Program Overview

Public Speaking and Impactful Communication (Not Only) in the Sciences

Course Information

The course will take place on the following dates:

• Monday, March 16, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
• Monday, March 23, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Registration opens on January 21, 2026, at 9:00 AM, and the registration deadline is February 16, 2026, at 12:00 PM. The course is free of charge and is limited to doctoral candidates and postdocs of the University of Basel, with a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 12 participants. The trainer for the course is Michael Berndonner. The course is worth 1 ECTS credit. It is organized by the Graduate Center, Transferable Skills.

Aims

The participants will discuss, reflect, and exercise how to:

• Stand confidently and calmly in front of an audience
• Present in a convincing, engaging, and passionate manner
• Move people

Content

The course will cover the following topics:

• The impact of one's voice: How to use it intentionally
• Body awareness: Understanding body language and body expression
• The relationship between inner attitude and impact
• Persuasive speeches: How to argue and convince successfully
• Dealing with nervousness and stage fright
• Surviving Q&A sessions

Methods

The course will utilize the following methods:

1. Sharing experiences among participants
2. Transferring know-how, models, and evidence-based impactful exercises
3. Practical exercises to move out of the comfort zone
4. Reflection

Target Group

The course is designed for all doctoral candidates and postdocs.

About the Trainer

Michael Berndonner, M.A. et Dipl.Betr.Oec.FH, is a Speech Communication Scientist, Vocal Coach, and Rhetoric Coach. He is also a speaker, moderator, trained singer, and conductor, and lectures at the Universities of St.Gallen and Zurich.

Workload

The course requires the following workload:

• Preparation work: 3 hours
• Course attendance: 2 x 8 hours
• Transfer task between course days: 5 hours
• Individual feedback after the course: 1 hour
• Reflection paper (optional to obtain 1 ECTS): 5 hours

Feature

Once registration is open, applications will be collected for 24 hours, and course places will be allocated by lot. All registrations received after the initial 24-hour period will be put on a waiting list and assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Course places and waiting list positions will be confirmed by email. Course registrations can only be canceled before the registration period ends. Full course attendance is mandatory. Participants who fail to attend a course without prior notification or withdraw after the registration deadline are subject to a fee of CHF 30. Additionally, participants who cancel their course registration at a later point in time, are absent without an excuse, or do not attend the entire course will not be considered for course registration in the following semester and will be removed from other courses offered in the same semester.

Location

The course will take place at the Universitätsbibliothek Basel, GRACE room 306 (3rd floor), Schönbeinstrasse 18-20, 4056 Basel.