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).

Easy to understand at a glance – Designing scientific posters with a clear purpose and creating effective visuals: Scientific posters are the ideal visual presentation medium at academic conferences. Designed to be clear and concise, they provide the foundation for presenting your research project in a way that engages your audience, sparks conversation, stimulates discussion, and helps you network. To get your target audience excited about your topic, you need a clear structure, a text format optimized for readability, and well-chosen graphics and visualizations. You should also carefully consider how to arrange the content on the A0 format in a clear and effective way. Basic design rules and foundational knowledge of layout techniques will help you present your topic in a visually organized and appealing way—so that it is noticed, heard, and understood.

Good Scientific Practice – Protecting Research Integrity: This course provides participants with research ethics knowledge, gives them space to reflect on their values and attitudes as researchers, and allows them to practice skills in dealing with conflictual situations in their research practice. Participants acquire knowledge about the rules of good scientific practice and train their competences to make responsible decisions in everyday research.

Make Contacts that Count: Networking and Personal Branding: Knowing how to develop and maintain an effective network is a key career strategy. To build a well-functioning network is a vital component in planning a science career. Many highly-qualified scientists have taken a route to build their career that has been arduous and lonely. This module explores less stressful methods of career development, by the strategic use of networking. Whether planning a career in the scientific or commercial world, awareness of the priorities and needs of funding bodies or potential employers or backers is a key to success. This seminar provides an overview of the structure of networking - the strengths and weaknesses of working in networks and allows for an opportunity to optimise your own networking activity and strategies for acquisition.

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.

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.