Cooperation in a competitive setting
Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences at University of Copenhagen
This is a generic course. This means that the course is reserved for PhD students at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences at UCPH.
Anyone can apply for the course, but if you are not a PhD student at the Graduate School, you will be placed on the waiting list until enrollment deadline. After the enrollment deadline, available seats will be allocated to the waiting list.
The course is free of charge for PhD students at Danish universities (except Copenhagen Business School), and for PhD students at NorDoc member faculties. All other participants must pay the course fee.
Target group
Early researcher interested in increasing their collaboration skills in academia
Learning objectives
A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:
• Understand the main pillars of cooperation
• Analyse your gains and losses in a competitive setting
• Learn to be more assertive in your communication
• Use collaborative methods to build trust and focus on mutual benefits
Content
In this workshop tailored for early researchers, we will explore the main pillars of cooperation and how to navigate them in a highly competitive environment.
One focus will be on communication, including tools to establish the organizational foundation of cooperation and align expectations and benefits.
The other focus will be on showing up, building trust and - if need be – stand your ground in a competitive setting. We will explore various ways to be assertive, such as expressing ones needs, setting healthy boundaries, and giving and receiving feedback so that it is valuable.
The workshop will be highly interactive, mixing teachers input, individual reflections and group discussions. It provides an excellent opportunity to network with fellow early researchers throughout the session.
Relevance to graduate programmes
The course is relevant to PhD students from the following graduate programmes at the Graduate School of Health and Medical Sciences, UCPH:
- All graduate programmes
Language
English
Form
Teaching input, individual work, group work, peer coaching
Course director
Dr. Valeska Russo, Sciencecoach, Berlin, Germany. Read more at www.valeskarusso.de
Dates
11-12 November 2025 - both days 9-16
Course location
Panum, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Room: 7.15.152 (Top of Mærsk Tower)
Deadline for registration
14 October 2025
Seats to PhD students from other Danish universities will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis and according to the applicable rules.
Applications from other participants will be considered after the last day of enrolment.
Note: All applicants are asked to submit invoice details in case of no-show, late cancellation or obligation to pay the course fee (typically non-PhD students). If you are a PhD student, your participation in the course must be in agreement with your principal supervisor.