Action Plan for Communication 2025-2028
This is the University of Agder's communication action plan for 2025-2028. The measures are designed to help achieve the objectives outlined in the University's overarching strategy. Approved by the University Board on 28 January 2025, the action plan serves as the foundation for communication efforts across all UiA units.
Introduction
Strategic communication and community engagement are key tools for achieving the goals set out in UiA's strategy. The measures and guidelines in this plan are meant to help us achieve these goals. During this period, efforts will particularly focus on establishing a more prominent national position for UiA. This is crucial for several reasons, including successful recruitment of students and staff as well as enhancing the University's opportunities for external funding.
More about the plan
This will require setting tough priorities, such as aligning communication efforts with topics that have significant potential for national attention. UiA will focus on developing recognized research communicators and establishing relationships with relevant media contacts to consistently showcase UiA's valuable contributions in the national public sphere. Strong collaboration between the faculties/Teacher Education Unit and the Division of Communication will be crucial for identifying stories with national potential.
UiA brands itself as the co-creation university and uses the slogan "Creating knowledge together". However, as of 2024, the University is seen as consisting of multiple teams, each with its own distinctive logo. Moving forward, UiA aims to strengthen its identity by presenting itself as a unified institution, without emphasising its organisational sub-divisions (faculties, departments and divisions).
Communication and marketing efforts are investments by the University that should be effective, with clearly defined responsibilities and goals. Community engagement is essential for building relationships with individuals, businesses, organisations and government bodies that are important to the University’s operations and for strengthening our overall funding. Good relationships with the community are crucial for achieving our strategy and reaching our strategic goals.
Guidelines: How we communicate at UiA
Guidance documents
The most important guidelines for communication efforts at the University are derived from UiA’s strategy. UiA’s communication should also take into consideration other documents such as:
- The University and University Colleges Act
- The annual allocation letter from the Ministry of Education and Research
- The Central Government Communication Policy
- Language policy guidelines for the University of Agder
- Action plans adopted by the University Board
Principles
UiA adheres to the principles of the government communication policy:
- Openness – open, clear and accessible
- Participation – involvement of those affected
- Reaching all – information to everyone concerned
- Active – inform about rights, obligations and opportunities in due time
- Coherency – comprehensive and coordinated communication
Unified branding
As of 2024, UiA lacks national recognition among the public, which hampers the University's development in terms of recruiting students and staff, as well as competing for funding. To address this, UiA needs to consolidate its efforts to raise the University's profile. The University will communicate with external audiences as a unified entity, avoiding the use of organisational unit names or internal logos as senders. However, research centres and projects, the natural history museum and institution-level services can continue using their own versions of the UiA logo. Internally, we will also align behind the institution in both digital and physical communication materials. In special cases, exceptions can be approved by the Director of Communication.
UiA's brand platform serves as the foundation for all communication. It defines UiA's position, core narrative, slogan and "personality" in the institution's communication with its target audiences.
UiA's brand book is a tool to ensure that the University’s visual communication is perceived as professional and cohesive. It defines how UiA uses logos, colours, fonts, images and other graphic elements in all its communication. It also specifies how we use visual means to profile UiA as an inclusive and diverse university and how we use images to showcase the breadth of UiA's activities.
Main communication channel
UiA.no is the University's main platform for both internal and external communication. The Director of Communication acts as the chief editor, and the website is managed according to a specific plan. Internal communication within faculties, departments and smaller groups and units primarily takes place on Teams. Students and staff are expected to stay updated through the relevant channels.
In addition, UiA uses other channels where suitable. The choice of channels should always be based on how best to effectively reach the target audiences.
Measuring communication initiatives
Wherever practical, communication initiatives at UiA should be measured and evaluated to ensure they are effective in achieving both qualitative and quantitative goals. UiA measures its communication efforts in accordance with the Barcelona Principles.
Use of artificial intelligence
UiA's communication efforts aim to lead in the effective, sustainable and responsible use of artificial intelligence. We are committed to continuous skills development as new tools become available and maintain an active discussion internally and with partners about the sustainable and responsible use of artificial intelligence in our work.
We anticipate that artificial intelligence will help streamline several of our communication tasks during this period, but we believe that the professional and human contributions will become even more valuable. We employ artificial intelligence and other technologies in ways that uphold the University's credibility with our target audiences.
Target audiences
Many people are affected by UiA's activities, making them important target audiences for UiA's communication. UiA should engage with these audiences in line with the government communication policy, prioritising familiarity with and understanding of its most important audiences. Key groups include:
- Students – prospective, current and alumni
- Staff – current and prospective
- Partners – current and prospective
- Academic environments and employees at other educational institutions
- Decision-makers in business, society, culture and politics
- News media and academic publications
- The public
Language
UiA's communication will align with The Language Act and the University's current language policy guidelines.
Some particularly relevant points as of 1 January 2025 include:
- At least 25 per cent of each of the two Norwegian written languages, Bokmål and Nynorsk, should be used in communication with students and external parties
- Public bodies must communicate in plain and correct language
- Norwegian is the administrative language at UiA
- All staff and students should receive information in Norwegian or English where relevant
- When English is used, the standard is British English
Crisis communication
The plan for crisis communication is part of the University’s overall contingency plan and not part of this action plan.