The SIG-Marcomms community reunited in Brighton on Monday 9 June 2025 for an engaging and inspiring in-person meeting ahead of the official start of TNC25. Against the backdrop of the British south coast’s early summer sunshine, 57 participants – marketing and communications professionals, but also services managers, project and product managers – from national and regional research and education networks across the globe came together to exchange ideas, share success stories, and explore the evolving role of marcomms in research and education networking.
The morning kicked off with a warm welcome from co-chairs Jane Gifford (AARNet) and Ela Yazdani (CANARIE), setting the tone for a session that would blend practical insights with a thought-provoking discussion on internal communications, exploring how strategic messaging within organisations can go far beyond HR announcements and into the realm of shaping culture and driving employee engagement. Panellists from SURF (Lonneke Walk), Jisc (Damian Vicary), and CANARIE (Ela Yazdani) shared examples of how their internal storytelling efforts have fostered stronger connections with staff and reinforced organisational values. The audience also shared examples such as encouraging employees to be internal champions for community activities they take part in, doing culture audits, and being involved in drafting inclusive policies.
Innovation continued to be a strong theme throughout the morning. Davina Luyten (Belnet) introduced TALON, a pioneering cross-border crisis communications exercise tailored for NRENs. The initiative sparked significant interest, with attendees discussing the value of testing crisis readiness in a collaborative, international context.
Technology and storytelling intersected in a session led by Meagan Hampel (Cybera), who showcased how data can be harnessed to support more compelling, evidence-based communications. Meagan’s presentation emphasised that the communicator’s craft remains essential in shaping narratives that connect with audiences.
A fast-paced round of lightning talks followed. Colleagues from RENU, ZAMREN, RNP, Internet2, Jisc, and GÉANT shared snapshots of their current work, from raising cybersecurity awareness and managing organisational change, to reaching audiences across borders and refreshing long-standing resources like the GÉANT Compendium.
As the session drew to a close, Anna Goscinna Poulsen (NORDUnet) delivered a hands-on demonstration on how to use Canva as a practical design tool, available to non designers as well. The audience appreciated all the tips and tricks shared, as many NRENs are small and marcomms teams are often multi-tasking.
Throughout the morning, one theme echoed clearly: the power of being a communicator. As said wonderfully by Andrew Mbazima, Communications Officer at ZAMREN: “We are not communicators. We are translators. And for this, collaboration is not optional, it’s oxygen. Yes, NREN infrastructure is impressive, but it becomes more impressive when we add the human touch and tell the story of what a researcher has been able to do thanks to that. We are making people understand why we exist as a community.”
Followed by Leonie Gouveia, Marketing Projects Coordinator from RNP, who also highlighted that “the technological connection can only take you this far, but it is the human connection that makes the difference.”
Whether it’s learning from each other’s experiences, pitching a new idea, or demonstrating new tools and frameworks, SIG-Marcomms continues to offer a unique space where the importance of spotlighting human-centred stories of successful initiatives and projects within our global community is reasserted.
As TNC25 started that afternoon, the SIG-Marcomms team stepped into the week inspired and recharged, ready to bring stories to life, support their communities, and strengthen the voice of research and education networks around the world.
More info about SIG-marcomms can be found on the GÉANT Community Programme website.
