Mark your calendar: three-minute thesis competition for doctoral students will be held on 22 October

This autumn, doctoral students at the University of Tartu will again have the opportunity to participate in the three-minute thesis competition and present their research to a wider audience. We invite engaging presentations from all fields of research, delivered in clear language, in Estonian or English. The competition will be held on 22 October in the conference hall of the University of Tartu Library. Registration will open at the end of August.

The three-minute thesis pitching competition is an opportunity for young researchers to develop their presentation and communication skills and talk about their research in a different way than usual. The audience can get a quick overview of the exciting research conducted at the university and choose their favourite among the presenters.

The doctoral students are expected to summarise the problem that motivated their research, its solutions, preliminary results and implications in clear language and a popular science style in no more than three minutes. They need to explain to the audience for whom and why the research is important and what makes it unique or exciting. Before the competition, the participants can undergo a presentation training course in English.

Best speakers will represent the university in follow-up competitions

The jury, comprising researchers, journalists and communication experts, will assess the doctoral students’ ability to present their research in a clear and engaging way to a wider audience. The most outstanding participants will receive cash prizes and an opportunity to represent the University of Tartu in future competitions.

The three best presenters in Estonian will be able to participate in the “Science in Three Minutes” national competition organised by the Estonian Academy of Sciences. Before the grand finals, the Academy of Sciences will provide the young researchers with training sessions, which give them hands-on experience of presenting in front of the camera and writing a popular science article.

The video recording of the best presentation in English will be sent to represent the University of Tartu in the international competition of the Coimbra Group of universities. There, the member universities will select the top three among all participants, who will have the opportunity to present their work in the final competition at the group’s annual conference.

Each presentation delivered at the University of Tartu competition will be video recorded, and the university will seek opportunities to publish all the research presented in the competition on the university’s communication channels or in the media, so that exciting stories of current research will reach a wider audience.

Young researcher, seize the opportunity!

If you want to develop your presentation skills, challenge yourself in a new way, and share your excellent research with others, then come and participate. Registration will open at the end of August, and more information on the competition will be published in the autumn. See the University of Tartu website for the rules, advice and additional information.

The competition is organised by the University of Tartu's Office of Academic Affairs, Marketing and Communication Office and International Cooperation and Protocol Office.