The College of Public Policy (CPP) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) recently conducted a skills workshop as part of the Master of Public Policy (MPP) program, titled Writing for Diverse Audiences. The workshop was presented by Dr. Logan Cochrane, associate professor at CPP, and Ms. Lynne M. Fraser, Senior English Writing Specialist at Qatar National Library. 

The MPP provides training to graduate students from a range of disciplines in the skills needed to understand and enrich policymaking in Qatar and the region. With effective communication, including writing, being a key part of the skill set needed in this field, the skills workshop prompted the students to consider how to adapt their writing styles to communicate with different audiences, beyond the academic setting. 

Dr. Cochrane, whose research interests span diverse geographic and disciplinary foci, has worked in non-governmental organizations and as a consultant internationally for the last 15 years. He highlighted the vital importance of graduates being prepared to communicate effectively in a wider context in order to ensure that their research is widely read and has an impact on decision-making. 

Key aspects of the CPP workshop included how to communicate messages to policymakers, practitioners, students or the broader public. The session also provided strategies and approaches to use when writing in different formats, such as reports and briefs for governments, international agencies or non-governmental organizations, or when using different platforms, such as blogs, opinion editorials and social media.