Do you know what your digital shadow looks like? Or the size and shape of your online footprint? If not, or if you’re not even sure what these two concepts mean, then a new publication by Sarah Goodier and Laura Czerniewicz at the OpenUCT Initiative at the University of Cape Town might be just what you need.

One of the smartest ways for a university to raise its profile is to use what many already have in abundance—research. And the quickest, easiest way of publicising research is to do it through the university`s website. Surely, in terms of getting the biggest return on time and effort invested, this has to be the first and most obvious port of call for those whose job it is to publicise institutional activities.

* For the purposes of this blog, the term “university communicator” is used as a blanket term to refer to university communications, media and public relations officers; research, research management, extension and community outreach officers; and scientists and researchers acting as communicators of their own research—in fact anybody involved in promoting Research Uptake at an institution of higher learning.

by Linda Cilliers

You'll be forgiven if, at a glance, you weighed Twitter and found it wanting. My conclusion too, at first. A little tweet that runs to a mere 140 characters does seem rather insubstantial. But think again.