Agile Project Management: The compact course is intended to give a quick insight into the world of agile project management and to show its applications in scientific projects. A basic understanding of concepts, mindsets and practices of agile project management will be provided and practiced using the most widely deployed techniques. However, participants are also encouraged to bring in their own preferences and to question and vary the presented methods. All activities will be based on the participants' individual cases, which results in a concrete approach to use agile techniques for their own projects (e.g. the doctorate).

Developing an Elevator Pitch to use in Networking and in Smalltalk at Conferences: One of the most important aspects of a conference is the networking.  You will feel much more comfortable, much more at ease in your networking if you have prepared a good "elevator speech" (i.e., a very short description of one's project, a sort of oral abstract).  In this workshop we will work on developing a good elevator speech.  We will discuss the structure of a good speech and improve the speech you have brought ins.  We will then work on presentation skills, for example, on delivery, articulation, presence, and voice, using materials from the internet (TED talks, for example), academic presentation textbooks, and from theater and improvisation.  By the end of the workshop, you should have a good “elevator speech” (or abstract) that you will have rehearsed a number of times.  We will then also practice the networking and small talk situation at conferences, with role playing and suggestions for how to deal with difficult questions or situations. 

How to give a talk: In this interactive workshop, participants practice presenting in a small group. In addition, this course offers the opportunity for interactive reflection and peer exchange. The language of instruction and presentation is English.

Let’s get into it! - Time and Selfmanagement for your PhD: The long journey of designing, researching, and writing a PhD thesis demands time and self-management skills that are fundamentally different from those required during your MA studies or previous working life. Many PhD researchers find themselves overwhelmed by the scope of their project, struggling with isolation, or caught in cycles of perfectionism. Based on your experiences, needs and questions, group exchanges and input from the trainer, we will explore what you need to not just survive but thrive at this stage of your professional development. The workshop opens up a space for you to reflect on how you can manage the PhD as both an intellectual and personal challenge.

ODT Prompting and Literature Search: Prompting and Literature Search introduces PhD students to practical strategies for using large language models and AI-based search tools. Get hands-on experience through guided examples that help you craft prompts and integrate AI-enhanced search into your research workflow.

Research Integrity: The training aims to foster the internalization of the principles of European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity and strives to facilitate the cultivation of scientific virtues among researchers. The program consists of an introduction to the concepts of research integrity, moral conflicts and dilemmas, values and norms, and is enhanced by discussions and interactive exercises.

Research Integrity: Introduction to Data Management in Natural and Life Sciences: Digital research data are generated or collected in almost every research project. Researchers are faced with the challenge of not only managing and documenting these data, but also preserving them and even making them accessible for the public and for further research. The workshop offers a general introduction to the various aspects of research data management in the natural and life sciences. What is considered research data in these disciplines? Which guidelines and good academic practice policies are important to know right from the start and during writing your dissertation? And where can you find support?

Self-care during your doctorate: In addition to academic demands, the time spent on a doctorate can also mentally be very challenging. Pressure to perform, high demands on your own structure and the one or other obstacle? In this workshop, we would like to talk about methods of self-care and strategies to not lose sight of yourself.

Social Media for Researchers: Getting your work on social media may be easy - but making it popular and meaningful is more challenging. This workshop takes you through the main social media channels and looks at how to use them in strategic ways. Discover how to use social media to foster meaningful interactions; share your work more widely and enhance research outputs. From short written posts to creative videos, this interactive session is packed with ideas of how to maximise your use of social media as a researcher. This session is ideal for people who are either interested in using social media more strategically or are curious about getting started on some of the main platforms. No experience is required, but a passing familiarity with the main plafroms is helpful.

Statistics with SPSS: Sooner or later, (almost) every doctoral thesis involves statistics. In the course, participants review the most important statistical basics as well as the execution and interpretation of the most important statistical tests in SPSS.