Reach & Turn Science Reporting Workshop

Howard Hudson, Diego Salama, Daniel Powell, UNU
UNU-IIGH in Kuala Lumpur and UNU-MERIT in Maastricht are proud to announce the fifth edition of the ‘Reach & Turn’ Science Reporting series, to be held in Kuala Lumpur 25-26 July 2018.
This series highlights the dual importance of facts and stories — i.e. research narratives — in policymaking and media reporting. Each workshop gives researchers, communicators, and journalists the chance to improve their skills while seeing how ‘the other side’ works, thus building both capacity and networks.
UNU-MERIT has so far delivered four interactive workshops for around 200 researchers and reporters across Central America, West Africa, and the Middle East, with partners including the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the UN Department of Public Information (DPI), and the World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ), plus sister institutes UNU-EHS in Germany and UNU-INRA in Ghana.
Workshop format
The two-day workshop involves brief lectures, followed by interactive sessions. The format is designed for sharing expertise not only ‘vertically’ from lecturers, but also ‘horizontally’ among fellow participants. For each session, members of the audience discuss in groups, elect one rapporteur per table, write consensus-based notes, and then share their views with the plenary. Participants are expected to attend the full two-day workshop and to engage in group activities. A draft programme is available here.
Target Audiences
- Researchers and public health practitioners who want to improve their understanding of public communications
- Journalists and communication officers who want to improve their understanding of technical health information
Please register here before 13 July 2018 (extended). Once shortlisting is complete, selected participants will be contacted with further details including payment instructions. To streamline interaction, the workshop will be limited to 40 participants.
Course coordinators and core trainers
- Howard Hudson (UNU-MERIT, UK) – Course Coordinator
- Diego Salama (UNU-MERIT, Bolivia/Italy) – Associate Coordinator
- Daniel Powell (UNU-OC), Course lecturer
Workshop cost
The participation fee is MYR350 per person for Malaysian participants or USD100 per person for international participants with limited number of scholarships. This covers the cost of four refreshment breaks and two lunches, as well as workshop materials and certificates (these costs are partially subsidised by UNU).
Participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation arrangements to attend the workshop.
Selection Criteria for Participation
- Equal representation from the main target groups: researchers, public health practitioners, journalists, communication officers, and graduate students.
- Equal gender representation
Venue: United Nations University – International Institute for Global Health (UNU-IIGH) UNU-IIGH Building, UKM Medical Centre Jalan Yaacob Latiff, Bandar Tun Razak, 56000 Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIA.
Date: 25-26 July 2018