PhD Courses in Denmark

The course aims to strengthen PhD students’ ability to communicate their research effectively to diverse audiences within and beyond academia and to participate actively in the scientific community within aquatic science. The course provides training in oral and written research communication, peer feedback, interdisciplinary dialogue, and academic networking. Through participation in scientific seminars, communication workshops, and the organisation of academic events, students develop transferable communication skills relevant for research careers in academia, industry, and the public sector. The course also aims to support the development of a shared research community among PhD students working within aquatic science in a broad sense.

A student who has met the objectives of the course will be able to:

• Present their oral and written work in English for a diverse audience (press, public and scientific fora).• Communicate research clearly and concisely to different audiences through structured oral presentations
• Adapt research communication to different purposes and formats, including seminars, workshops, and interdisciplinary discussions
• Apply techniques for effective written research communication with emphasis on clarity, readability, and audience awareness in English
• Provide constructive and structured peer feedback on research presentations using agreed feedback principles (e.g. constructive critique)
• Incorporate peer feedback to improve their own research communication
• Plan and contribute to the organisation of a scientific seminar or workshop
• Engage in interdisciplinary academic dialogue and networking within the field of aquatic science
• Reflect on their own development as a research communicator and member of a scientific community.

The course consists of communication workshops and scientific seminars within aquatic science. The spring events are organised as interactive workshops focusing on oral or written research communication and are facilitated by external communication specialists. The workshops emphasise audience awareness, clarity of message, presentation technique, and readability in English, and include short presentations, writing exercises, and feedback sessions. The autumn events are organised as scientific seminars where PhD students present their research to peers from different areas of aquatic science. The seminars are planned to resemble professional academic events and may include external participants when relevant. Each course event is organised by a planning group of 4–5 PhD students in collaboration with the course coordinators. The coordinators facilitate the course activities, including workshops, seminars, and the work of the student planning groups. Their role involves guiding the planning process through regular meetings with the planning group, supporting the academic programme of the workshops, and facilitating structured feedback sessions and discussions during seminars. The course emphasises peer learning, academic dialogue, interdisciplinary exchange, and networking across aquatic science disciplines.