Communication skills for researchers 2nd Year (cycle 41) - Public Speaking

In the second year, when situations begin to arise in which PhD students are required to give oral presentations, a public speaking course is offered with the main aim of providing a basic understanding of the rules of oral and visual communication. This will enable them to present their academic work, as well as themselves, their career path, their project ideas and their start-ups – whether within or outside the Academy – more effectively.

Alongside learning these rules, students will be encouraged to reflect on their professional demeanour and to become aware of how they present themselves to the world and the effects this has, as well as the prejudices, stereotypes and narratives that researchers must learn to navigate in order to get their messages across.

The course is rounded off by an optional workshop with limited places (10 participants), in which learners will be guided through the creation of a short pitch following the working methods presented in the plenary sessions. The pitch will then be presented during the final in-person lesson, where feedback on the workshop participants’ work will serve as a real-world case study for all learners, helping to consolidate what they have learnt through practical application.

The course consists of 5 mandatory online sessions, each lasting 2 hours, and a 4-hour optional workshop with limited places:

• Communication strategy (2 hours online)
• Audience-orientation (2 hours online)
• Guided pitch creation workshop (2 modules of 2 hours each, online – optional, limited places)
• Slides and graphics (2 hours online)
• Body language, voice and emotions in public speaking (2 hours in person, open to workshop participants as speakers and to everyone as auditors)
• Feedback on the pitches of workshop participants (2 hours in person, open to workshop participants as speakers and to everyone as auditors)