Our work

A communication ecosystem provides VLIRUOS direction and guidance

Education & LearningDesign & Identity

What we did

Mapped out the communication strategy and target audiences
Revamped brand identity and tone of voice
Completely redesigned website
Channel strategy and communication ecosystem
Content formats, templates, and content planning
Communications team mentored and trained
Onboarding materials for new employees

Target audience

A global group of academics, policymakers, alumni, NGOs, and partner organizations.

5

year-long partnership between Jos and VLIRUOS (2022–2026)

15,000

followers across various channels

VLIRUOS website →

Challenge

A global mission calls for clear decisions

VLIRUOS supports international collaboration between universities and colleges on sustainable development. This work brings many people together: researchers, students, partners, alumni, and policymakers. Each has different questions, expectations, and information needs.

How do you reach these different groups with a small communications team? How do you highlight the value of academic collaboration? And how do you ensure that the website, newsletters, social media, and events reinforce one another? That was our challenge.

Result

People first, then the message and the channel

Together with VLIRUOS, we identified the target groups. Who do we want to reach? What do these people need? And what do we want our communication to make possible?

We translated those insights into a strategy centered on three roles: Fund, Inspire, and Connect. Providing information about grants and project calls, sharing insights and results, and connecting people to foster collaboration. These roles give the team a practical guide for selecting topics, messages, and channels.

The brand identity and tone of voice were also updated. Equal collaboration became the starting point, with room for the perspectives of partners, researchers, and students.

Approach

A revamped website as an anchor

We completely revamped the website and made it the central hub for project calls, grants, stories, results, and events.

Around this, we built a communication ecosystem in which each channel has a clear role. The newsletter brings everything together, social media makes stories accessible, and targeted emails help people take the next step.

With recognizable templates, reusable content formats, and a content calendar, the team gained the guidance needed to apply this cohesion on a daily basis.

Building together and sharing knowledge

We worked closely with the communications team. Through consultation, training, and practical support, we helped employees apply the strategy to their daily work.

The process evolved step by step: from strategic foundations and brand identity to the website, content planning, and operational guidelines. In 2026, we compiled that knowledge into handover materials for the new communications staff.

As a result, VLIRUOS gained a cohesive communications approach and a foundation upon which the team can continue to build, make decisions, and adjust course.

Takeaway

A strong brand doesn't have to be complicated

Sometimes the biggest leap forward is a name without hyphens and a tone of voice rooted in equality. By breaking down the process into annual phases (strategy, brand, ecosystem, planning, handover), it remained manageable for a small communications team with a major global assignment.