How we disseminate knowledge and information in the highly digitalised world we live in is key to reaching and engaging our intended audiences. Efficient, engaging, and targeted communication is invaluable for ACA and its member organisations. Due to the quickly changing standards and tools that are used to communicate key messages, ACA decided to bring members together regularly to learn about trends and tools, and to exchange good practices. After many communications officers (and colleagues who have communications-related tasks) of ACA member organisations  first met online in 2023, ACA decided to formalise the group as a Thematic Peer Group on Communications. The group envisions discussing how to engage and expand audiences on social media platforms, current communications trends and tools, how to develop communications strategies, and more. 

  
Though the group officially launched at the end of 2023, the Thematic Peer Group on Communications met online in February for their first meeting of 2024. The group welcomed new co-chairs Annemarie Willemsen, from the Dutch organisation for internationalisation in education – Nuffic, and Paulo Almeida, from the Erasmus + Portuguese National Agency, Education and Training - A.N E+EF. In the recent meeting, Raul Ranne, ACA’s Senior Advisor, presented the latest trends, tools, opportunities and challenges in using AI tools in communications. The members shared their experiences and insights on how they have integrated AI tools into their organisation’s work and the related limitations. The topic of establishing guidelines for using AI tools within organisations was also discussed throughout the meeting, as for many, the application of such tools is in a formative period.  
 
The group will continue meeting this year to exchange on topics including creating and measuring impact, developing communications strategies, and social media platforms.