Why LinkedIn matters for the development community
“Sharing key findings used to be a thing on X when it was still called Twitter, but my observation as an ex-X user is that people have moved to LinkedIn. Consider this a service that scholars provide so you know what they see as its quintessence, or main message.” PhD Annika Wappelhorst.
There’s no shortage of blogs and views about whether academics should use social media and to what benefit. At DSA, we appreciate that many academics are busy with multiple hats – teaching, research, social responsibility, peer reviewing and more. But we also appreciate that many academics do successfully use social media to make new connections, highlight their work or get jobs.
At DSA2026: we’ll be using LinkedIn to boost online networking for virtual participants so we wanted to reach out to our community with some tips for those totally new, those who want to use it more actively and those curious about our plans to use at DSA2026.
If you’re completely new to LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a professional networking site – which makes it different from other social media platforms. The key aspects of it are that you upload a CV and this creates your profile and you tag the organisations you worked at, which allows you to see former colleagues too.
For academics, you can think of LinkedIn as a global academic commons – a place where your research isn’t stored behind journal paywalls, but shared, and discussed by peers, funders, and practitioners across the world.
Social media may not always be attributed to drive direct “impact,” but it does raise your work’s visibility – and that visibility has opened doors, collaborations, and invitations that might never have appeared otherwise (arXiv).
PhD Annika Wappelhorst writes about some of the benefits she has found as a PhD on Linkedin.
You have a profile, but you’re not using it enough
If your LinkedIn page is dormant, half-finished or rarely active, you could plan to slowly start bringing it to life.
- Sharing a summary or reflection on your latest research – even a sentence or two – can spark real engagement.
- Following up after a conference can often feel awkward. A message on LinkedIn is more casual than an email yet more professional than a tweet. It’s a great way to renew conference connections or follow up on a talk you attended.
- LinkedIn has also a potential use for research. Daniela Duca explores some of the ways in which LinkedIn has been used by social scientists and provides a list resources for researchers looking to work with LinkedIn data.
A voice from practice: ODI’s “The Future of Aid” group
In early 2025, the ODI (Overseas Development Institute) launched a LinkedIn group called “The Future of Aid”, providing a dedicated space for development professionals and scholars to discuss the seismic shifts caused by collapsing aid budgets in OECD countries, including the U.S. and elsewhere. It has more than 3000 researchers and practitioners discussing and sharing resources on how we can make the aid system better.
Looking ahead: LinkedIn at DSA2026
At DSA2026: we’ll be using a new LinkedIn group to boost online networking, especially for virtual participants for:
- pre-conference chatter: share your abstracts or draft ideas ahead of sessions, find a co-convenor or a collaborator.
- Real-time connection: ask questions, tag colleagues, connect with folks in sessions you can’t physically attend or you didn’t get around to talk to.
- Post-conference follow-up: continue conversations, share resources, build the foundations for new collaborations.
If you’re new to LinkedIn and want tips on developing your profile or you want to set up your first ever profile then register your interest and we will consider hosting a quick online workshop or send out tips.