Review criteria 5: Communication, visibility and influence
Currently, despite the broad network of actors with which it has engaged, the UHWB programme has struggled to show influence in what it does. Communication has proved problematic, mainly due to the fact that the secretariat role has gone unfilled since the beginning of the programme. Currently, an intern aids the Executive Director with updating the programme’s web pages. However, this is a short-term strategy, and hiring a Communications Officer would allow the programme to operate in a much more strategic mode.
The programme is isolated from its local context so visibility in China needs to be enhanced. It is necessary for the Executive Director and officers to interact with local and Chinese domestic government officials and scientists. It is also necessary to translate the programme’s key publications (in Chinese and English) as a way to increase impact and make communication more accessible.
These efforts, together with a clear strategic direction, will allow the programme to be much more targeted in the way it operates and in its use of resources.
Image by Jack Young on Unsplash.