Published: 04 July 2024
Knowledge mobilisation actively brings stakeholders together throughout the research cycle. It is a two-way process involving researchers and research users generating and sharing knowledge. The NIHR funds Health Protection Research Units (HPRUs) across England, which include knowledge mobilisation strategies in their research plans. In this blog, Dr Jenni Lynch, Expert Advisor for Knowledge Mobilisation, discusses the lessons we’ve learnt from the HPRUs and how you could apply these to your research.
Develop a knowledge mobilisation strategy from the outset
Taking a strategic approach to knowledge mobilisation means identifying the impact you want to achieve and planning how to get there.
The HPRUs must include a knowledge mobilisation strategy in their research plans. This ensures that knowledge mobilisation is thought about throughout the whole research process. From prioritising projects to designing research and sharing research findings. We also know from published research how important it is to start at the earliest stages. It can help you establish relationships with key stakeholders and ensure your research is relevant to policy and practice.
The best knowledge mobilisation strategies link aims to objectives and specific outcomes. They also include time frames for activities and expected impact. One way to develop your strategy might be through a theory of change, like this example from one of the HPRUs. Supporting your strategy with a communication plan will also help to deliver targeted knowledge mobilisation activities.
Engage and communicate creatively
Stakeholder engagement can increase the impact of your work. Identify your stakeholders early and use a range of methods to get them involved. Once you know who might be using your research, consider the ways you will engage with them. You should also think about how these might need to be adapted through the lifetime of your project. Different stakeholder groups will need different approaches. Are you trying to raise awareness of your research, or do you want them to act on your findings?
Remember, your stakeholders might include patients, service users and members of the public. There is a growing body of research on how to involve the public in knowledge mobilisation.
Another audience might be policy makers. Find opportunities to interact with decision-makers and build mutual understanding on policy-relevant questions. We saw that HPRUs often proactively established regular contact with policy makers to build meaningful working relationships. This led to collaborations on specific projects, opportunities to co-produce research methods and academic placements in policy settings. In addition, the HPRUs responded to calls for evidence from government committees and contributed to policy briefings.
Use of print, broadcast and social media can increase the reach of your research. Creative communication techniques can help people to engage with complex science. One HPRU created a YouTube channel to share videos on the importance of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. These are conversations between clinicians and members of the public and are available in many languages.
Other HPRUs have engaged with members of the public through interactive activities at science fairs. For example, the Science Museum Lates. Activity packs are available for anyone wanting to run similar awareness-raising events.
Develop evidence of what works (and what doesn’t)
Knowledge mobilisation is a new area of research. We are trying to understand what works in the context of rapidly changing health and social care environments. When planning your knowledge mobilisation activities, think about how to measure their effect. How will you know if you have met the needs of your stakeholders?
Understanding the needs of different research users is the first step in building the evidence base. For example, one HPRU wanted to understand the reasons for low uptake of childhood vaccinations in an Orthodox Jewish community. They identified that communications strategies didn’t take into account specific needs, such as a lack of access to online information. Engaging with people from the community helped to change their knowledge mobilisation strategy to more effectively convey transmission risk and the urgency to vaccinate.
Knowledge mobilisation is everyone’s business
HPRUs have benefited from funding for specific roles to lead knowledge mobilisation activities. But it’s important not to think of knowledge mobilisation as someone else’s job. A core aim for the HPRU knowledge mobilisation roles is to build capacity among researchers, both within their units and across all HPRUs. This has involved developing training resources, early career fellowship opportunities and work placements in practice or policy environments. They have established a cross-HPRU knowledge mobilisation network, which meets regularly to share resources.
When writing your knowledge mobilisation strategy, think about your team’s training and development needs, as well as where the relevant expertise and reach to stakeholders might sit. Make use of evidence-based knowledge mobilisation tools. These can support the planning and doing of your activities.
Finally, don’t forget that the NIHR can help! Take a look at our page on planning for knowledge mobilisation. Or our advice and resources for reaching specific audiences.