Course description

Effective communication about and of public policy is difficult in today’s information environment. All actors in the policy process recognise this challenge. If you work in governance, you know that without clear communication of your policy’s objectives and instruments, the citizens, the media, and other stakeholders may misinterpret them. This opens the door to compliance gaps and misinformation, which in turn undermine the policy’s intended impact.

For those seeking to shape public affairs through advocacy or policy-relevant research, the stakes are just as high. To cut through the noise, your message must be timely, precise, and supported by convincing research. 

Yet while robust evidence is a necessary foundation, it is rarely sufficient on its own. Effective policy communication requires more than facts and figures: it demands persuasive storytelling. This means framing data within narratives that resonate with your audience’s values, emotions, and lived experiences. The language used should also reflect this by being not only concise and understandable, but also stimulating and actionable.

To achieve this, policy communicators need to resist the “knowledge trap”, the tendency to assume that information speaks for itself. Only then can evidence be transformed into compelling messages that drive understanding, trust, and ultimately, better policy outcomes.

This fourth edition of our Executive Certificate in Policy Communication will equip you with skills needed to make sure your policy communication is clear, evidence-based, story-driven, and strategic – and not just an after-thought of policymaking or research. From topics such as audience analysis, crisis communication, storytelling, the use of AI in policy writing, to key outputs such as policy briefs, position papers, op-eds, and videos, this course asks critical questions about effective policy communication in the era of polarisation, disinformation, and radical uncertainty.

The programme will cover the following topics:

• Week 1. Policy communication fundamentals: strategic communication; narratives and storytelling in public policy; government communications; crisis communications.
• Week 2. Writing for policy: five building blocks of policy writing; effective policy briefs and position papers; crafting your messaging and recommendations; generative AI and policy writing.
• Week 3. Policy in the media: writing and pitching op-eds that stick; building a strong relationship with the media; writing and delivering policy speeches; multimedia policy communication.
• Week 4 and 5. Final assignment: participants produce a policy brief, op-ed, or podcast, and receive individualized feedback from the instructor on their work.

Learning methods

The course is designed for an online audience, with a mix of synchronous and asynchronous learning activities including pre-recorded video pills, live online sessions with guest speakers, pre-readings, and assignments with feedback. As a participant you can expect a hands-on approach, with plenty of space dedicated to practical exercises, live interaction, and engagement with real-world examples.

Participants will be enrolled in the EUI’s Virtual Learning Environment where they will be able to access the pre-readings, assignments and other material including a course workbook. All live online sessions will be recorded and available for viewing on this platform.

High-level policy practitioners will join as instructors in the guest speaker sessions. The full list of instructors will be announced in due course.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this programme, participants can expect to be able to:

• design policy communication strategies;
• communicate in a more effective way with policymaking audiences;
• self-assess and improve their writing skills for policy;
• turn policy data and evidence into compelling stories;
• employ new models and checklists in their policy writing;
• structure policy briefs in a logical way;
• find effective and ethical ways to use generative AI in their policy writing process;
• write and pitch policy op-eds that stick;
• describe the key steps to an impactful policy speech, video, and media interview.

Who should attend

• Government officials at all levels
• Employees of international organisations
• Public affairs professionals in business organisations
• Policy advocates from NGOs or interest groups
• Researchers within universities or think tanks

This executive training builds on two previous editions that had participants from organisations such as the World Health Organisation, the UN, the European Commission, the Council of the EU, the European Investment Bank, the Asian Development Bank, POLITICO, and many other private and public sector organisations. After the course, participants join a global alumni community of more than 100 policy communication professionals with exclusive content.

Information for applicants

The course will start with an optional welcome session on 2 March 2026 and continue with three structured learning weeks from 9 March to 27 March 2026.

The weekly programme structure is:

• Mondays: Pre-recorded video pills with a weekly mini assignment;
• Thursdays, 14:00-15:15 CET: Live online sessions with guest speakers;
• Fridays, 14:00-15:15 CET: Live online weekly wrap-up sessions.

Certification

Participants who complete all the necessary course assignments (at least 2 out of 3 weekly assignments and a final assignment) will receive a Certificate of Completion with ECTS credits (3) included. The ECTS credits can be used towards the EUI Global Executive Master, or other Master's degrees, subject to the approval of the institution issuing the degree. Participants who do not complete the assignments but have regularly attended the course will receive a Certificate of Attendance.