COMMFABNET

Title: Communication of Food, Fisheries, Agriculture and Biotechnologies research a network to support EU-funded research projects

Summary: The effective communication of research results of EC funded research projects to end users is hampered by a number of factors including:

• Lack of confidence and communication skills within the scientific community;
• Inherent difficulties in effectively reaching out to the media and other multipliers with research results Poor dissemination of research results significantly reduces the potential project impact on European competitiveness and the quality of life of EU citizens.

CommFABnet addresses these challenges in the FP6 Food Quality and Safety and FP7 KBBE programmes with an innovative range of activities to

• establish a large network of communication managers;
• identify and exchange best practice in the communication of research results to target groups;
• provide training to scientists in communicating research results
• address target audiences including the general public, SMEs, policy makers and young people.

CommFABnet comprises a consortium of organisations expert in the effective communication and dissemination of research results who demonstrate essential complementarity in successfully reaching different target groups. CommFABnet is led by Youris.com and builds upon the experience of the informal CommNet network of communication managers in the food safety research, active since 2006. This highly relevant experience will be fully exploited in the design and implementation of CommFABnets activities. CommFABnet will increase and channel the information flow from research projects towards the target groups.

The exchange of best practice and training events for the CommFABnet network of communication officers and managers will result in a European community of communication managers highly proficient in the effective communication of research results to a range of target groups and other stakeholders. The result will be a significantly enhanced impact of the research results on European competitiveness and on the quality of life of EU citizens.

For more information, please visit EurOcean Knowledge Gate.