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The Berlin University Alliance (BUA) is an alliance of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin and Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Together, they are pursuing the goal of creating and shaping an integrated research space in Berlin. This alliance aims to establish Berlin as a leading international science location. All workshops and events offered by the Graduate Studies Support Program are funded by the BUA and therefore free of charge.

 

Participation

Doctoral researchers (all disciplines) of the Berlin University Alliance.

Before booking a workshop, please make sure that you can attend for the entire duration. Please check our terms and conditions.

 

Objectives

This online and activity-based mini-workshop series,  is led by a theatre professional whose expertise lies in helping the speaker to improve the talk effectively.

 

Content

1. Tailoring your Talk: Engaging the Listener
   In this mini-workshop a theatre professional helps participants refine their communication skills to effectively convey their research’s importance. Participants will practice and enhance their elevator pitches, focusing on strong openings and memorable conclusions, with group discussions, peer feedback, and coaching integral to the learning process.
2. Structure and Storytelling: Keeping Your Talk Fresh
   This mini-workshop is designed to help participants optimize language and conceptual bridges that connect different parts of a talk together. This helps audience understand the relationship between different sections of your talk and make the talk feel more cohesive. Throughout the session, participants explore rhetorical techniques to build their argument, transitions from core ideas, prepare audiences for dense units of information and manage their time effectively. Participants monitor their improvement and implement feedback given during a short elevator pitch. Group discussion, peer feedback, and coaching from the instructor are an important part of the workshop methodology.

3. Focus Your Main Message
   Participants will focus on enhancing participants’ ability to create cohesive talks. It emphasizes building language and conceptual connections between talk sections, exploring rhetorical techniques, and managing time effectively. Participants engage in activities like group discussions and receive peer and instructor feedback to refine their skills.

4. Enhance Your Delivery: Voice and Non-Verbal Coaching
   This is an online workshop where a theatre professional teaches participants how to speak spontaneously with structure and focus. It includes free-speaking and improvisation exercises to train quick thinking, problem solving, audience engagement, and authority. It also covers breathing and stress management techniques to help speakers cope with anxiety and become more confident. Participants practice and apply their skills throughout the course.
5. Quick on Your Feet: Spontaneous Talks and Stress Management
   This is an online workshop where a theatre professional teaches participants how to speak spontaneously with structure and focus. It includes free-speaking and improvisation exercises to train quick thinking, problem solving, audience engagement, and authority. It also covers breathing and stress management techniques to help speakers cope with anxiety and become more confident. Participants practice and apply their skills throughout the course.

6. Handling the Audience Q&A
   Participants will be taught how to handle Q&A sessions in a remote setting. It covers active listening, thinking time, professional language, clear points, key messages, and difficult questions. Participants practice and test their skills in roleplay sessions with partners and groups. Participants need to prepare a 3-minute overview of their topic for the audience discussion. Participants apply their skills throughout the course.

 

Please note

For updates and announcemnets register to our DRS Newsletter.

Also check out workshops at the BUA partner institutions that are available for you free of charge: Graduate Studies Support Program.

For workshops held online, participation is allowed under the following conditions: a working camera that is turned on and a microphone to allow active participation in discussions and group work. Headphones must also be used to protect other participants from office eavesdroppers. In this context, we would also like to refer to the rules for digital courses at Freie Universität Berlin (Code of Conduct).

 

Further Information

Postdocs are welcome to participate if spots are available.