Websites for Nordic Research Associations and Networks

Are you coordinating a research association or network with a home base in a Nordic country? Do you have a research project or an initiative to communicate about? Are you in need of a web page? We can help you! NordMedia Network now offers scholarly communities a possibility to establish simple websites.

If you have a website, you exist, right? Research associations and scholarly networks often struggle to find an effortless way of establishing a website of their own. Especially networks that are joint efforts of several universities, or networks that do not have a formal position within the structures of the universities, may experience difficulties in finding a virtual space and a tool for their communication. As a community platform, NordMedia Network has a solution to this problem. We want to support Nordic research groups in their communication efforts by offering them a channel on which to communicate. If you need a simple website based on a basic WordPress installation, please contact us by filling in the form below.

What we offer

We offer a basic, easy-to-use website based on a WordPress installation, free of charge. The website includes the following features:

• A basic graphic design and template and a ready-made cookie and integrity policy for the site.

• The possibility to create static pages in any language and edit them with the Gutenberg block editor.

• A news feed function where you can publish news or articles similar to blog posts.

• The possibility to adjust the website according to your own needs, including publishing your own logo and pictures, yet not change the template.

Who can apply?

To apply for a website of your own, you need to fulfill the following criteria:

• You represent a research association or a scholarly network in the field of media and communication studies.

• Your headquarters is located in a Nordic country and you are active in at least one Nordic country.

• You are a non-profit organisation representing academic researchers and working in line with democratic aims and objectives.

• As a network, you don’t have to have be registered and have an organisational number in your country, but you need to have a name, a distinct identity, and members. In some cases, we can also consider the possibility to provide research projects and initiatives with a website.

How does it work?

If you want to receive a website installation, you can apply for one by telling us what kind of site you would like to start, within which timeframe, and why. After a successful application, we will give you the installation and you can start building your site!

Each association signs an agreement of use where they agree on complying with the rules and regulations set by NordMedia Network. The agreement will be re-evaluated on a yearly basis. NordMedia Network is not responsible for the content published on the website but reserves the right to cancel a website in case of infringements of rules or any other reason.

Associations are asked to buy their own domain names that will be used to access the site, for example, https://nordicassociation.org. Domain names cause a yearly cost of 100–200 Swedish kronor (about 10–20 euro) for the association. Otherwise, the use of the site will be free of charge.

The association will choose the main editor/manager for the site, who will also be the contact person for NordMedia Network. The association is allowed to generate as many user accounts for updating the site as needed. We recommend that the chair, communications officer, and perhaps someone else from the board will establish an account and can thus edit the site.

If the association wants to add plug-ins subject to a charge, the association needs to cover the costs by themselves. NordMedia Network reserves the right to deny the use of plug-ins that are assessed as a security risk or otherwise not appropriate for the sites.

NordMedia Network does not offer regular technical support but takes care of the basic updates on the site. We do help you get going with your new site, but for any adjustments on the site you need to have someone in your community who is somewhat familiar with the basics of WordPress.

Showcases

Here are some examples of the sites that have been created with the help of our multisite installation:

• Föreningen för svenska medie- och kommunikationsforskare FSMK (in Swedish)

• Nordic Network of Media Historical Research NOMEH (in English)

• Akademiskt forum för MIK-forskning (in Swedish) (under construction)

Fill in the form!

If your community has a preliminary interest in receiving a website installation, please fill in the form below. We will contact with you within one week. Please note that NordMedia Network assesses which communities will be given the possibility to establish a website. A request does not automatically lead to delivery of a website for the association, network, or project group.

Tutorials

Do you want to learn how to build a website on WordPress? Here we have collected some useful resources in Scandinavian languages and English regarding the use of a WordPress blog installation.

• WordPress: Quick Start Guide (in English)

• Manualer för journaliststudenter på JMG vid Göteborgs universitet (in Swedish)

• Internetstiftelsen: Kom igång med WordPress (in Swedish)

• WordPress-aloittelijan opas (in Finnish)

Inquiries

For further questions and inquiries about the websites, please contact Maarit Jaakkola: maarit.jaakkola@gu.se

For technical questions, please contact Cecilie Ravik: Cecilie.ravik@gu.se

Photos: Immaster/Pixabay