Enhancing research through effective science communication and strengthening community bonds
In May 2025, hundreds of science communications and public and community engagement practitioners gathered at the Public and Communication Science Technology Conference (PCST) 2025, discussing the theme “Using Science Communication to Effect Positive Change: Exploring Transitions, Traditions and Tensions”.
Four different projects at OUCRU were featured at the conference, emphasising OUCRU’s vision to make research relevant and impactful through effective public and community engagement activities, which nurture understanding, trust, and collaboration between scientists and the community where our research is conducted and has an impact.
Contextual and cultural understanding: the key to making engagement relevant and effective
Around-the-world good practice confirms again the importance of tailouring science communication to local contexts. “Meaningful engagement in science is about genuinely valuing the lived, ancestral, and experiential knowledge that communities hold,” said Eva Simarmata, Public and Community Engagement Officer, OUCRU Indonesia.
An example is from OUCRU’s Public and Community Engagement group’s project producing a communication video targeting rural parents, aiming to convince them to vaccinate their children. The video used community health collaborators, making it emotionally resonant, and culturally relevant, thereby enhancing community attention and interest.
PCST 2025 Conference was an eye-opening experience that reminded me of the importance of stepping outside our project bubble.[…] The conference has inspired me to connect more […] while remaining grounded in strong, people-centred frameworks.
The practice of open science opens new opportunities for both sides, researchers and community members. Open science, meaning the research itself should be done by the researcher and its community. The community not only receptor, but they should contribute to involve the community they serve. Open science will lead to open engagement.
Dr. Rajesh Tandon Co-Chair, UNESCO Chair in Community Based Research and Social Responsibility in Higher Education.
However, “the public and community engagement in science and science communication practice is not yet widely recognised or integrated into research and academic institutions in Indonesia, while it should be a component that shapes the entire research process,” said Hanifah Nisrina, Communications and Digital Engagement Officer, OUCRU Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the roles of science communicators, public engagement officers, and public relations professionals remain unclear and overlapping in many countries in the Global South. There are gaps in literature and discourse including dependency on foreign (mostly Northern) science news sources, the low profile of domestic science reporting, uncritical or manipulable journalism, political restrictions, and a lack of synergy between scientists and science communicators. There is far less attention on actionable solutions or emerging opportunities.
With OUCRU’s vision of creating global impact through locally driven health research, I believe we are well-positioned to play a significant role in strengthening local science communication communities across Southeast Asia.
Whether by sharing our methods, building regional partnerships, or mentoring emerging science communicators, possibilities are waiting for us as a whole programme, ahead.
