Program Overview

Project Management in Research for Natural and Life Scientists

Course Information

The course "Project Management in Research for Natural and Life Scientists" is designed for doctoral candidates of the Faculty of Science at the University of Basel. The course is free of charge and limited to a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 12 participants.

Course Details

• Date:
  • Thursday, 28 May 2026, 09:00 - 17:30
  • Friday, 29 May 2026, 09:00 - 16:30
• Registration start: 21 January 2026, 09:00
• Registration deadline: 30 April 2026, 12:00
• Instructor: Dr. Sandra Dierig
• Credits: 1 ECTS
• Organized by: Graduate Center, Transferable Skills

Course Objectives

The participants will obtain a good understanding of the project management methodology and deepen their existing knowledge. They will learn how to apply relevant project management techniques to their own research projects and how to cope with the specific challenges of research projects in different research environments.

Course Content

At the end of the course, participants will know how to:

• Apply project management to research projects
• Start a project - define the scope and goals
• Set up a project team and the communication architecture
• Analyze and manage the risks and the stakeholders
• Monitor and control progress and manage change
• Deal with difficult situations and setbacks
• Analyze and find solutions for project issues
• Integrate agile project management values and elements into the project management approach

Course Format

The course will be oriented on the current project practice of the participants and builds on their existing experience. Case studies (existing projects of the participants) will be selected at the beginning of the training, and different methods will be practiced on these projects in working groups. Typical challenges and possible solutions will be discussed. Trainer inputs and active team sessions will alternate. Both beginners and advanced learners will benefit from the exchange of experience.

Target Audience

All doctoral candidates of the Faculty of Science.

Instructor Information

Sandra Dierig is a senior consultant and coach specialized in the field of project management, both in academia and the private industry. She has been conducting workshops and trainings for PhD students and postdocs for more than 20 years. Ms. Dierig earned her own PhD on the topic of project management and is acquainted with the academic environment and its challenges.

Workload

• Course attendance: 2 x 8 hours
• Follow-up task: 14 hours

Special Notes

This course is reserved for doctoral candidates of the Faculty of Science. 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/places on the waiting list will be confirmed by email. 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.