CSU, Through the DOST RD-Lead Program, Holds Training to Craft Policy Briefs and Disseminate Research to the Community

CSU, in partnership with the RD Leadership Program of the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Caraga, held a hybrid (on-site and online) training on “Policy Brief Development and Dissemination of Research to the Community" last January 10-12, 2023 (Tuesday-Friday) at the HERO Auditorium, CSU. An actual presentation of one of the workshop outputs by participants was done at LGU Jabonga, Agusan Del Norte on January 13, 2023.

CSU’s RD Lead and NAST Academician, Dr. Mudjekeewis Santos, together with Cyrenes Moncawe, managing editor of The Philippine Journal of Fisheries (TPJF) and National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) Training Division (TD) training specialist, served as resource persons for the training-workshop. The training workshop covered topics on the policy development process; case studies on turning science into policy; publishing policy briefs; writing tips to communicate evidence-based policy.

Rita dela Cruz, TD’s education chief, lectured on turning policy briefs into publication materials, specifically infographics. As part of practical exercises, participants drafted their policy briefs following the template of TPJF and presented them in a newsletter format.

"[as researchers] We are good with numbers, but sometimes we fall short on how we communicate it to our stakeholders, in [such] a way that even an ordinary Juan dela Cruz can fully understand," said Dr. Rolyn Daguil, CSU president, during the opening ceremony.

"…our job is to make sure that all your research outputs will be diffused, commercialized, and disseminated," concurred Engr. Noel Ajoc, Regional Director, DOST Caraga.

“The training workshop was designed to address gaps and difficulties in disseminating research findings to stakeholders by focusing on policy brief development and effectively engaging decision-makers and communities,” said Professor Jess H. Jumawan, CSU’s RD Lead implementer.

The training workshop was well-attended by faculty and researchers from Caraga State University and DOST-Caraga and was joined online by participants from private and public universities and colleges from various parts of Mindanao.

“CSU hopes to further capacitate faculty-researchers to effectively communicate their outputs and develop tools to facilitate the dissemination to boost more confidence among policymakers on what to expect from an intervention as their decisions are guided by evidence,” said Professor Jeffrey T. Dellosa, CSU’s Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Extension.

The activity is organized through CSU OVPRIE’s Research and Development Publications Office (RDPO), where participants were also taught how to create presentation slides, best practices in presenting policy briefs to the community, and engaging stakeholders by introducing a specific policy brief with officials from the local government unit (LGU) as part of the audience. PICO