Science Communication Workshop: Personal Branding on LinkedIn for Researchers
Explore how LinkedIn can be used as a professional tool
28-29 April 2026 | University of Alicante, Spain
About
Key Information
- Modality: Online
- Dates: 28–29 April 2026
- Schedule: 10:00–12:00 (CET – Spain time)
- Duration: 4 hours (2 sessions × 2 hours) + independent work
- Target group: Researchers, PhD candidates, and academic staff from Transform4Europe partner universities
- Register now!
The Science Communication Workshop: Personal Branding on LinkedIn for Researchers, promoted by the University of Alicante within the framework of the Transform4Europe Alliance, will take place online on 28–29 April 2026. The workshop has a total duration of 4 hours, delivered through two synchronous online sessions of two hours each, complemented by independent preparatory and follow-up activities designed to maximise learning outcomes.
This training programme is aimed at researchers interested in strengthening their science communication skills and increasing the visibility, positioning, and societal impact of their academic work. The course focuses on developing a strategic approach to personal branding in academia, exploring how LinkedIn can be used as a professional tool to communicate research, connect with relevant audiences, and build an international academic reputation.
Participants will learn how to define their academic niche and researcher value proposition, identify key audiences, and establish clear professional objectives. The workshop also covers practical aspects of profile optimisation, including headline and “About” sections, translating research achievements into accessible evidence, internal profile SEO, and building a coherent academic portfolio integrating platforms such as LinkedIn, Google Scholar, ORCID, ResearchGate, and personal websites.
Special attention will be given to content creation strategies for researchers, including effective publication formats, post structures, editorial planning, and principles of authority and credibility in academic communication. The programme will further address academic networking practices, engagement strategies, and the use of groups, events, and newsletters to foster collaboration opportunities.
In addition, participants will explore how to strengthen social proof and academic reputation by showcasing projects, funding, awards, research stays, peer-review activity, and measurable impact indicators such as altmetrics, press coverage, and knowledge transfer outcomes. The workshop concludes with guidance on performance measurement, relevant KPIs, and common pitfalls in academic digital communication.
Trainer
The workshop will be delivered by Sandra Arias Montesinos, PhD candidate in Communication and Advertising with extensive experience at the intersection of academia, digital communication, and strategic marketing. She holds a DEA and a Bachelor’s degree in Advertising and Public Relations from the University of Alicante, as well as an MBA and an MSc in Sales and Marketing Management from Fundesem Business School. Her postgraduate training includes specialisation in social media management (Fundeun), strategic planning (Hoala!), and marketing management and specialisation programmes at Universidad Europea Miguel de Cervantes and Madrid School of Business and Management.
Academically, she is an adjunct professor at the University of Alicante and a collaborating lecturer at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, as well as a lecturer at Fundación Universidad San Jorge in Zaragoza. She has previously taught at several Spanish universities, including UEMC, URJC, and UCLM, in addition to postgraduate and professional programmes at Fundesem Business School and Ecommaster.
Alongside her academic career, Sandra Arias has developed an extensive professional trajectory in digital communication and marketing. She is co-founder and Digital Manager at Agencia Cómplices, where she designs strategic communication and digital positioning projects. She has held professional roles such as SEM Manager at Seguros Meridiano (ASV Group), Digital Transformation Project Manage.
