WP# 4: BENEFIT DISSEMINATION PLAN
Prepared by
PASS Team: Sameh R.F. Al-qubaj; Walid Khalilia
2020 – 2023
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Dissemination plan is an action plan that describes the respective dissemination objectives and measures for achieving them. The deliverable at hand presents the methodology that the BENEFIT partners shall apply for dissemination and communication activities.
Specifically it defines and prioritizes the key objectives of the project’s dissemination, identifies in detail the target groups and sets the expected results.
Moreover, it identifies and prioritizes the dissemination tools and activities, the strengths and competences of the partners. It also elaborates the procedures of monitoring the dissemination impact as well as relevant indicators, and defines the timeline for the planned activities.
The plan’s objectives are based on the SMART approach (specific, measurable, achievable, result-focused and time-bound). The primary objective is to raise awareness and maximize visibility of the project among public authorities, agricultural consultants, farmers, as well as the wide public.
The brand motto of the project was specified as “BENEFIT”, constituting an indispensable part of the visual identity under the project logo. Regarding the target groups the focus is given on how to engage target audiences and not only on how to pass on information and messages.
The dissemination tools are described in detail in order to provide specific consultation to local partners and thus increase dissemination effectiveness. The project visual identity and slogan is determined as well as dissemination web tools, social media approach and different types of publications and press releases.
Dissemination activities are presented analytically narrowed down to specific actions properly assigned to members of the consortium. In addition, the strengths of the project partners are highlighted regarding dissemination and communication activities. The allocation of responsibilities to project partners regarding the Dissemination- Communication Plan is based on the strengths identified in each case.
An analytical overview of monitoring, reporting and evaluation methods that are crucial for the success of the plan is laid out. This analysis is followed by the establishment of dissemination indicators, relative targets and a timeframe for their achievement is set.
Finally, the conclusions of the Communication – Dissemination Plan are presented.
This Plan will periodically be updated. Regular reports on the activities of the Network of Interest and other Dissemination Activities will serve to monitor progress and inform the revision of the Dissemination Strategy.
1. Introduction
This document includes a plan for the project communication, dissemination and collaboration strategy, which will be periodically refined. This is the initial version of this plan and it will be updated on a yearly basis.
The document defines the initial plan for collaboration and a set of success indicators, which will be monitored and evaluated within the update cycle of this report. It identifies the main stakeholders and influencer groups and lays out the dissemination and communication plan for activities to reach out, communicate, and engage with stakeholders.
This deliverable reports about the concept of the website and communication channels and a set of marketing collateral materials including social media.
BENEFIT project is designed to create innovative methods of farming using precision agriculture methods, which should change the traditional farming methodology through create new curriculum’s and creating platform to serve the educational process.
The project objectives are as follows:
1.1 Main Objectives:
Involving Palestinian High Education Institutes in Research Movement related to PA in Europe and encouraging both Palestinian researchers and academics interests related to concept, domains, tools and digital technology of the PA.
1.2 Specific Objectives of the Project:
• To realize training of Palestinians teachers/researchers in PA, open Educational Resources (OER) and related fields.
• Developing a joint, contemporary, open and flexible curriculum in precision agriculture.
• Designing, piloting, and evaluating pilot and initial courses, focusing on the PA.
• Creating an international research network about precision agriculture.
2. Overview of Dissemination Package:
The aim of WP4 is to ensure the highest visibility and communication of the project and its activities. It is important to disseminate the consortium partners as well as the funding program Erasmus+ under which this project is sponsored. It is also important to disseminate the project outcomes, products as well as the experience gained during the implementation of the project. Thus, the leader of this WP should first form a dissemination team and assign tasks to them in order to design and follow-up a dissemination strategy, which should include detailed actions including establishing and managing the needed dissemination infrastructure such as the web-based platform, portal, printings, and social media. Each partner in this project must send the information concerning its dissemination activities.
The various channels and media uses in the project for dissemination and exploitation purposes will select and adapted according to the intended audience or target groups. Additionally, the consortium will disseminate the results, documents, joint research papers, media work and training materials of the project through the project website, consortium partners’ websites, brochures, papers and through participating in relevant events at the national and regional levels.
3. Dissemination and Communication
The purpose of the Dissemination, communication plan of the BENEFIT project is to outline the strategy, activities, and tools with which the BENEFIT project will communicate with a range of external stakeholders, as well as the timing of the various actions throughout the lifetime of the project.
3.1 Levels of communication activity
Five groups of activities underpin the approach to communication and dissemination activities, which linked to basic questions, which must answered in the course of the project. The questions are:
• Who are we trying to reach, and why? (Identification).
• What are the main messages to deliver? (Content).
• How will we get our messages across? Which tools should use for which audiences? (Methods)
• When should communication actions take place? (Timing)
• What was the impact of the communication activities? (Evaluation)
The methodological approach to the communication activities considers three cumulative levels of activity (table 1), which incrementally increase both the proximity to the audience and the depth of information:
Table 1 Levels of communication activity
Category Purpose
INFORM Raise a basic level of awareness of the project’s goals, team and activities, and convey a general understanding of the purpose and benefits of the action.
ENLIGHTEN Answer in detail key questions about the project’s activities, its methodologies, the timing of its milestone and its results.
ENGAGE Involve the audience in the project’s activities, and maintain awareness over the course of the project (and beyond). This could take the form of a simple subscription to the project’s newsletter, interactive but asynchronous means such as questionnaires, or fully-fledged person-to-person interaction such as inviting participation in workshops, focus groups or other project events. From a commercial perspective, engagement entails the development of a customer-supplier relationship, and is usually termed customer retention.
3.2 Dissemination and Communication activities
Dissemination and Communication activities are aimed mainly at Informing and enlightening the target audiences, whilst Marketing has the end goal of Engaging audiences.
3.3 Graphical Identity
A visual identity is very important; therefore, it has been created at the early stage of the project to secure a strong and unique brand.
This includes the project logo, templates for presentations and documents, leaflet and brochures ect.
3.3.1 Project Logo
The key visual identity item of the project is the project logo. The logo is part of the project communication and branding Figure 1.
Figure 1: Project Logo
3.3.2 Project Templates
Three templates for presentations, deliverables and meeting minutes were created. As an example the first slide of the presentation template shown in Figure 2 and Figure 3. The Document’s Template shown in Figures 2- 4.
Figure 2 Arabic Presentation’s Template
Figure 3 English Presentation’s Template
Figure 4 Minutes Document Template
3.3.3 Leaflets and Brochure
A project leaflet summarizing the BENEFIT objectives, key facts and description of pilots will produced by end-2022.
Two high-quality illustrated project brochures (flyers) will be produced and published through the project life cycle, first flyer will published before the end of Sept. 2020. The flyer will identify the BENEFIT Project. The second brochure will present the main goals of BENEFIT, its pilots and preliminary results. It will published before the end of 2021.
Leaflet and Brochures will develop in English / Arabic and upload on the project website for partners and the public to download. The first flyer of the project shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5 First BENEFIT project Flyer
3.3.4 Roll- up and Posters
Displaying eye-catching posters in prominent public positions is a useful technique to get interest of many people. Several posters and Roll-up’s will produced during the cycle of the project to accompany poster sessions or other occasions with the BENEFIT project and its progress and results.
Two Roll-up’s will published through the project. First, one to promote the BENEFIT project will published before the end of Sept. 2020 (Figure 6). Second, will be used in the Final Symposium.
Figure 6 First Roll Up
3.3.5 Newsletters
Regular newsletters at key points of project achievement provide already engaged stakeholders with an update of project activities, remind them of the benefits of BENEFIT project and encourage them to stay involved or participate in any new tasks that we need input to. Two editions of newsletter per year expected to publish (Figure 7).
Figure 7. BENEFIT Newsletter
3.3.6 Publications
To increase the publicity of the project it is necessary to present its results in the form of publications with international impact, in professional and scientific journals. Publications in professional journals will attract the attention of researchers, as well as companies that are interested in innovation and increasing their competitiveness.
Open access publications will write to attract researchers and scientists. Peer-reviewed papers will published in conference proceedings, journals, impacted journals or in a particular community well accepted magazines.
3.3.7 Press Releases
To reach the wider society through magazines and newspapers, press releases will issued by all partners at important milestones and events of the project. The press releases will published on the project website and will distributed to other communication channels including social network sites. Press releases will sent electronically directly to magazines, newspapers and news agencies.
The press releases will focus on all levels of the technological level of the project and the actual results of pilot solutions.
3.4 Social Media Channels
BENEFIT will communicate the project results through the following social network sites:
3.4.1 Facebook
Creating a Facebook page for the project, which may contain photos of the workshops, short descriptions, related to the activities, short videos about the project (testimonies, interviews, etc.). https://www.facebook.com/Benefit-Erasmus-102480681907878
3.4.2 Instagram
Creating an Instagram account, which may contain photos and video along with a short descriptive text illustrating the purpose of the post. https://www.instagram.com/benefit_erasmus/
3.4.3 YouTube
Creating a YouTube Channel with video logs (podcasts) regarding the project activities, including videos summarizing the project. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxQ_jPoSQpwpQ9VA76T69Zw
Table 3 Visual Identity
ID Name Estimated Implementation Period Progress
WP4.3 Visual identity, basic promo materials, Social Media JAN – SEPT 2020 LOGO DONE
VISUAL IDENTITY DONE
SOCIAL MEDIA DONE**
ROLL UP AND FLYERS – DONE
TEMPLATES – DONE
3.5 BENEFIT Website
BENEFIT website (Figure 8) is the central point for all advertisements, dissemination and online communication. The website will become operational in October 2020 at the following web address: http://www.benefit.edu.ps
Figure 8 BENEFIT website
The project website has a WordPress based content management system with the following structure:
• HOME
• ABOUT US
o What is BENEFIT
o Aims and Objectives
o Target Groups
o Partners
o Staff
• ACTIVITIES
• WORKING PACKAGES
Preparation and training
Design & Development of the courses
Quality Assurance
Dissemination and Piloting
Management
• MEDIA
News
Publications
Galleries
Videos
Announcements
• CONTACT US
Table 4 website & L.M.S
ID Name Estimated Implementation Period Progress
WP4.2 Website and repository JAN 2020 – SEPT 2020 WEB DESIGN – DONE
HOSTING AND DOMAIN – DONE.
LMS PLATFORM – ON PROGRESS.
4. Target Audiences and Objectives
The answers of the question “who are we trying to reach and why?” The targets can be grouped into four categories (The primary target audiences for the BENEFIT services are small farmers, farmer’s cooperatives, and agricultural consultants. In addition, research and academic communities, local and regional public authorities as well as the public and the media are relevant targets for the communication effort).
Each of these audiences is associated with specific communications, marketing or dissemination objectives, which are summarised in the table below.
Following the levels of activity described in the Section (3.1), table (1), the right-most columns indicate whether the audience should be informed (INF), enlightened (ENL) or engaged (ENG).
Table 5 Audiences and primary objectives
Audience Objectives Activity
Farmers (primarily smallholders) • Convince of the direct economic benefits of the service.
• Generate direct customer leads. ENG
Agricultural Consultants • Connect with the needs of users ENG
Policy-makers /National, Regional and Local Authorities • Gain visibility at institutional level.
• Convince of value for national extension services.
• Obtain support for relevant policies and measures. ENL
Research and academia • Inform of scientific progress and innovation developed during the project ENL
General Media • Generate interest in communicating the socio-economic and environmental benefits of the project INF
Public • Promote socio-economic and environmental benefits and more broadly the beneficial outputs of EU-funded initiatives. INF
5. Tools and Activities
The following table summarize the activities with audiences and purposes.
Table 6 Communication tools and audiences
Communication Tool Target Purpose Activity
Farmers and Associations Agronomists Policy/LRA Research Media Public
Website x x x x x x Raising awareness of the project’s goals, activities and results and promoting the BENEFIT platform to the main target audience: farmers, farmers’ associations and agricultural consultants ENG
Newsletter x x x x x A regular electronic newsletter will used for announcing project-related events, communicating project news, maintaining the interest and awareness of subscribers as the project progresses. ENG
Brochure x x x Providing a detailed overview of the benefits and advantages of the BENEFIT service with a view to creating brand awareness and attracting new customers. ENL
Leaflet x x x x Attracting the attention of target audiences with a small number of key messages, triggering brand awareness and encouraging visitors to the website INF
Social Media x x x x Creating dialogue with vocal target groups, establish a community of “followers”, announce events, post news, and draw additional visitors to the website ENG
Press Kit x x Facilitating the publication in the media of articles or stories about the BENEFIT project ENG
Event information package x x Targeted collection of materials aimed at collecting the key material required for maximising the impact of face-to-face interaction ENG
6. Calendar of Dissemination activities
What to do? When? Partner in charge
Launch Website (English version) SEPT 2020 Al-Istiqlal University
Elaboration of the project brochure SEPT 2020 Al-Istiqlal University
Translation of Website and brochure contents 1/11/2020 Al-Istiqlal University with All Partners
Update social networks (each partner twice a month) During the whole project lifetime Hiring a webmaster/social media expert by Al-Istiqlal University
Dissemination Activities at national and European level : participation in Workshops and Conferences During the all project lifetime All Partners
Scientific Papers During 2021-2023 All partners
Submission of the Reports on Dissemination based on the provided template to collect the activities 1/10/2020 All Partners
7. Template to collect the dissemination activities
BENEFIT
Boosting Innovation in Education And Research of Precision Agriculture in Palestine
Number of Activity
Date of the Activity
Partner that implemented the Dissemination Activity
Brief description of the Dissemination Activity
City, Region, Country
Target groups
Number of People Reached
Products/Results Disseminated
Figure 8 Collect Dissemination Activities Fourm
8. Awareness campaign
● Relaying on social media to promote awareness using videos and photos.
● Using printable materials (Flyers, Banners, and Roll-Ups).
● Organizing frequent webinars or live-stream podcasts using the dedicated social media platform (Instagram TV channel, YouTube, Facebook Live).
9. Research & Conferences
● Initiate research incubator to promote research in the subject-matter field.
● Organizing the final symposium at the end of the project implementation.
3. Dissemination: activities description
Duration 1/2020 to 12/2020
Activities: ● Developing the dissemination Plan.
● Designing the logo of the project.
● Creating word document.
● Designing project’s website.
● Submitting the project’s website to online search engines.
● Establishing an online forum for professionals on the project platform, for the exchange of information on the matter.
● Creating and distributing project’s brochures.
● Hiring webmaster/social media expert.
Duration 1/2021- 12/2021
● Developing synergies with other EU projects, organisations, information networks and stakeholders
● Creating and distributing project’s brochures.
● Establishing an online forum for professionals on the project platform, for the exchange of information on the matter.
Activities:
Duration 1/2022- 11/2022
● Developing synergies with other EU projects, organisations, information networks and stakeholders
● Publishing the results in professional publications, web portals and information sites.
● Creating and distributing project’s brochures.
● International conference
● Participation in conferences and seminars dedicated to the subject.
● Establishing an online forum for professionals on the project platform, for the exchange of information on the matter.
Activities:
4. Final notes to remember
● Keep proofs of all dissemination activities (attendance sheets, pictures, copies of articles, press releases, etc).
● Always refer to the project title, agreement number, and the financing received from the European Commission (LLP) when disseminating the project.
● Include information about the project in each partner website.
● Have all your public events communicated to Webmaster so that they are advertised on the BENEFIT web-site
● The feedback collected from the dissemination activities will be included in the evaluation reports.
● All educational materials / products intellectual outputs will be available and free of charge under open licenses and will uploaded on the European Commission dissemination platform: http://ec.europa.eu/programmes/erasmus-plus/projects/ – direct link till the data of submitting the final report.
● The Commission logo may appear on the publication’s cover page as a “sign-off” with the words “With the support of the” or “Supported by the” + Commission logo.
● A disclaimer shall added to the inner pages of the dissemination materials: “The European Commission support for the production of this publication does not constitute endorsement of the contents which reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.”
Appendix
First Year Plan
ID Name Estimated Implementation Period Estimated Workload effort Partner in charge Progress
WP4.1 Dissemination plan JAN – APR 2020 14 days PASS done
WP4.2 Website and repository
MOOC JUNE 2020 – SEPT 2020
Oct 2021 36 days website
30 days LMS setup / GUI /Accounts All partners
web design – done
hosting and domain – done
lms platform – done.
WP4.3 Visual identity, basic promo materials, Social Media JAN – SEPT 2020 20 days PASS logo done
visual identity done
social media done
roll up and flyers – done
templates – done
WP4.4 Dissemination events, activities, articles, JAN 2020 – JAN 2021 Depending on the local events and activities for each partner which need to communicate them in advance to be disseminated throughout project website and social media platforms. All partners
research related to project
articles
press release local media
press release website
press release social media
Second Year Plan
ID Name Estimated Implementation Period Estimated workload effort Partner in charge Progress
WP4.4 Dissemination activities, articles, JAN 2021 – FEB 2021 30 days All partners
Online Project NEWSLETTER #1
WP4.5 On-site awareness campaign with farmers AUG 2021 – DEC 2021 3 days x 6 months
One day for filming & 2 for editing All partners
*need to be think in advance in wp4.4 to define the scope, the tools, and the dissemination of results.
WP4.6 To establish and launch MOOC educational platform “BENEFIT” JAN 2021 – Nov 2021 25 days for each partner to nominate there Team to prepare the MOOC
All partners
Need to Know the target groups interests
WP4.7 BENEFIT Community of Practice AUG 2021 – DEC 2021 7 days x 6 months All partners
Animating forums inside the project website & Social Media
WP4.4 Dissemination events, activities, articles, AUG 2021 – OCT 2021 30 days. All partners
Online Project NEWSLETTER #2
WP4.8 BENEFIT Incubator & Research Centres AUG 2021 – DEC 2021 7 days x 6 months All partners
Third Year Plan
ID Name Estimated Implementation Period Estimated workload effort Partner in charge Progress
WP4.5 Create a more targeted
awareness regarding produced
results so far and project’s end
goals, with relevant target
groups. JAN 2022 – AUG 2022 3 days x 6 months
One day for filming & 2 for editing All partners Adapt promotional materials;
inform key stakeholders about
project results so far; initiate
collaborations, start
disseminating results at various
relevant events
WP4.6 To launch MOOC educational platform “BENEFIT” DEC 2021 – AUG 2022 30 days for launching and managing the MOOC (2nd edition) Al -Istiqlal Lunch up Moodle / All partners
ourse content development
WP4.4 Dissemination events, activities, articles, APR 2022 – MAY 2022 30 days. All partners Online Project NEWSLETTER #3
WP4.6 BENEFIT Community of Practice JAN 2022 – DEC 2022 7 days x 6 months All partners Animating forums inside the lms and in the project website & Social Media
WP4.8 Piloting AUG 2022 – DEC 2022 30 days to establish piloting plan with all partners
30 days to conduct the piloting
WP4.3 Visual identity, materials, OCT 2022- NOV 2022 10 days All partners Establish final Newsletter, Flayer and Roll UP for the Project
WP4.9 Final Conference JUL – NOV 2022 QOU
