The Publisher's Perspective

It’s time for the research sector to take audiences seriously, like publishers do

10th February 2025

Succession might be the worse-case scenario but it captures some truth about the power of publishers (Image credit:HBO)

Trust in universities is in the midst of a crisis. According to Gallup research, confidence in higher education among U.S. adults has dropped from 57% in 2015 to just 36% in 2023.

Trust in science itself is faring better. An enormous global study published last week in Nature surveyed 68 countries around trust in science and showed that trust in scientists is moderately high. No country was found to have low trust in scientists.

So, what’s going on? Why do people generally trust science but not universities?

I believe that these trends reflect a broken engagement model between the research sector and society. If you want to understand what happens when you don’t value communication, here’s your answer.

Yet these dismal statistics don’t seem to translate into change. Last year someone at a university said to me that “storytelling is the easy bit.” If it’s easy, why has trust in universities diminished as much as it has? 

Putting audiences first

To build trust, awareness and funding, the research sector needs to start thinking like mainstream publishers. In other words: design your engagement with your audiences at the centre. 

Mainstream publishers bring a unique approach – for us, the audience is at the heart of the story. We don’t make assumptions; we do extensive research about our readers, what they want to consume, and how to most effectively connect with them. We judge our success on how they engage with us. This approach works. The media influence on society is extraordinary. 

It’s ironic that the very people who transform the world with discovery and invention have the least influence in how they are perceived, accepted and funded. Publishers like the Murdoch Press and The Guardian have greater influence on how vaccines or climate change is viewed by society than the experts. 

It doesn’t have to be this way!

The influence of publishers like Murdoch is no accident. They have a publishing strategy. You can, too. 

To flip these statistics and change how society values you, you need to value how you engage with them. This needs to be reflected in your organizations’ strategic plans. Communication isn’t easy, especially when it’s an afterthought. It’s a critical part of your discovery. Effective storytelling is what builds social capital. Without that social capital, you cannot realise the full impact of your discovery, attract funding or combat misinformation.

If you flip the script and know your audiences, then your websites will quickly look very different, your content will reflect their needs and desires and it will shift conversations.   

Compelling narratives to attract students and build societal trust

Take for example student recruitment. I’m always amazed that impact is so buried, given how compelling these stories are in attracting potential students. In particular, younger generations want a career that makes a difference. The Deloitte 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey found that nearly all Gen Zs and millennials want purpose-driven work, and they’re not afraid to turn down work that doesn’t align with their values. 

What do they care about rankings compared to world-changing research happening on their campus? Research impact is crucial to helping younger people see the value of a degree or studying STEM. 

Consider the case of agriculture. Universities and industry struggle to attract young students to agriculture, due to perceptions around environmental harm. Yet if you spend some time engaging with modern agriculture research, you’ll find that there’s an enormous focus on sustainability and finding ways to mitigate or even reverse environmental damage. But these stories are too often buried, which has created an enormous gap in perception and trust.

This industry study reveals a huge gap in how farmers perceive themselves compared to consumers. Most farmers believe the industry is innovative, modern, and sustainable, but less than 3 in 10 consumers agree. If you look at the data by generation, the divide is deepening. 35% of Gen Z respondents agree that farming is worse for the environment, compared with 23% of Boomers. 

By adopting a publisher’s perspective, universities could craft compelling narratives about the cutting-edge, environmentally-friendly innovations in agriculture, helping to attract more students to the field and build societal trust.

Good communication is existential

Communicating the impact of research to the public has always been important, but in today’s climate, it has become existential. With geopolitical turmoil, rising costs, stagnating government investment, and lower trust in public institutions and media, universities and research institutes face significant headwinds. It hasn’t helped that most people would struggle to understand the influence that university research has had in their lives.

Of course, there are universities and research organizations that are exceptional communicators – and I will be profiling them in coming issues – but overall, the sector needs a complete shake-up.

And it needs this publisher's perspective – one that’s focused on audience needs, crafting compelling narratives, and strategically disseminating information – to rebuild trust and demonstrate its value to society.

This newsletter will challenge you and sacred cows. I’ll use this approach – the publisher’s perspective – to diagnose some of the problems we’re seeing, share solutions, and provide practical guidance on how you can make this your year of research impact. It’s time for the research community to take control of its narrative and show the world the true value of its work.