effectively with diverse target groups.