In April, a reader survey was conducted on two of the faculty's internal newsletters, Insidan and Dekanbrevet. 140 of you responded, and many valuable comments were received from the faculty's departments, the LTH joint departments and the office.
The purpose was to find out how the newsletters are perceived – what works well and should be retained, and what could be further developed. Half of you do not currently open Insidan, which is something we would like to change. So, a big thank you to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts! Here is a summary of your most important insights and suggestions.
Insidan – a newsletter with potential for growth
- The majority feel that Insidan provides a good – even very good – overview of what is happening at the faculty. At the sametime, there are those who disagree and think that the newsletter misses important information and does not provide a sufficient overview – which shows that there is room for improvement.
- The absence of LUM is clearly noticeable. Many see Insidan as a possible successor and therefore call for more editorial content such as articles with opportunities for analysis, in-depth coverage and voices from across the organisation.
- More interviews and profiles are desired – of both research staff and technical and administrative staff.
- The visibility of the departments is appreciated. More people want to read about everyday life in the organisation – research projects, teaching, initiatives and collaborations.
- A clearer structure and more visual content are requested. Headings, vignettes and images can make the newsletter more attractive and easier to read.
- Recurring features that are appreciated are Faculty News, Upcoming Events and News from Organisational Changes. We want to develop these further.
- Mixed opinions about Researchers in the Media – a few like it, others find it repetitive or less relevant.
- There is a strong desire for Insidan to reflect “us at the faculty” – to create a sense of belonging and a feeling of shared direction.
- Some want to see more content about research and education – not just awards and media visibility.
- The majority think that biweekly publication is appropriate.
The Dean’s Letter – the voice of management
- Many are calling for more strategic and transparent communication – about decisions, budgets, personnel issues and organisational changes.
- Reflections from management are sought. Why are certain decisions made? What issues does management consider most pressing?
- A clearer voice and more value-driven content are desired. Good examples should be highlighted, but also challenges where there is reason for self-criticism.
- Mixed opinions on publication frequency. Some want the letter to be published only when necessary, others want it to complement Insidan with management reflections.
- The Dean's Letter is seen as a tool for creating a sense of belonging – particularly important for new employees or departments that are further removed from day-to-day collaboration.
- Specific suggestions for improvements: a picture of the dean in the letter, a clearer structure, a new layout.
What happens now? - Insidan is being developed with editorial features that highlight different themes, capture highlights from the activities and contain interviews with both research staff and employees in support functions.
- We want to strengthen and further develop the features that are most appreciated: Faculty News, Upcoming Events and News from Organisational Changes.
- The form and structure will be improved with the help of a new newsletter tool that will be rolled out in the autumn (procurement for the entire university is ongoing). Clearer vignettes and more visual elements will be incorporated.
- Researchers in the media will be adjusted – we will highlight selected media coverage in each issue. Other mentions will be collected on our new page with Retriever monitoring, which is currently being developed. (link)
- We are investigating the possibility of giving the dean, pro-dean and vice-dean a rolling column in Insidan, where they can share insights and thoughts on current issues. This provides an opportunity for in-depth reflections on education and research linked to the faculty, but also on current events.
Do you have any suggestions for topics we should highlight – or a colleague who should be profiled? Please contact the editor Cecilia Schubert, communications officer at the Faculty of Science: cecilia [dot] schubert [at] science [dot] lu [dot] se (cecilia[dot]schubert[at]science[dot]lu[dot]se).
Thank you again for your commitment – please continue to share your thoughts and ideas via the email address above.