Communication is much more effective and sustainable when the whole consortium is engaged. Not everyone needs to be a content creator or social media expert. But with the right mindset, tools, and a bit of coordination, every partner can play a role in building visibility, relevance, and trust for your project.
Making Horizon Europe communication a shared effort
When communication is shared across the consortium, the impact multiplies. You’re no longer broadcasting from a single channel but speaking through a network of trusted voices. This has several benefits:
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Wider reach across different sectors, languages, and national contexts
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More authentic storytelling, from the perspectives of those doing the work
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Stronger internal engagement, making communication a shared success, not a box to tick
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Greater resilience, especially when responsibilities shift mid-project
What makes it hard (and how to help)
Partners often want to contribute but face a few common hurdles: “I don’t know what to post or when”; “I’m not sure what the rules are for sharing”; “We’re not used to being visible like this”; “We don’t have a dedicated communication person.”
Rather than looking at these as barriers, consider that a little structure and support can go a long way and make your communication easier, clearer, and more collaborative from the start.
Practical ways to involve your partners in communication
1. Start with a shared vision: Make sure communication isn’t seen as the WP leader’s task alone. During kick-off meetings or early consortium calls, present your strategy in a way that highlights everyone’s role. Use examples, show the value of visibility, and ask for input.
2. Designate local comms contacts: Invite each partner to appoint someone as their internal communication focal point. This doesn’t have to be a full-time task, but someone who stays in the loop, joins your regular C&D meetings, helps localise messages, and flags opportunities to share relevant content through their channels.
3. Build a Partner Comms Kit: Share with your consortium ready-to-use tools that save time and boost confidence:
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Editable templates (for PowerPoints, social media, press releases);
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Sample posts they can adapt or translate;
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Logos, visuals, factsheets, project descriptors;
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A content calendar with suggested moments to engage (e.g. publications, events, milestones);
Make sure it’s all in one easy-to-access place, like a shared drive or project’s Teams channel.
4. Give partners visibility: Feature partners regularly in your project’s communications through interviews, “meet the team” posts, site visits, or short testimonials. This not only diversifies your content but also makes partners feel recognised and motivated to share.
5. Offer quick onboarding or refreshers: Not every partner has a dedicated comms team. Consider hosting short internal sessions to show them how to use templates, co-brand content, or write blogs for the website.
6. Make it feel human: Encourage partners to show the people behind the work. Photos from lab visits, quotes from researchers, glimpses into workshops all make your project more relatable. Communication doesn’t have to be polished to be powerful.
7. Build it into your plan (and your KPIs): It’s easier to create engagement when it’s embedded in the plan:
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Include partner contributions as part of your internal KPIs
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Plan for periodic content requests and updates across the consortium
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Use reporting moments (internal or official) to reflect on what’s been shared and what worked
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Set achievable goals, like each partner contributing one story or media post per quarter
8. Remind them of their legal obligations: While you may be fully understanding of all the barriers your partners face, it is still their legal obligation to communicate, disseminate, and exploit. Ask the coordinator to remind all partners of their obligations.
Communication as collaboration
Strong Horizon Europe projects are built on collaboration, and communication should be no exception. By creating the conditions for partners to share, support, and amplify, you’re not only making your workload lighter, but you’re also strengthening your project’s credibility, reach, and lasting value. When the whole consortium speaks, the message carries further. And it sounds a lot more like the future we’re trying to build.
