• Increases your visibility within society and among potential stakeholders and partners;
• Strengthens your position in grant applications;
• Encourages dialogue with the public and collaborators, which can lead to new insights or even participation in your research (citizen science);
• Enhances your communication and presentation skills.

• Shows how your research contributes to societal developments and fundamental science, and builds public support for your work;
• Improves public understanding of psychology and related research;
• Encourages public involvement;
• Makes research processes more transparent and accessible;
• Returns knowledge and expertise to society, especially when research is publicly funded.

By sharing your research, you also contribute to the Institute of Psychology’s mission to lead in research and education that positively impacts society. Communicating your research supports the goals set for 2023–2027:

• Building a strong and united institute;
• Recognition, rewards and inspiration;
• Promoting open science;
• Strengthening our discipline as a foundation for interdisciplinary work;
• Enhancing translational research.

Researchers don’t always need an editorial team to communicate about their work. In fact, journalists often prefer to contact researchers directly. That’s why it’s important that you are easy to find online.

1. Is your profile page accurate and up to date, and does it include SEO keywords? If so, journalists and other interested parties are more likely to find you via Google or other search engines. Need help? The Psychology editorial team offers a profile service to help you improve your page.
    
2. Is your research project page in good shape? This is the basis for all external communication about your work. The editorial team can help you set up a clear, readable and SEO-friendly landing page. Contact news.psy@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.
    
3. Present your research in the PhD defence agenda on the website. Journalists often check this to find interesting topics. In case of an event on the website about your dissertation, be sure to include a summary in plain language, with minimal jargon, a clear research question and conclusion. Contact webteam.psy@fsw.leidenuniv.nl for help.
    
4. If your research has strong societal relevance and needs to be visible to specific target groups, a dedicated website ("vrije ruimte") within Leiden University may be useful. This requires coordination with the editorial team: news.psy@fsw.leidenuniv.nl. Read more about the process and criteria for such a website.

Use this checklist to assess whether your research is ready for publicity. Think about why you want to communicate about this project. Possible reasons include:

1. Scientific relevance: Your research offers important or new insights and is robust and reliable. The results are ready to be shared.
    
2. Timely occasion: Such as your PhD defence, publication in a leading journal, a public lecture, etc.
    
3. Societal relevance: A crisis, public debate, significant report or development that your research can clarify.
    
4. Award or grant: You have received an important prize, grant or fellowship for your research.
    
5. Behind-the-scenes look: Even if your research is still ongoing, it may be worth sharing if the circumstances are exceptional (location, societal partnerships, etc.).
    
6. All partners agree to publish: Check with collaborators whether they agree to share the findings.

Make strategic choices so that the message, tone and format reach and engage the right audience.

What do you want to achieve?

Think about what impact you want to have with your research, but also what you want to achieve at this specific moment. Perhaps you want to ensure knowledge transfer, engage audiences, create collaborations, influence policy, raise awareness, engage in dialogue, bring about an attitude or behavioural change.

Who is your target audience?

Once your goal is clear, you can identify your target audience. This could include journalists from (inter)national, national, regional, professional or popular media, academic peers, stakeholders, the general public, patient organisations, young people, parents, or professionals in youth care or education.

Want to measure the impact of your communication?

This is possible, for example, using the more than thirty tools from the toolbox of Impact Lab, a collaboration of researchers from Leiden University and Utrecht University.

The right tools and channels depend on your goal and audience. Once these are clear, you can choose the most effective form of communication.

Do it yourself

1. Use LinkedIn, Bluesky, Instagram... Share important and engaging developments on a platform you feel comfortable with. Be aware that posts may receive responses, so always be precise and respectful. See the eight golden tips for social media and the Social Media Code of Conduct of Leiden University.
2. Write a blog on your own website or the Leiden Psychology Blog. To publish, contact the editorial team via news.psy@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.
3. Organise a lecture, workshop or webinar with public interaction, for example in a community centre, at a festival, or online. Or consider events like the LIBC Public Day. These formats offer room for constructive, nuanced discussions and dialogue.

For practical tips on writing, blogging, presenting, social media, background information on science communication and training courses, see the web page Information and training.

Working with the editorial team

1. A news item on universiteitleiden.nl;
2. A blog on the Leiden Psychology Blog;
3. A social media post (image and text) on LinkedIn, Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook;
4. A press release for (inter)national or regional media (in consultation with the central science communication adviser);
5. A press release for professional media (in consultation with the institute editorial team: news.psy@fsw.leidenuniv.nl);
6. A showcase video (only after careful consideration due to time and costs);
7. An episode for the Leiden Psychology Podcast or support for your own podcast.

The editorial team covers all PhD defences, major symposia, festivals, and as many other activities as possible to bring research to the public. This includes news articles on universiteitleiden.nl/en, social media posts (LinkedIn, Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook), press releases for trade media, and podcast episodes. These activities often result in wider media coverage, helping your research reach a broader audience. The feedback you receive may lead to valuable insights and even new research questions.

The editorial team also supports all researchers at the Institute of Psychology with personal profiling. To make this as easy as possible, there is a Profile Service that helps you create or update your profile. This not only ensures that colleagues within and outside Leiden University are aware of your work, but also strengthens collaboration and exchange between research and teaching areas. Visit the Profile Service page for more information.

A page on the Leiden University website describing your research is the foundation. This is where communication about your research begins. The editorial team can help you set up a clear and SEO-friendly landing page that you can always refer to. To request this, visit the Website Changes page. 

If your research setup shows that a separate page or website is needed, the editorial team can also support you in creating one of these options, which are provided free of charge by the university.

Leiden University has a protocol in place: always share your concerns about (potential) harassment with your manager, and if needed, the faculty dean and the institute editorial team. Together, we can find the best way to support you. If you are targeted by threats or abusive social media posts, contact the Security Affairs department:

• Leo Harskamp (hoofd Veiligheidszaken)
  l.j.t.harskamp@bb.leidenuniv.nl | 071 527 1191 of
• Jaap van Zaanen (adviseur Veiligheidszaken)
  j.van.zaanen@bb.leidenuniv.nl | 071 527 380

Always report incidents to the Security Affairs department so the university is aware and can take appropriate action if needed.

You can also contact the national platform SafeScience (Wetenschap Veilig) for advice. Reports submitted there are automatically forwarded to our university’s Security Affairs department. SafeScience also offers practical advice on reducing risks and how to deal with harassment. The reporting point is available 24/7 and also has an emergency number for urgent issues: 0320-331343.

Want to know more about what institutions, managers and staff can do to address threats and harassment? Read the Handbook Addressing Threats to and Intimidation of Academics, published by Universiteiten van Nederland (UNL).