Research funded with public money should not remain hidden behind academic journals or expensive paywalls, the University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (USTED) says, urging researchers to communicate their findings in language that ordinary people can understand and use.
The call was made during a special training workshop organised by USTED’s Publication Board to help researchers, lecturers and senior members transform academic studies into compelling stories for print, radio, television and digital media.
Speaking at the workshop, USTED’s Pro Vice Chancellor, Prof Isaac Boateng, said research should not be judged only by the number of papers published or citations received, but by the impact it creates in society.
“Research that is not communicated effectively is knowledge in prison.”
He said researchers spend months and sometimes years collecting data, analysing evidence and publishing their findings, but much of that knowledge often remains within academic circles.
Prof Boateng urged researchers to see communication as an important part of the research process rather than something considered after publication.
“Do not measure success only by publication. Measure success by transformation.”
He challenged researchers to focus on the real-world impact of their work. “Do not ask merely was my paper published? Ask whose life changed because of my research.”
He said research should contribute to improving livelihoods, strengthening industries and solving problems affecting communities.
USTED seeks to close research communication gap
The Chairman of the USTED Publication Board, Dr Christopher Owusu-Ansah, said the workshop was organised because of the gap between research produced by universities and the wider public.
He said many studies from the Global South are published in international journals where access is often limited by subscription fees and paywalls.
“The research that is done is buried behind paywalls.”
Dr Owusu-Ansah said this was particularly important because a significant amount of research is supported through public resources.
He argued that citizens should have access to research findings that can influence policies and national development.
“It is only proper and fair that the research that is done is also thrown into the public space, not just behind paywalls, so that the public will be able to understand the research that is done and which would help to promote proper policies and national development.”
To help address this challenge, the university invited journalists from the West African Journalists for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (WAJESHA) to lead practical sessions on communicating research to wider audiences.
The workshop formed part of WAJESHA’s wider effort to help universities and research institutions communicate science and academic research in ways that can inform public understanding and policymaking.
Turning research into stories people can understand
Drawing on newsroom experience, the trainers demonstrated how academic studies can be turned into stories that meet the needs of newspapers, broadcasters and digital platforms without compromising scientific accuracy.
The training began with a masterclass led by New Media Editor at WAJESHA, Daniel Abugri, who focused on identifying the news value within academic research and helping participants understand what makes a finding relevant to the public.
“A study becomes news when people can see how it affects their lives,” Daniel stated.
Participants were then taken through how to write research in a style that journalists can use during a session led by Director of WAJESHA, Engr. Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen.
He said many researchers produce valuable studies but often struggle to explain their importance beyond academic circles.
“Researchers often write excellent studies but fail to explain why their findings matter to ordinary people.”
The final session, facilitated by Engr. Mahmud Mohammed-Nurudeen, Daniel Abugri and an independent film producer, Afrifa Smith Charles, focused on adapting research for television, radio and digital platforms.
Afrifa highlighted the difference between academic writing and television storytelling.
“A three-minute video story demands a different approach from a 30-page journal article.”
Together, the sessions guided participants through identifying the news in research, presenting findings in clear language and adapting academic work for different media platforms.
Researchers rethink how they communicate findings
For some participants, the training highlighted the need to move beyond traditional academic communication.
Dr Daniel Nimo at the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, said the workshop had helped him understand how research findings could be transformed into stories that ordinary people could follow.
“This workshop has been very effective to the extent that it has enlightened some of us to know how we can convert our research work into news where anybody can read to get the understanding,” he indicated.
He said researchers often rely on technical language and statistical explanations that may not be easily understood outside academic environments.
The training, he said, had demonstrated the importance of presenting research in simpler language.
A lecturer at the Civil Engineering Department at the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Engr Anna Amankwah Minkah, said academic writing is usually designed for specialists within specific fields.
“Most of our writing is tailored to research and academia,” she pointed out.
She said researchers whose work is intended to influence society must communicate differently.
“We should be able to communicate in a way that society will easily grasp what we are trying to say, what our findings are,” she added.
According to her, “this workshop has helped me realise that we need to break it down in the simple, ordinary language so that everybody gets to know what we are finding in our study.”
The final stage of the workshop featured a WAJESHA Capstone Newsroom Simulation, group presentations and participant reflections, allowing researchers to apply the skills gained during the sessions.
For USTED, the objective is to ensure that research does not end with publication but reaches the people whose lives it is intended to improve.
As Professor Boateng reminded participants that, “let us become researchers who write for journals and speak to society.”
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