Dissemination is probably the most misunderstood term in European projects. It is confused with communication, treated as a formality, or reduced to \u201ewe publish an article and that\u2019s it\u201d. In reality, dissemination has a precise definition in Horizon Europe, a specific audience, and a clear place in the proposal \u2014 and evaluators score it separately. Here\u2019s what it actually means and how to plan for it correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the language of the European Commission<\/a>, dissemination \u201erefers to the effort to make results known to those communities that can best use them, perhaps even beyond the initial idea of who might use the results.\u201d In other words: you\u2019re not talking to the general public (that\u2019s communication), but to those who can take the results and take them further \u2014 other researchers, industry, policymakers, users. The goal is not visibility per se, but knowledge transfer<\/strong>: that your work be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Horizon Europe requires three different things, with different audiences and objectives:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Confusion between them is one of the most common reasons why an otherwise good chapter loses points. I've explained the differences in detail, with the official definitions, here: Communication vs. Dissemination vs. Exploitation in Horizon Europe<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unlike communication, which targets a general audience, dissemination has specialized audiences:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A common mistake is to treat all these audiences the same. A message for an industry partner does not look like one for an academic research group \u2014 even if it starts from the same result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Horizon Europe, open access to publications is no longer optional \u2014 it is a contractual obligation. The practices open science<\/em><\/a> (open access to publications, responsible data management according to the FAIR principles) are part of the way a project is evaluated and monitored. Well-thought-out dissemination and open science obligations actually go in the same direction: for the results to be found, understood and used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A credible dissemination plan is not a list of intentions ("we will publish articles and attend conferences"), but a concrete plan, with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n I detailed how to build it, step by step, in the article about how to write the communication and dissemination plan for a Horizon Europe proposal<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n Dissemination means making the project results known to the communities that can best use them \u2014 other researchers, industry, decision-makers. It is not the same as communication (which is addressed to the general public) or exploitation (which means putting the results into practice). It is defined by the European Commission and is scored separately in the evaluation.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Communication targets the general public and the press \u2014 the goal is the social visibility of the project. Dissemination targets specialists and potential users of the results \u2014 the goal is knowledge transfer. The same project needs both, but with different messages and channels. Confusion between them is one of the most common reasons why an Impact chapter loses points.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The main dissemination channels are peer-reviewed open access publications, presentations at conferences and workshops, open data repositories and materials for industry partners or decision-makers (technical brochures, policy briefs). The choice of channel depends on the target audience: an industry-relevant result reaches them through something other than an article in an academic journal.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n A credible dissemination plan identifies target audiences by category, allocates appropriate channels to each audience, sets activities with a clear calendar, and defines measurable indicators (KPIs) that demonstrate that dissemination has taken place. Evaluators quickly recognize a generic plan from a specific one \u2014 the details on how to build the plan are in the dedicated article.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n I have worked on the communication and dissemination of 7 European projects, from writing the proposal chapter to the execution throughout the project. If you are preparing a Horizon Europe proposal or implementing a project and need a dissemination partner, see how can I help you<\/a> or let's talk<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\nDissemination vs. communication vs. exploitation, in short<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Who are you addressing through dissemination?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Dissemination channels<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Open science: dissemination as an obligation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How do you plan dissemination in your proposal?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n
What does dissemination mean in Horizon Europe?<\/h3>\n
What is the difference between dissemination and communication in Horizon Europe?<\/h3>\n
What channels are used for dissemination?<\/h3>\n
How do I plan dissemination in my Horizon Europe proposal?<\/h3>\n
Official sources<\/h2>\n
Do you need help with dissemination?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n