Boa Prática Reconhecida | Impacto Societal | 2025
CEGIST; Tânia Rodrigues Pereira Ramos
Implementação da Prática
In late 2022, CEGIST began the preparation of its first public Biennial Report for the 2021-2022 period. This activity report provides insights into our research projects and scientific outputs, aiming to enhance transparency and public engagement. The process involved gathering data on projects, activities, funding, theses (PhD and MSc) and outreach efforts, sourced from annual reports to FCT and internal documents. Principal Investigators (PIs) of each research area provided detailed descriptions and summaries of their areas. The Executive Board, Pre-Award Office, and Administrative Staff collaborated with PIs and other members to compile and verify the data. An external designer was contracted to ensure the report’s professional layout and visual appeal. A timeline was drawn to ensure timely completion: Late 2022 – Early 2023: Data collection and initial drafting. April 2023: First draft completion, aligned with the visit of the Scientific Advisory Board. May-June 2023: Revision of the report based on feedback. July 2023: Public release of the final version, coinciding with CEGIST’s Annual Day. Meetings were held bi-weekly to monitor progress, supplemented by operational meetings among those handling specific tasks. €1500 were allocated to hire an external designer. The initiative was a collective effort involving contributions from all CEGIST members. The collaborative approach ensured that the report accurately reflects CEGIST’s achievements. The involvement of PIs ensured that each area’s unique contributions are well-represented. The external designer’s input resulted in a polished and engaging final product, enhancing the report’s accessibility and public appeal. The Biennial Report serves as a transparency tool and as a strategic document showcasing CEGIST’s commitment to research excellence and societal impact. Its successful implementation demonstrated the center’s ability to mobilize internal resources and effectively communicate its work to a broader audience.
Resultados alcançados
“The primary objectives of the CEGIST Biennial Report were to: – Showcase our achievements and activities during the 2021-2022 period. – Compile and record our activities in a structured document. – Increase public engagement and serve as a basis for other public engagement activities. – Provide a tool for CEGIST members to easily demonstrate the center’s work and achievements. The Biennial Report received strong positive feedback from multiple stakeholders. Our Scientific Advisory Board commended the quality and thoroughness of the report, noting its effectiveness in presenting CEGIST’s achievements and activities. Técnico peers, namely the President of IST, Vice-President for Research Affairs of IST, President of the Scientific Council of IST, and President of the School Council of IST, provided favorable feedback when offered the report, appreciating the detailed compilation and the clarity. The report also served as an important tool for internal reflection and strategic planning. By compiling and interpreting our data, CEGIST identified key strengths as well as areas for improvement, which informed the strategic planning for the next five years. This process was essential for aligning future goals with current capabilities and gaps. While the primary objective was not social media dissemination, a LinkedIn post about the report yielded good engagement metrics, particularly given that CEGIST’s follower base has since more than doubled, with 698 impressions, corresponding to an engagement rate of 10.32%, 41 likes, and 6 reposts. These metrics indicate strong interest and engagement from the community, highlighting the report’s role in boosting CEGIST’s visibility and engagement on social media platforms. The implementation of the Biennial Report led to significant changes in how CEGIST records and tracks its activities. Information that was previously gathered in an unstructured manner is now more systematically organized, enhancing accessibility and usability. In addition, the process of compiling the report prompted a critical reflection on CEGIST’s public engagement activities and was crucial for generating discussion on new and innovative actitivies. These changes have streamlined CEGIST’s internal processes, making it easier to monitor progress and make informed decisions. The overall internal impact of the Biennial Report has been substantial. The report fostered a culture of reflection and continuous improvement within CEGIST, serving as a fundamental tool in growing CEGIST’s image and outreach efforts, contributing to a broader dissemination of activities and achievements. By achieving its objectives and prompting meaningful changes, the Biennial Report has established itself as a valuable asset for CEGIST.
The Biennial Report is available to the public through our website at https://cegist.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/about.”
Avaliação e Monitorização
Throughout the development of the Biennial Report, several mechanisms were employed to ensure continuous monitoring and feedback. The Executive Board held bi-weekly meetings to evaluate progress, address challenges, and ensure alignment with the overall objectives. The first draft of the report was evaluated by the Scientific Advisory Board during their visit in April 2023. Their feedback was crucial in refining the content and presentation. Regular feedback was solicited from PIs and other CEGIST members. Although no specific tools were used, feedback was effectively gathered through email communication, where drafts were shared via email, allowing members to provide comments directly in the email or annotated in the PDF file. Feedback was also collected through informal discussions during meetings. Based on the feedback received, several improvement proposals were identified and implemented. Presentation of certain figures and numerical data was enhanced for better clarity and comprehension. Decisions were made on the inclusion or exclusion of specific sections to ensure the report was comprehensive yet concise. The construction of the Biennial Report was an iterative process, with continuous adjustments made based on the feedback received. The report was dynamically updated to incorporate all relevant suggestions and ideas before the final printing. Each version of the draft incorporated feedback, ensuring that the final version reflected the collective input of all stakeholders. With the 2021-2022 Biennial Report now concluded and in use, the next stage involves evaluating its effectiveness as a tool for public engagement and internal communication in preparation for the next report. This evaluation will involve gathering feedback from CEGIST members on the report’s utility and impact through a questionnaire, reflecting on the difficulties encountered in creating the first edition to anticipate and address them in the 2023-2024 report, and using the insights gained from this process to enhance the preparation and content of future reports. This ensures alignment with the main objective of the report in its role as a valuable communication and engagement tool to be used by all members.
Caráter Inovador e Transferibilidade
The development of the CEGIST Biennial Report was a pioneering effort within IST. A benchmarking exercise revealed that most research centers at IST have not produced such reports, or if they have, it was only in a sporadic manner. This led CEGIST to innovate by adopting practices from external sources and tailoring them to fit our school. We believe the novelty of this initiative within IST set a new standard for transparency and public engagement, showcasing CEGIST’s commitment to documenting and communicating its research activities comprehensively. Externally, the Biennial Report follows good practices observed in other research centers at different faculties in Portugal. However, it distinguishes itself with a more public-friendly design. Unlike other reports that often contain exhaustive lists, CEGIST’s report is more condensed and still informative, making it accessible and engaging to a broader audience. The report’s professional design and clear language ensure it can be easily understood by people outside academia, enhancing its impact and reach. The process and format of the Biennial Report can be successfully replicated by other research centers. Key elements that contributed to the report’s success include engaging the entire CEGIST community in all stages of data gathering and validation to ensure that the report was comprehensive and reflective of collective achievements, involving the Scientific Advisory Board as an external feedback provider to add an additional layer of review by external peers, and hiring a professional designer to ensure that the report was visually appealing to a broader audience. These practices are highly replicable in different contexts. In addition, based on our experience with the Biennial Report, we offer the following recommendations for other centers considering a similar initiative. Invest in professional design services to ensure the report is visually appealing and accessible. A well-designed report is more likely to engage and inform a broader audience. Aim to produce a report that is easily understandable by individuals outside the academic community. Avoid jargon and present information in a clear, concise manner. View the report as a tool for public engagement, not just an internal document. Its primary purpose should be to communicate the center’s activities and achievements to a wider audience.
