You are part of a network of multiple Nodes.
As you probably already know, ELIXIR is not a single organisation – it is a distributed infrastructure where multiple Nodes operate with different structures, resources and national contexts. This means that whatever communication challenge you are facing, someone in another Node has almost certainly faced it before.
The instinct to solve communication problems in isolation is understandable — your Node has its own priorities, its own brand, its own audiences. But working across the network multiplies your reach and your resources without proportionally increasing your effort. A news item shared by three Nodes reaches three times the audience. A template built by one Node saves time for many others.
The comms contact registry
The contact registry is one of the most practical resources available to you. It is a living list of the communications contacts across all Nodes – the people to reach when you need to disseminate something across the consortium, coordinate a joint campaign or simply ask for advice from someone who has done it before.
The registry lives in the ELIXIR communications useful information document, together with each Node’s social media accounts and the ELIXIR hashtags.
Open the ELIXIR communications useful information document
The contact list is on the ELIXIR intranet. You must be logged in with your consortium credentials to view contact details.
When to use it
- Your Node has completed a project or deliverable that involved other Nodes – coordinate a shared news item to amplify reach
- You need to disseminate an opportunity, event or resource across the entire consortium quickly
- You are unsure how to approach a specific communication challenge and want peer input
- You want to know who handles communications at a specific Node before reaching out
How to use it
- Find the contact for the relevant Node or Nodes.
- Reach out directly with a clear, brief ask – what you need, by when and what you’re offering.
When to coordinate across Nodes
Not every communication effort needs cross-Node coordination — but some benefit significantly from it. Ask yourself:
- Did this project, output or event involve more than one Node?
- Would another Node’s audience benefit from knowing about this?
- Would sharing this effort reduce the workload on my Node?
If you answer yes to any of these, reach out before you publish – not after. A coordinated communication effort is always more effective than parallel ones, and much harder to coordinate retrospectively.
Example: A Node completes a data management training event co-organised with two other Nodes. Instead of each Node posting separately on social media, the three communications contacts agree on shared language, post on the same day and tag each other. The combined reach is significantly higher – and the message feels like a consortium achievement, not three separate ones.
The ELIXIR Communications Group
If you are involved in communications in any capacity — as a dedicated communications officer, a Node Coordinator who handles comms or a researcher who occasionally writes for public audiences — the ELIXIR Communications Group is your most valuable ongoing resource.
This is an open, collaborative space where communicators from all Nodes:
- Share best practices, tools and templates
- Discuss communication challenges and solutions
- Contribute to and shape consortium-wide communications resources, including this module
- Stay informed about ELIXIR-wide communications initiatives, campaigns and comms-related strategies from the Hub.
Joining is straightforward and participation is flexible. You can contribute as much or as little as your time allows.
Join the ELIXIR Communications Group
Exercise
Think of a recent or upcoming output from your Node — a project result, a training event, a new service or resource.
- Would any other Node have been involved in or benefited from this output?
- If yes, identify the relevant communications contact using the registry
- Draft a two-sentence message you could send them proposing a coordinated communication effort.
You don’t need to send it. The goal is to build the habit of asking “who else should be part of this?” before you communicate.
Further resources
| Category | Resource | Description |
|---|---|---|
| ELIXIR resource | ELIXIR communications useful information | Communications and website contacts in every Node, Node and project social media accounts, and ELIXIR hashtags (Google Doc). |
| ELIXIR resource | ELIXIR Communications Group | Open, collaborative space where communicators from all Nodes share practice and shape consortium communications (intranet). |