Communication Officers in Abidjan
Communication Officers of the Africa Centre of Excellence (ACE) from all the聽centres聽in Africa have聽attended a聽4-day聽workshop on communication skills and strategies in Abidjan,聽the capital city of Cote d鈥橧voire.
The programme,聽held from April 26 to 29,聽2023, was organised to equip participants with the necessary tools in developing diverse communication strategies and effective implementation methods.
Two officers from the 水果派 of Nigeria鈥檚 Africa Centre of Excellence on Technology Enhanced Learning (ACETEL) equally took part in the training programme.
The officers were also exposed to the聽best practices in internal and external communication strategies,聽raising聽motivation and productivity as well as enhancing visibility for the Centres of Excellence.
During the workshop, some of the communication officers showcased聽their respective products聽to enhance visibility.
While some聽of them聽brought in newsletter publications and souvenirs customized for their centres,聽others wore uniform T-shirts to show teamwork and create publicity for the centre they represent.
There were presentations on: The聽Role of ACE Impact Communications Officers, The Power of Social Media, The Role of Communication Officers in Website Content Development, the WACCBIP Approach to SciComm,聽etc,聽all designed聽to inform and enlighten the participants on how to improve visibility.
The Communication Manager for the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), in the University of Ghana, Andrew Muniru Nantogmah, in his presentation at the workshop, revealed the聽adopted聽communication strategy聽of his centre, which聽helped聽in聽getting聽public awareness and funds for the centre.
Nantogmah shared with聽participants聽how he and his communication team created a robust and functional Communications and Public Engagement Unit (CPU) that made the WACCBIP鈥檚 research output and innovation meaningful and impactful to society.
He聽stressed the need for community and public engagement activities and outreaches, stating that community engagement is a multi鈥揻aceted process of working collaboratively with a specific group of people on a shared goal or common interest.
At the end of the workshop, participants learnt various ways of creating visibility and earning funds for their centres.