Enhancing creativity in phd work
Doctoral School in Medicine, Biomedical Science and Technology at Aalborg University
Across academic environments, the ability to think creatively is increasingly vital — not just as a means of innovation, but as a practical skill for navigating and solving complex problems, overcoming challenges, generating ideas, and working constructively with others. It helps you move from challenge to insight to action.
A PhD journey is inherently creative: It involves framing problems, seeking novel solutions, and communicating original contributions. Whether you are developing a research design, applying for funding, writing an article, or collaborating across disciplines, your success often hinges on your capacity to think in novel and useful ways.
Building on diverse theoretical perspectives in creativity (i.e., stemming from cognitive and social psychology), this course provides space to explore and apply research-based creativity-enhancing tools in key areas of your academic life. This hands-on PhD course is designed to equip you with tools and techniques to engage actively and effectively with your own creative potential as a researcher – and include those around you in the creative process. The course is highly participatory and intended to foster a safe, playful, yet critical environment where students can experiment with different ways to support creative thinking in individual and collaborative work.
Through a combination of lectures, interactive workshops, and group activities, students will explore selected tools and methods such as LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY®, De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats, and other creative ideation tools. The course will also address common misconceptions about creativity in academia and help students identify their personal and disciplinary creativity profiles (e.g., reflecting on professional, social and cultural conditions for creativity in their research area and/or research group).
As part of the course, participants will be supported in creating a personal Creativity Map — a visual and strategic reflection on how creativity manifests (or gets blocked) in their research work, and how they might cultivate it more deliberately during and beyond their PhD.
For additional information, updates, and registration, please refer to AAU PhDMoodle via the link provided on the right side of this page.