Boards Must Lead the Research Story. Here’s How
I was delighted when the Association of Governing Boards asked me to write a second story about higher education marketing (my first one is here). This one is about the importance of research storytelling.
Research is one of higher education’s most enduring contributions to U.S. success. Our research drives innovation, cures disease, powers local economies, and improves lives.
Unfortunately, as we are hearing regularly, some stakeholders fail to appreciate the extent to which our colleges’ and universities’ research benefits society. Combined with other factors, this means some research institutions are losing funding, talent, and public trust.
One part of the solution: Governing boards and executive leaders of institutions with research missions must make research a central part of their story, and insist that story be told clearly, consistently, and compellingly.
At VCU, our “Uncommon Heroes” campaign puts faculty faces to our research breakthroughs. For instance, Arun Sanyal is dedicated to eradicating liver disease, thanks in part to a record $104 million gift. Michelle Peace, a forensic toxicologist, is protecting our health by unearthing what’s truly inside the unregulated products that are billed as alternatives to smoking.
The public’s trust in higher education is fragile. If we want to strengthen it, we need to show people why our work matters to them.
Telling better stories is part of the solution. The need for clarity, consistency, and courage in how we talk about research has never been greater.