Communication policy

Introduction

DTU is a university where research, education, innovation, and research-based advice are conducted and provided in a close dialogue with the surrounding society.

DTU’s communication policy constitutes a joint overall framework for DTU’s communication. The communication policy lays down objectives and principles of DTU’s communication, and it also defines roles and responsibilities in the University’s communication work. The communication policy does not stand alone, but is supplemented by DTU’s press policy and design guide.

The communication policy applies to all employees when they communicate as representatives of DTU. However, it does not comprise academic peer-to-peer communication. 

Purpose

DTU’s communication has two overall purposes. The first purpose is to meet the requirement of the Danish University Act (Universitetsloven) that, as a central knowledge-based body and cultural repository, DTU must exchange knowledge and competences with society and encourage its employees to contribute with their knowledge in the public debate.

The second purpose is to support the objectives laid down in DTU’s strategy, ‘Technology for People’. The three strategy objectives are also objectives for DTU’s communication.

  1. Sustainable. Sustainability is the basis for all activities at DTU. As the leading expert in the field in Danish society, DTU communicates how new knowledge and technology for people can promote sustainable change locally and globally.
  2. Digital. Digital solutions and data-driven technologies are increasingly the basis of DTU’s teaching, research, and innovation. DTU’s communication must reflect this development in form and content. The focus is on digital channels and on dissemination of the digital transformation.
  3. Europe’s best engineering education DTU’s communication focuses on a) global social relevance, b) a unique study environment and c) excellent career opportunities.

Objectives

The objectives for DTU’s communication are:
  • to highlight DTU’s value to society, including how investment in DTU contributes to solving significant social challenges
  • to highlight DTU as a valuable partner for the corporate sector, public authorities, and organizations
  • to highlight the value that graduate engineers from DTU bring to society
  • to achieve the best framework conditions for the University’s core tasks: research, education, innovation, and scientific advice;
  • to attract the most talented students and employees
  • to disseminate the excellent research and high academic level that are a prerequisite for DTU’s contribution to society.

Communication principles

DTU’s communication is based on the following principles.

  • DTU communicates as one overall university
    DTU has one identity and one brand, thus ensuring that DTU’s communication is recognizable and efficient. DTU is consequently always the sender of the communication, regardless of whether it comes from a department, a centre, or an office.
  • High credibility is always the point of departure
    DTU’s communication reflects the high degree of quality and credibility that characterizes the University’s work and the principles for good scientific practice.
  • Equality and diversity are the starting point for communication

    DTU’s communication is inclusive and reflects the diversity that DTU wants to promote among students and staff as well as in the solutions which DTU develops and conducts research into.

  • The international dimension is a matter of course

    DTU’s communication has both a national and an international target group, externally as well as internally. Unless the communication is aimed at a demarcated target group, it takes place in parallel in Danish and English.

  • DTU makes its mark on the public debate

    Employees from DTU qualify the public debate and contribute relevant knowledge and views to the decision-making basis of authorities and companies. This means that employees answer enquiries from journalists and make themselves available to the press.

  • Organizational communication has both an internal and an external aim

Communication about major organizational initiatives and changes of strategic importance is part of the branding of DTU. It must therefore always be considered whether and how organizational measures are communicated externally.

Roles and responsibilities

Dissemination of academic knowledge and competences is a significant part of DTU’s overall communication. All employees at DTU are thus responsible for contributing to the communication and branding of DTU based on the academic areas they handle.

DTU’s Office for Communication and Media is responsible for the overall branding of DTU, including prioritizing the communication work and making the framework for communication available to the whole of DTU. This applies, for example, to systems for website, intranet, design and templates, study programme information, etc. 

Adoption and revision

The communication policy was adopted by DTU’s Executive Board on 5 May 2021.

The communication policy must be reviewed at the end of DTU’s strategy period in 2025.