Today’s researchers need to have a broader set of skills than ever before. Researchers in academia and private companies perform research every day, which can have wide-reaching implications on all of our lives. Research can lead to better nutrition, the production of antibiotics and other treatments, the implementation of vaccines, improved hygiene and sanitation, and less crowded living conditions. It can improve our understanding of the past, shape public policy, help protect wildlife and nature, develop new theories to explain our existence and so much more. Among the arsenal of skills researcher must possess today is effective communications. Effective Research Communication raises more public awareness and engagement. With the right information, presented in an understandable way, conscious decisions can be made from a governmental to an individual level. The impact of Research Communication goes further than just explaining it, it’s about building bridges between researchers, their work and the public. It’s about creating mutual engagement. Public awareness is key in successful research. It is vitally important that researchers who are leading the way in advancing the collective knowledge base of humanity, disseminate this knowledge to all citizens and do it in a way that is digestible by every one of us. However, effective communication (written & oral) can be a real challenge for many researchers. You can read more about the importance of research communications here.

The main aim of the Virtual School of Communications and Research (VSRC) is to help young Bosnia & Herzegovina researchers learn how to effectively orally communicate their research to a broader audience. More specifically it will assist them in learning how to communicate their research/final thesis to any audience. Among the others the VSRC is a great preparation to the 3MT competition (Bosnia & Herzegovina 3 Minute Thesis competition).

Workshop#1: How to present your research to a broader audience (2 hours)

The main aim of this workshop is to teach participants how to communicate research to a non-expert audience. The primary focus will be how to adjust & present research findings by using language that the target audience (“knowing your audience”) is familiar with. It should explain to attendees how to avoid jargon and challenging words for others to understand. It will also cover how a short pitch can construct analogies and connect their work to listeners. Finally, the excellent research presentation should leave the audience with understanding and wanting to know more.

Workshop#2: Strategies for helping your research presentation reach a wider audience (2 hours)

The second workshop will focus on how to create an excellent research presentation so that everybody can understand, and benefit from it. Special emphasis will go on how to go about planning and executing a good communication strategy, making your research sound exciting (identifying the hook), making the key message clear to understand and providing a quality visual aid/s.

Workshop#3: Online & Media Engagement of your research (2 hours)

Media and online research communications are the primary avenues for research impact. Every researcher or student should have an online profile to communicate the background and findings of their research and engage with different online communities. This workshop should help participants understand how to promote their research through online platforms such as ORCiD, ResearchGate, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube etc. The second part of the workshop will focus on how to present research through media avenues, including live tv presentations.

Workshop#4: Feedback and analysis (2 hours)

In this workshop, you will have an opportunity to listen to feedback and analysis of the previous participants of VSRC from a group of academic experts.

3 Minute Thesis tips and tricks (40 min)

In this part of the course, you will hear about the experiences and guidelines of previous competitors. It’s a must-watch if you are planning to apply to the 3 Minute Thesis Competition.

• any undergraduate, masters or Ph.D. students in Bosnia & Herzegovina or Bosnia & Herzegovina origins but are currently studying overseas

• non students and professionals interested in learning how to better present their research