BioEcoOcean Initial Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication Plan Plan - Deliverable 6.2

Funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement number 101136748. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Deliverable 6.2 D6.2 Initial Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication Plan July 2024 Authors: Artur Palacz, Dominik Krzymiński, Joana Soares, Deniz Karaca, Nina Lepola, Lina Mtwana Nordlund Ref. Ares(2025)10648951 - 03/12/2025 Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 2 Project Information Project full title: Co-Creating Transformative Pathways to Biological and Ecosystem Ocean Observations Project acronym: BioEcoOcean Grant agreement number: 101136748 Project start date and duration: 1st of February 2024, 48 months Project website: https://bioecoocean.org/ Project Coordinator: Lina Mtwana Nordlund, Uppsala University Deliverable information Deliverable number: 6.2 Deliverable title: Initial Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication Plan Submission date: 30/07/2024 Level of dissemination: Public Work package and task: WP6, Task 6.1 Lead Beneficiary: IO PAN Authors: Artur Palacz (IO PAN), Dominik Krzymiński (IOPAN), Joana Soares (AIR Centre), Deniz Karaca (EuroGOOS), Nina Lepola (UU), Lina Mtwana Nordlund (UU) To be cited as: Palacz, A., Krzymiński, D., Soares, J., Karaca, D., Lepola, N., Nordlund, L.M. 2024. BioEcoOcean deliverable 6.2. https://10.5281/zenodo.17786843 Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 3 Executive Summary This deliverable report provides an initial version of the Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication (DEC) Plan of the BioEcoOcean project. The DEC Plan is a living document updated periodically in response to research developments and evolving stakeholders' needs or their feedback. As such, it is an integral part of the project, designed to ensure that the project’s results are widely disseminated, effectively exploited and clearly communicated. The Plan describes how the BioEcoOcean consortium will engage with a diverse range of stakeholders, identified at the beginning of the project through a stakeholder mapping activity, utilizing a variety of dissemination, exploitation, and communication methods, to maximize the project impact, thus contributing to the advancement of knowledge, innovation, and policy in the field of biological and ecosystem ocean observations in the EU and globally. The report describes the initial plan of dissemination activities, ranging from publications, conferences and workshops to use of online platforms, newsletters, webinars and policy briefs. The exploitation strategy focuses on the identification of key exploitable results (KERs), exploitable pathways, stakeholder engagements, and intellectual property management. The communication plan outlines clear and consistent messaging emphasizing the BioEcoOcean objectives, results and their impact, with details on different communication channels to be employed in the project. Finally, the DEC Plan describes the process of regular monitoring and evaluation of DEC activities to assess their effectiveness and impact. Key performance indicators (KPIs) will be established, including metrics such as the number of publications, attendance at events, website traffic, social media engagement, and uptake of project results. Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 4 Table of Contents Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................................................... 3 Abbreviations .................................................................................................................................................................. 5 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................ 7 2. Anticipated project impact ......................................................................................................................................... 9 3. Target audiences and stakeholder engagement....................................................................................................... 13 3.1. Definition of the target audience ....................................................................................................................... 13 3.2 Initial stakeholder mapping exercise .................................................................................................................. 14 3.3 Initial BioEcoOcean stakeholders database ........................................................................................................ 15 4. Communication ......................................................................................................................................................... 15 4.1 Internal communication ...................................................................................................................................... 16 4.2 External communication ..................................................................................................................................... 17 4.2.1. Key messages .............................................................................................................................................. 17 4.2.2 Communication tools ................................................................................................................................... 18 4.2.3. EU visibility .................................................................................................................................................. 23 5. Dissemination ........................................................................................................................................................... 23 5.1 Open access publications in scientific journals ................................................................................................... 24 5.2 Open-access datasets, data synthesis and model products, model code .......................................................... 25 5.3 Project website, webinars and social media ....................................................................................................... 25 5.4 Targeted online and face-to-face events ............................................................................................................ 25 5.5 EU Commission tools .......................................................................................................................................... 26 5.6 Nomination of experts to expert working groups .............................................................................................. 27 5.7 Project clustering ................................................................................................................................................ 27 6. Exploitation ............................................................................................................................................................... 28 6.1 Key Exploitable Results of BioEcoOcean ............................................................................................................. 28 6.2 Community of Practice Forum ............................................................................................................................ 29 7. Potential barriers to the outcomes and impacts achievement ................................................................................ 30 8. Monitoring and evaluation ....................................................................................................................................... 31 9. Conclusions ............................................................................................................................................................... 33 Appendices .................................................................................................................................................................... 34 Appendix 1. BioEcoOcean brandbook ...................................................................................................................... 34 Appendix 2. BioEcoOcean Social Media Content Calendar – Template ................................................................... 38 Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 5 Abbreviations Abbreviation Definition Air Centre Atlantic International Research Centre BGC Biogeochemistry BioEco Biological and Ecological BIOS Blueprint for Integrated Ocean Science CA Consortium Agreement CORDIS The Community Research and Development Information Service CoPF Community of Practice Forum DEC Dissemination, Exploitation and Communication Plan DMP Data Management Plan DOI Digital Object Identifier DoA Description of Action EBV Essential Biodiversity Variable ECOTIP European Ocean Observing System ECV Essential Climate Variable EMODnet European Marine Observation and Data Network EO Expected Outcome EOV Essential Ocean Variable EV Essential Variable ESM Earth System Model EU European Union FAIR Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable GA Grant Agreement GOOS Global Ocean Observing System IOC Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature IOPAN Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences KER Key Exploitable Result KIP Key Impact Pathway KPI Key Performance Indicator MBON Marine Biodiversity Observation Network MPA Marine Protected Area NGO Non-governmental organization OBIS Ocean Biodiversity Information System ObsSea4Clim Ocean observations and indicators for climate and assessments OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic OTGA Ocean Teacher Global Academy R&D Research and Development SC Steering Committee TRL Technical Readiness Level Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 6 UN United Nations UNEP The United Nations Environment Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UU Uppsala University WI Wider Impact WP Work Package Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 7 1. Introduction The BioEcoOcean DEC Plan describes strategies and actions which will be implemented to maximize the project’s impact while ensuring alignment with EU requirements. The main objectives of the BioEcoOcean DEC Plan are: Dissemination: To share the project results which contribute to advancing sustained Biology and Ecosystems (BioEco) observations of Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs) with the scientific community, industry, policymakers, and other relevant stakeholders to advance knowledge and stimulate further research and innovation. Exploitation: To ensure practical utilization of project Key Exploitable Results (KERs), in particular the Blueprint for Integrated Ocean Science (BIOS), by the BioEcoOcean target stakeholder groups during and in the years after the project completion. Communication: To raise awareness about the project activities, outputs and their impact among the scientific and non-scientific audiences, through a set of efficient and engaging communication activities and resources. The DEC activities and strategies are driven by the need to maximize the impact of the BioEcoOcean project according to its overall objectives which are to: ♦ Co-create a comprehensive, fit-for-purpose, and inclusive BIOS that promotes a holistic approach, fosters effective communication and collaboration among stakeholders and sectors, and enables interoperability. Deliverables: 2.2, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 4.4, 5.1 and 5.2 ♦ Accelerate and improve the implementation and usage of Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs) for biology and ecosystems, while ensuring seamless interoperability with Essential Climate and Biodiversity Variables (ECVs and EBVs), to drive progress towards global biodiversity, ecosystem and climate assessments. Deliverables: 2.1, 2.3, 3.3, 3.6, 3.7, 4.2 and 4.5 ♦ Strengthen the development of common approaches, standards and inter-calibrated protocols for the BioEco EOV and ECV observations, modelling and reporting. Deliverables: 3.2, 3.5, 4.1 ♦ Improve understanding of the links between ocean biodiversity, biogeochemistry and climate by incorporating co-creation, interdisciplinary approaches, and cutting-edge technology and Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 8 modelling. Deliverables: 3.3, 3.4, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 4.3 ♦ Harness observation networks to improve scientific understanding of the causes of biodiversity loss, including the compound effects of multiple anthropogenic stressors, climate change and disturbance regimes driving ecosystems beyond tipping points. Deliverables: 4.2, 4.4 ♦ Enhance evidence-based decision-making that can inform future planning and support adaptive management of future conditions to sustain ecosystems and human well-being by co-creating and demonstrating operational and interconnected workflows, from observing system review and design to policy application. Deliverables: 2.5, 2.6, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6 ♦ Enhance operational global observing and forecasting systems by prioritising capacity building for diverse stakeholders, including training courses, workshops and dissemination activities. Deliverables: 5.1, 5.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.6 The DEC Plan will be a living document updated as often as needed in response to project research developments and updates to stakeholder engagement needs. This initial version builds upon and is faithful to the BioEcoOcean Grant Agreement (GA) Description of Action (DoA), augmented by significant developments in the project communication plan and resources, initial stakeholder mapping (MS6.1) and improved linkages to Data Management Plan (DMP; D1.1). The DEC Plan is also intended as a pragmatic guide to the BioEcoOcean consortium partners on how to maximize the potential of the DEC tools and resources made available by the Commission as well as the project itself. An online version of the DEC Plan will always be available on the project intranet to allow for posting comments and edits from each project member in a collaborative mode. All suggestions will be periodically reviewed by WP6, and versions with accepted major revisions will be published at least every 18 months on the BioEcoOcean community page of the Zenodo repository (https://zenodo.org/communities/bioecoocean/), with an individually assigned DOI to each version on top of a single DOI that always leads to the most recent version. BioEcoOcean’s WP6 is responsible for overseeing the DEC Strategy and its implementation plan, with all partner institutions contributing with various and complementary roles. Table 1 identifies project members acting as focal points for different DEC elements. Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 9 Table 1: Focal points for DEC activities in BioEcoOcean. Role Name, Partner WP6 Leader Deniz Karaca, EuroGOOS Communications Officer, Dissemination Consultant Artur Palacz, IOPAN Communications Officer, Social Media and Website Manager Dominik Krzymiński, IOPAN Stakeholder Engagement Consultant Joana Soares, AIR Centre Data Manager and Data Protection Officer Elizabeth Lawrence, UNESCO 2. Anticipated project impact BioEcoOcean will provide a test bed for co-creative operational BioEco ocean observing with potential for global uptake. To ensure the significance of its contribution to the expected outcomes (EO) and wider impacts (WI) set out in the Call Topic HORIZON-CL6-2023-CLIMATE-01-8 - Closing the research gaps on Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs) in support of global assessments, the project will, among other things, develop and promote the uptake of the comprehensive BIOS. BIOS will boost the ability to establish operational workflows for biology and ecosystem EVs, and guide the development of a more holistic, transparent, and fit-for-purpose ocean observing system. The Blueprint will be honed through the BioEcoOcean Living Labs (WP3-4) and through the active involvement of the international scientific community, and key target stakeholders such as the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) Biology & Ecosystems and Biogeochemistry Panels of Experts, the Marine Biodiversity Observing Network (MBON), and the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS). This will ensure that the Blueprint and the advances to the EOVs (e.g. through the revised BioEco EOV Specification Sheets) will have international exposure and will support change in the global BioEco observing community. The long-term legacy of the project's outcomes will be through increased coordination and collaboration among target stakeholders, leading to more effective and efficient ocean observations from local to global scales. Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 16 4.1 Internal communication BioEcoOcean ensures smooth implementation of the project objectives by establishing and maintaining state-of-the-art measures to ensure efficient and frequent internal communication. Project partners are equipped with clear guidelines and access to a common cloud-based content management system and collaboration platform to maximize indirect communication. Additionally, virtual and in-person meetings will be arranged at different frequencies and sizes, to ensure sufficient direct communication between project partners. The following measures have already been put in place as part of the BioEcoOcean internal communication plan: Online collaboration platforms In the project's initial weeks, UU established a dedicated SharePoint facility for all project partners to serve as project intranet and a primary online platform for communication and collaboration. SharePoint also provides a common online files and information storage system, including for data exchange. Each partner ensures that there is good housekeeping when it comes to storing, organizing, and sharing information, applications, and any relevant services across the project consortium. The project intranet adheres to current requirements for online safety protocols, requiring two-step authentication for access. UU set up the top-level file structure. Each WP uses dedicated folders to organize work and keep records of project developments at all stages. This helps, for instance, incoming project members quickly understand the status and progress of tasks. Partners are encouraged to use SharePoint as much as possible instead of email discussions threads and email file exchanges which are difficult to track and access. Each partner is obliged to inform the project coordination office about any new project members affiliated with their institution, so that UU can set up access for all new users as soon as possible. In addition, the consortium has access to an email list with contact information to all project partners which can be viewed and downloaded from SharePoint. This list is kept up to date by all the partners as per project’s Consortium Agreement (CA). UU will take care of the everyday internal communication. However, any project member can contact the entire consortium as needed. Project members are also encouraged to use any virtual meeting platform they prefer if it can be accessed by all meeting invitees (e.g. Zoom, MS Teams). General rule: the person or institution organizing the meeting is responsible for choosing the platform. Meetings Three types of official and regular internal meetings are arranged: ♦ Steering Committee (SC) meetings: Held monthly online, with minutes posted on SharePoint. These meetings help identify and resolve any issues with the work plan promptly. ♦ General Assembly meetings: Two per year, one in person and one online, approximately ca. 6 months apart. These meetings discuss and decide on important matters. General rules on General Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 17 Assembly participation are described in the CA. ♦ Work Package meetings: Held as needed and called by WP leads and members. Initially conducted monthly, these meetings are expected to be reduced to bi-monthly after the project's first year. 4.2 External communication 4.2.1. Key messages BioEcoOcean’s external communication plan emphasizes the project's impact on ocean monitoring, data accessibility, collaborative efforts, and biodiversity and climate resilience, aligned with project objectives. The plan includes four key messages to guide our external communication efforts. Message #1: "We unite diverse stakeholders to co-create a shared plan to enhance the value and impact of ocean observations." How do we collaborate for a better understanding of life in the ocean? How do we enable and facilitate communication at different scales and across sectors? BioEcoOcean co-creates an inclusive Blueprint for Integrated Ocean Science to enhance stakeholder collaboration and data interoperability. The Blueprint Living Lab is a collaborative platform for developing a guiding tool: the Blueprint for Integrated Ocean Science, focusing on marine life. This innovative product will be co-created with the global ocean observing community, with contributions via for example surveys, workshops and testing the Blueprint. The aim is to foster a more holistic and collaborative approach to ocean observations. Development will take place through a co-creative process inviting the global community, especially those interested in biology and ecosystem ocean observation. Progress on the development of the Blueprint and associated resources can be viewed on the project website here: https://bioecoocean.org/actions/blueprint-living-lab/; and tracked live on the social media channels. Message #2: "The effective use of essential ocean data is crucial for better understanding and protecting marine life and climate. " BioEcoOcean accelerates the use of Essential Ocean Variables, aiming to integrate them with climate and biodiversity variables for comprehensive global assessments. BioEcoOcean research on EOVs is carried out through six focal living labs, each focusing on advancing observations of specific BioEco EOVs through addressing research questions relevant for a specific environmental setting while taking into consideration the entire ocean value chain, from observing system design to policy application. Up to date information on EOV research progress in the project can be viewed from the project website at: Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 18 https://bioecoocean.org/actions/focal-living-labs/ All data and information collected will be freely and openly available through regional and global portals, such as OBIS, EMODnet, and GitHub, ensuring their validation and reusability by the wider community. Immediate data exchange is prioritized to facilitate interdependent tasks. Sensitive and restricted data (if any) will be generalized as needed and made publicly available following strict protocols. To ensure interoperability, BioEcoOcean will follow international data and metadata standards for oceanographic, biodiversity and geospatial data. Detailed information can be found in the BioEcoOcean’s DMP (D1.1). Message #3: "By setting new standards for ocean research, we improve how we observe and report on marine environments." BioEcoOcean strengthens standards and protocols for ocean observations, fostering improved modelling and reporting. The project collaborates with OBPS and the global EOV community to establish new best practices and standards where needed. Efforts also focus on increasing our capacity to assess and validate biological and ecosystem models, enhancing their reliability for regional and global biodiversity and climate assessments. Message #4: “Understanding and mitigating biodiversity loss is key to developing better policies and management strategies for ocean conservation.” BioEcoOcean leverages observation networks to understand and mitigate biodiversity loss, informing adaptive management and policy decisions. Emerging tools and methods, such as camera networks, AI, eDNA, and high-resolution satellite imagery are used to increase the TRLs of BioEco EOVs and deepen our understanding of marine protection effectiveness and distribution ranges for such policy applications as MPAs. To comprehensively address drivers of biodiversity change, BioEcoOcean will look beyond environmental variables and explore socio-economic factors like fishing pressure and distance to market. 4.2.2 Communication tools Logo and visual identity The BioEcoOcean logo reflects the project's fundamental concept of cooperation and co-creation of the Blueprint for Integrated Ocean Science. It symbolizes marine life, represented by seagrass and a dolphin, encircled by humans working together to protect the ocean. The logo consists of the project name with the signet being a part of the name, emphasising the project's main goals. The ocean colour palette distinctly Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 19 conveys the project's focus. The visual identity of BioEcoOcean is characterized by consistent graphical elements, including ocean floor images featuring vegetation or sea animals. These elements are utilized throughout all project communication activities to ensure easy recognition and distinctiveness. Ready-to-use files (PowerPoint templates, social media templates) and branding are accessible to project partners on SharePoint. Detailed logo usage is described in the BioEcoOcean brand book (Appendix 1) Website The BioEcoOcean project website was launched at the end of month 4 and serves as a focal point to ensure timely and efficient communication between project partners and target groups. The website will act as the central port of entry for the project and its outputs and will be seamlessly linked with social media such as X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook and Zenodo connecting with existing institutional social media accounts of the network partners. The BioEcoOcean website, accessible from two domains: https://www.bioecoocean.eu and https://bioecoocean.org/ serves as a crucial tool for disseminating and communicating key information about the project. It offers an effective platform for project stakeholders and the public to gain a comprehensive understanding of the challenges addressed by the project and the solutions proposed. The website was developed as the first deliverable under Work Package 6 (Communication, Dissemination and Exploitation) and was publicly launched on 31 May 2024. The project website was designed to fulfil its main objectives which are to: ♦ Provide comprehensive information about the BioEcoOcean project, including its objectives, methodologies and expected impacts. ♦ Disseminate project results and outputs to stakeholders, including policy-makers, researchers, industry professionals and the general public. ♦ Facilitate communication and collaboration among project partners and stakeholders. ♦ Ensure transparency and accountability of project activities and progress. Social media In order to attract broader audiences' attention, engaging in communication on social media platforms is crucial. Thus, accounts on three platforms were launched: LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook. Each platform has its unique user base and content, which will influence our planned social media strategies based on the preferences of the targeted audience. Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 20 ♦ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/bioecoocean/ ♦ X https://x.com/BioEcoOcean ♦ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/61556248781551/ All partner institutions are encouraged to use their existing social media channels to tag the project in posts about project-related activities. Suggested content for social media communication can alternatively be sent to IO PAN for posting via the project social media channels. The social media content calendar (Appendix 2) for the project’s social media platforms will be suggested collaboratively by WP6 partners at monthly meetings, with the Communication Officers at IO PAN following up on these. To facilitate an integrated social media campaign, we have compiled a list of BioEcoOcean partner accounts from targeted social media channels, as well as from other pertinent EU projects. In the coming weeks, the information will be supplemented with social media accounts of the target stakeholder groups (table 5). Table 5: Inventory of social media accounts of project partners and selected other EU projects. Facebook LinkedIn X YouTube Consortium members Uppsala University (UU) @uppsalauniversity @uppsala-university @uppsalauni @Uppsalauniversitet The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) @dtudk @technical-universityof-denmark/ @dtutweet @dtubroadcast EuroGOOS @eurogoos @eurogoos @EuroGOOS @eurogoos Universita di Pisa (UNIPI) @unipisaofficial @unipisa @Unipisa @VideoUNIPI Centro Interdisciplinar De Investigacao Marinha E Ambiental (CIIMAR) @ciimar.up.pt @ciimar @CiimarUp @ciimarcomunicacao Associação Para O Desenvolvimento Do Atlantic International Research Centre (Air Centre) n/a @air-centre @AIRCentre_org @AIRCentre Mercator Ocean International (MOI) @MercatorOcean @mercator-ocean @MercatorOcean @MERCATOROCEAN Institute of Oceanology of Polish Academy of Sciences (IOPAN) @InstytutOceanolo giiPAN n/a n/a @instituteofoceanol ogypan5519 United Nations Educational Scientific @IocUnesco @ioc-unesco @iocunesco @UNESCO Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 21 and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Global Oocean Observing System (GOOS) Ocean Biodiversity Information System OBIS @GOOSocean n/a @global-oceanobserving-system/ @ocean-biodiversityinformation-system @GOOSocean @OBISNetwork @goosocean @oceanbiodiversityin formati6931 Other EU Horizon Projects ObsSea4Clim (Sister project) n/a @obssea4clim n/a @ObsSea4Clim MARCO-BOLO n/a @marco-bolo/ @MARCOBOLO_EU n/a OBAMA-NEXT n/a @obama-next-project848927260 @ObamaNext @obama-next SEA-Quester n/a n/a n/a n/a Ocean Citizen @oceancitizen.eu @oceancitizen @oceancitizen_eu @oceancitizen_eu BLUE4ALL n/a @blue4all @BLUE4ALLproject n/a We are identifying individual social media accounts of relevant stakeholder organizations to complete Table 6, as per stakeholder initial mapping just completed (MS6.1). Table 6: Anticipated social media engagement with individual target audiences Target audiences and primary social media Facebook LinkedIn X YouTube Academia x x Public x x x x Civil society x x x x Policymakers x x We have several activities planned for 2024 on social media, examples can be seen in table 7. Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 22 Table 7: Social media planned activities for 2024 Examples of near-term plans for BioEcoOcean social media campaigns Content Date Public launch and promotion of the website May-June 2024 Presentation and promotion of the focal living labs August-September 2024 Release of the first promotional video August 2024 The first issue of the project newsletter August 2024 Presentation and promotion of EOV-focused research October-November 2024 Current news (posts or reposts) from the partners or other relevant projects Ongoing Newsletter We offer a possibility to subscribe to our newsletter through BioEcoOcean website. A bi-annual newsletter will be distributed to all registered users and stakeholders as well as the individual partner networks to share the progress of the work, upcoming events of the project and scientific and policy-related news. The newsletter subscription form is integrated with the website to encourage users to subscribe. The newsletter will be distributed via email among subscribers and will be accessible online on the website's dedicated page. Press Releases and other media outreach IO PAN will liaise with any relevant press/media communication offices of the consortium partners to ensure that releases are coordinated, locally and internationally. Each consortium partner is responsible for alerting IO PAN to activities that can be promoted, and for providing the relevant content. Each partner must also remember that, as stated in Art. 17 of the GA: "before engaging in a communication or dissemination activity expected to have a major media impact, the beneficiaries must inform the granting authority." Videos and podcasts These widely targeted channels encourage dialogues between stakeholders, engage a range of audiences and communicate research developments more broadly in Europe and beyond. The BioEcoOcean will produce 4 videos and 3 podcasts during its lifetime. The first promotional video introducing the project will be released after month 6. Promotional materials Printed promotional materials such as roll-ups, flyers, and posters will be used at events (such as meetings, workshops, conferences and other public events) to increase the project's visibility. The communications team will provide partners with templates and ready-to-print files. Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 23 Digital promotional materials such as Word and PPT templates, social media visuals and post templates, banners and flyers, and ZOOM virtual background are accessible to project partners on SharePoint. Webinars A series of live-streamed webinars, hosted by “the Marine Biodiversity Networking Fridays,” is planned. Exact topics will be determined as more project results are released. Events Conferences, workshops, stakeholder meetings, targeted briefings for policy makers. See more details and examples of planned events under Section 5.4. 4.2.3. EU visibility According to Grant Agreement communication activities related to the action (including media relations, conferences, seminars, and information material, such as brochures, leaflets, posters, presentations, etc., in electronic form, via traditional or social media, etc.), dissemination activities funded by the grant must acknowledge EU support and display the European flag (emblem) and funding statement (translated into local languages, where appropriate). Any communication or dissemination activity related to the action must use factually accurate information. Moreover, it must indicate the following disclaimer (translated into local languages where appropriate): “Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or [name of the granting authority]. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.” 5. Dissemination In BioEcoOcean we are committed to maximizing the dissemination of project results by employing a variety of methods and activities, as briefly outlined below. BioEcoOcean is dedicated to disseminating its findings in accordance with the principles of open science, going beyond just open data. Successful dissemination hinges on timely and appropriate recognition of relevant stakeholder groups, and prioritizing their engagement, as described in Section 3. Furthermore, WP6 will rely on knowledge of current and forthcoming processes at the science-policy interface, including cyclical scientific assessments and advice, anticipated policy changes, as obtained from WP1-5 and engaged stakeholders. Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 24 5.1 Open access publications in scientific journals Publishing articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals is the primary method for disseminating BioEcoOcean’s results to the academic community and beyond. Most of the articles will be generated by WP2-4, with the aim of achieving prolific output from each of the six living labs. All articles will strictly adhere to the requirements for open-access publications. This means that project members need to do one of the following: ♦ Deposit their publication in a scientific repository to ensure open access. ♦ Publish their research in an open-access journal. In both cases one, publications must also be deposited in a repository, even when publishing in an open access journal. It is important that authors retain their article copyrights. While authors can choose to publish in open access or a subscription-based journals, project members should keep in mind that: Only costs for Author Processing Charges in fully Open Access journals or platforms can be charged to the project. Publishing costs are eligible for reimbursement only during the project's duration, provided that funds for open access publishing were allocated in the budget. Project partners should be cautious of journals which may misuse the Open Access model by charging high fees without providing adequate editorial services and peer review. BioEcoOcean project partners are also being encouraged to consider submitting research manuscripts and/or data articles using the free, open and transparent (open peer-review) research publishing model offered by Open Research Europe publication services. More details can be found at: https://open-research-europe.ec.europa.eu/. Project partners are obliged to verify that the journal of their choice meets all the open access requirements, for example via the online Sherpa services (https://beta.sherpa.ac.uk/), or by checking with WP6. A comprehensive guide to adopting open science in publications can be found online at: https://www.openaire.eu/how-to-comply-with-horizon-europe-mandate-for-publications To facilitate adoption of open science principles in project publications (and other project outputs), we have set up a dedicated BioEcoOcean community on the open access repository Zenodo (https://zenodo.org/communities/bioecoocean) from where this information is being harvested automatically by the project website. In addition, news of publication will be shared internally via project SharePoint, and externally via project social media accounts, and authors’ accounts where available. Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 25 5.2 Open-access datasets, data synthesis and model products, model code In BioEcoOcean, we have taken several steps to optimize means of disseminating observational data, data products and model results. The consortium is directed to the DMP to obtain specific guidance on how to ensure that the data and associated metadata are disseminated in a manner that makes them FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable) and CARE (Collective benefit, Authority to control, Responsibility, Ethics) where relevant. All model code will be shared freely and openly by depositing it on a public repository, such as GitHub. As in the case of data and scientific publications, EU funding must be acknowledged. Each project member needs to contact WP6 upon the dataset or other product publication so that an adequate note appears on the project website and social media channels. 5.3 Project website, webinars and social media All communication channels utilized in the project, particularly the website, social media platforms, and a series of project webinars, will be used as primary dissemination channels for every project output, with more coordinated and expanded campaigns planned in anticipation of KERs. Further details about the use of these communication channels can be found in Section 4. 5.4 Targeted online and face-to-face events Face-to-face and online events with two-way interactions, such as workshops, webinars and briefings, are important dissemination tools for BioEcoOcean. To this end, we have planned to organize, or co-organize with partner organizations, dedicated events, often in conjunction with larger scientific or policy events that have the potential to gather selected project stakeholder groups and thus help relieve stakeholder fatigue. A list of strategic dissemination events will be maintained as a living document on the project’s SharePoint for all partners to access and contribute to. These events will include those important for strategic dissemination of KERs according to overall project goals, and those important for outcomes of individual living labs. The type of events that BioEcoOcean will engage in is broad and depends on the target audiences. Table 8 provides a snapshot of currently planned or already held dissemination events. Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 32 Webinar, video and podcast metrics: number of webinars, videos and podcasts produced; number of downloads, views and shares over time; type of comments and reviews received Tool: TBD KPI 2: Face-toface meetings Meetings: number of face-to-face meetings (incl. Workshops) organized or co-organized Tools: registration & attendance list All partners responsible for holding a given event Audience: number of people attending, number of early-career scientists, audience demographics Tool: registration and attendance list Feedback: type of feedback received Tool: event evaluation/feedback form KPI 3: Policy impact Input to policy: Number and type of policy-relevant messages delivered; number of policy documents influenced by BioEcoOcean; number of policymakers engaged in project activities Tools: TBD WP6 with input from partners and stakeholders KPI 4: Clustering and collaboration Co-organization of initiatives: Number of partners (EU projects, other) engaged in co-organization of joint initiatives; number of CoPF participants EuroGOOS with input from all partners Social Media Clustering: BioEcoOcean featured in other project social media, newsletters, or similar; number of posts from sister and other collaborating projects on BioEcoOcean's accounts Tool: TBD IOPAN KPI 5: Scientific output Data collection and uptake: number of datasets uploaded; number of views/downloads; number of unique entries in OBIS or similar database; number of new data vs historical data released Tools: OBIS, Zenodo UNESCO & IOPAN OA publications: number of open access articles published; number of other scientific publications (reports, briefs); publisher metrics including number of views, citations, social media engagements etc. Tools: e.g. Scopus, Zenodo IOPAN KPI 6: Co-design and co-creation Survey engagement: number of respondents to Blueprint surveys Collated by UU Workshop engagement: number of workshop participants (online or inperson) actively contributing to the Blueprint development and/or testing Collated by UU KPI 7: Training Training courses: number of Blueprint training courses and associated resources; number of people trained and their demographics Tools: OTGA and other as needed UNESCO Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 33 Figure 2: Snapshot showing the online “Impact Monitoring” form which all project partners are asked to complete (accessible from SharePoint). 9. Conclusions In conclusion, this deliverable report outlines an initial yet already comprehensive plan to ensure that the BioEcoOcean project’s research outcomes reach and benefit the target stakeholder groups collectively identified by the consortium, including scientists, policymakers, industry, and the public. Through targeted dissemination activities, we will share our findings and advancements in ocean science, focused on the research related to the BioEco EOVs but at the same time leading to better integration across all ocean science disciplines. Particular attention in the DEC Plan is given to the Blueprint for Integrated Ocean Science, which relies on co-creation with relevant EU and global stakeholders throughout and beyond the project's duration. Exploitation strategies will focus on maximizing the practical application of our results, fostering innovation, and supporting policy development through close collaboration with other EU projects and international initiatives on the EU and global level. Our communication efforts will aim to engage and inform diverse audiences, enhancing the impact and visibility of our project. Together, these efforts will contribute to sustainable ocean management, biodiversity and climate resilience. Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 34 Appendices Appendix 1. BioEcoOcean brandbook The BioEcoOcean brandbook has been developed by IOPAN in consultation with UU and other project partners. The full brandbook is accessible from the BioEcoOcean SharePoint platform. Below are images illustrating the type of information the brandbook contains. Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 35 Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 36 Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 37 Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 38 Appendix 2. BioEcoOcean Social Media Content Calendar – Template Deliverable 6.2 DEC plan 39 Funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement number 101136748. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.