Every year, universities and business schools produce thousands of pieces of research that have the potential to shape public debate. They explore some of the most important issues facing society, from the future of work and artificial intelligence to sustainability, healthcare and economic growth.

Yet much of this research never reaches audiences beyond academia.

This is not due to the fact that the research itself is not valuable. More often, the challenge is identifying the part of the research that will make people stop, pay attention and engage.

For researchers, the most important finding is often the one that advances their field or answers the central question they set out to explore. For journalists, the most important finding is usually the one that connects with a wider conversation happening in society.

Finding that connection is what often transforms academic research into a newsworthy story.

The main finding is not always the newsworthy finding

One of the biggest misconceptions in research communications is that the primary finding of a study will automatically be the strongest media angle.

In reality, the most newsworthy insight is often hidden deeper within the research.

A great example comes from a survey conducted by Hult International Business School exploring the skills gap between employers and graduates. The research uncovered a range of valuable findings about workforce needs, skills development and the changing relationship between education and employment.

But one statistic stood out to us at BlueSky Education:

98% of leaders say their organisation is struggling to find talent, yet 89% say they avoid hiring recent graduates.

This was not necessarily the finding researchers would have identified as the central contribution of the study. But from a media perspective, it immediately created a compelling story.

It highlighted a contradiction at the heart of a major public conversation: businesses were reporting significant skills shortages while simultaneously overlooking a large pool of emerging talent.

At the time, graduate opportunities, skills shortages and employer expectations were already receiving significant attention in the media. By identifying the finding with the broadest relevance, rather than simply focusing on the most prominent research result, the story gained international coverage across major and specialist publications.

Almost 18 months later, it continues to generate interest.

The lesson is simple, the best media hook is not always the finding researchers find most interesting. It is the finding that gives the widest audience a reason to care.

Look for the tension within the research

The strongest stories often emerge from a tension, contradiction or unexpected result.

Businesses cannot find enough talent, but many are hesitant to hire graduates.

Employees report the benefits of flexible working, while some leaders continue to question its effectiveness.

Organisations invest heavily in artificial intelligence to improve productivity, while workers worry about how it will affect their roles.

These contradictions create curiosity. They encourage people to ask: how can both things be true? Academic research is often full of these moments, the challenge is to recognise them. Rather than only asking what the research proves, researchers and communications professionals should also ask:

What would make someone outside this field want to know more?

That question often leads to the strongest stories.

Connect research with the wider news agenda

A finding does not exist in isolation. The same piece of research can generate vastly different levels of media interest depending on what is happening in the world around it. Often, the role of PR professionals is to recognise when an external event creates the perfect opportunity for research to enter the public conversation.

A good example came from research by Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford, examining the environmental and financial costs of artificial snow in the Dolomites. It was published as the 2026 Winter Olympics were taking place in Italy.

The Olympics had already focused global attention on winter sports, snowfall and the future of ski resorts in a warming climate. The team at BlueSky were able to connect the research to a major international news event that millions of people were already following, the findings became far more relevant to journalists and readers alike. The research itself did not change, but the context in which it was presented helped demonstrate why it mattered at that particular moment. We were then able to generate top-tier coverage including a fantastic piece with Euronews.

This does not mean forcing research into conversations where it does not belong. Rather, it is about understanding how robust academic evidence can contribute to debates that are already capturing public attention.

The most successful academic stories are often those that arrive at exactly the right moment, providing evidence that helps explain or deepen understanding of a wider issue.

Researchers and communications professionals see research differently

Researchers understandably develop a close connection with the work they have spent months or years investigating. They know the methodology, the academic debates and the nuances behind every finding. The aspects they value are often those that make the greatest contribution to their discipline. PR professionals approach the same research from a different perspective. They consider how journalists and the public will respond. They look for the findings that can travel beyond academic audiences and connect with broader conversations.

Neither perspective is more important than the other.

Research needs academic expertise to ensure it is rigorous and meaningful and it also needs effective communication to ensure those insights reach the people who can benefit from them.

Allowing PR professionals to help identify the strongest media angle is not about reducing the complexity of research. It is about ensuring that important discoveries are given the best possible opportunity to influence public debate.

The story is often already there

Great research does not need a manufactured headline. The strongest stories are usually already contained within the evidence; the challenge is finding the angle that reveals why the research matters beyond university walls.

For universities looking to increase the visibility and impact of their research, the question should not only be:

What did we discover?

It should also be:

Why does this matter right now and to whom?

The answer to that question is often where the strongest stories begin.

Author: Adam Kelly-Moore 

Adam understands how to tap into current news and ensure his clients’ voices are heard. He secures strategic media visibility for renowned institutions from around the world, including Trinity Business School, Hult International Business School, and more. Adam understands the value of higher education first-hand, having achieved his undergraduate degree in Law and Politics at Cardiff University, a respected Russell Group institution, Adam built on his academic success with a Masters in International Journalism, at Cardiff’s School of Journalism, Media and Culture.