With the help of the University Archive, the series will manage to accomplish something more than just turning academic research into a powerful book: it will turn into a liberating and empowering experience.

 For many researchers, finishing the dissertation is one of the most challenging and mentally demanding tasks of their life. It is the result of years of reading, analysis, fieldwork, thinking, sleepless nights, revisions, and persistence. The dissertation isn't just a requirement of the university; it's the result of extensive knowledge and original thinking. But among all these efforts, most dissertations simply vanish after they have been submitted.

Every year, thousands of dissertations are written at Universities globally, but only a small fraction of these ever get to a wider audience. The majority of them are still in academic databases or digital repositories or university libraries, but are seldom accessed. In many instances, innovative ideas, industry knowledge and significant research are undocumented and inaccessible to those who most need it.

This is a great opportunity lost in today's academia.

What is true is that there are lots of dissertations that have the blueprint of most successful books. Researchers tend to undervalue their research work, as they only look at the work from an academic perspective. However, the modern world is always in need of expert knowledge, solutions, new insights and evidence-based thinking. Reliable information is sought out by businesses and professionals, educators and entrepreneurs, as well as policy makers, and even for the general reader, for problem-solving and to gain insight into complicated topics.

Strong academic research does just that.

But the difficulty lies in the quality of the research in itself. Communication is the issue.

Dissertation is written for academic assessment. It is a writing that shows research skills, knowledge of theory, methodological correctness and intellectual depth. The key expectations at University: formal language, detailed explanations in technical terms, literature reviews, extensive citations and frameworks. A book for the general public works a whole lot differently.

Readers are not looking for research document. They want clarity, relevance, real-life practical lessons, interesting explanations and helpful ideas that they can put into practice. They seek information that's easy to understand, familiar, and relevant. That's why it's rare to have a dissertation ready to publish in the commercial realm exactly as it is written.

Making a dissertation into a successful book is a complete mindset change. The world of research is no longer an academic one and researchers need to think like a communicator. Authors must start to ask themselves, “Will readers understand this, connect with it and benefit from it?” instead of "Is this academically correct?

This means everything has changed.

Successful non-fiction books aren't academic-packed and do not overuse academic jargon. They avoid lengthy theoretical explanations and take a more practical, real world and human approach to stories, case studies, anecdotes and actionable learning points. Readers wish to see how ideas relate to them as individuals, in their careers, businesses, industries, and/or challenges.

One of the first steps towards turning a dissertation into a book is to find the best, and the most commercially viable idea(s) in the research itself. Not all chapters make it into a 'public book'. There is potential for high academic value in some sections, but little reader interest. The attempt is to find the key idea that is of interest to ordinary people beyond the academic world.

A dissertation on organizational leadership, for instance, could evolve into a leadership manual for the business executives and managers. Wisdom gained from the study of AI ethics may be used as a blueprint by business leaders and AI policy makers. A thesis on educational systems can be transformed into a book that supports schools, teachers and institutions in changing to the current learning environment.

The research is already there, just needs to be rephrased for the appropriate audience.

Another key consideration is an understanding of the audience. A common error made by authors is writing for an audience of all. In fact, books are better when they are concentrated on one particular audience. Information is used in various ways by professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers, teachers, students, industry experts and policy makers. The more clear the audience the better the tone, language, examples, and structure of the book can be formed.

Emotional engagement is crucial for successful books, too. Academic writing tends to dispassionate itself, but in academic writing, readers relate to stories, problems, experiences and practical outcomes. This isn't about lessening the intellectual depth, but rather making it easier and more connected to the human.

Nowadays, there are opportunities that extend much further than book sales when publishing a book in the digital world. A well written book can help to establish a niche for one within their expertise or industry. It may result in speaking engagements, consulting opportunities, media coverage, workshops, collaborations, networking and world renown. In many situations, a single book can make all the difference in a person's career.

This process has been made even easier with digital publishing platforms. Researchers can now more easily share their knowledge with the world, thanks to platforms like Kindle publishing, LinkedIn, Medium, podcasts, webinars and online communities. It is not only expertise, but also its visibility is becoming more significant.

Not every book which makes it to publication is written on the dissertation.Not every dissertation-based book is the most academic. It's they who can convey useful information in a way that's legible, digestible and useful. They help to retain knowledge, let knowledge be accessible and usable.

A dissertation ought to not be intellectual work that silently lies in an archive. It's worth an authentic opportunity to make an impact in the real world.

Research is most useful when it transcends the campus, and reaches its intended audience. Knowledge creation is not the only thing that determines the future, but also how to communicate it clearly, strategically, and effectively.

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