Il transmedia storytelling come nuova strategia di Public Engagement per la valorizzazione della Terza Missione. Il caso The Shifters dell’Università degli Studi di Cagliari.

The present thesis investigates the Third Mission phenomenon focusing specifically on the role of Public Engagement in enlarging universities’ audience and enhancing the diffusion of scientific research. The primary objective of this study is to better understand how universities can improve their Third Mission activities by implementing key public engagement strategies and using innovative communication models. More specifically, the present research aims to uncover the mechanisms underlying the use of digital media in the formulation of new science communication models within Public Engagement activities; the latter represents a challenge and an opportunity for universities from both a social and managerial perspectives. To achieve this objective, I first employed an extensive literature review using a topic modeling approach to examine the latent structure of twenty years of literature on the Third Mission and Public Engagement. This analysis allowed identifying the most prominent research paths, evolutionary patterns, and future trends that characterize this body of research. Three core streams were outlined: digital engagement, science engagement and knowledge, and technology engagement. These streams offered the basis for a more in-depth examination of how new science communication models represent a crucial element for a comprehensive understanding of the public engagement of universities within a specific territory. In addition, I adopted a participatory observation approach using storytelling and transmedia narration techniques and examined the case of “The Shifters: The Third Mission”—a pilot project carried out by the University of Cagliari. The project offers unique real-life insights into the role of transmedia communication to foster the diffusion of scientific research by involving both experts on communication strategies and academic researchers. The core outcome of this study, owed by the case analysis, consists of developing a conceptual framework that combines key concepts of Third Mission (public audience, research, and media), uncovering potential connections. Findings showed a positive effect of the strategic use of new social media; nevertheless, the analysis highlighted universities do not exploit their overall potentiality. Indeed, this type of organization could leverage new media tools to promote Third Mission activities using a transmedia communication model that allows reaching a large audience characterized by high heterogeneity. In so doing, the present work contributes to both Third Mission and public engagement literature by offering a novel and hybrid conceptual model that can serve as a guideline for science communication. Finally, several practical implications, limitations, and future research avenues are also presented and further discussed.