Getting the most out of Academic Conferences

In this course, Anton Froeyman (GetPublished) guides PhD students through the ins and outs of attending academic conferences, helping them make the most of the experience. He deals with the traditional issues surrounding conferences, i.e. writing an abstract, making a nice presentation, giving a talk etc. However, it also deals with other issues, such as how to answer questions during the much-dreaded Q&A, or how to pose interesting and focused questions at other people’s sessions. Finally, the course also discusses some of the most practical and oft-ignored challenges for beginning PhD students, such as ‘How do I get there?’, ‘What do I wear?’ and ‘How do I actually start conversations with other people?’ These topics are discussed based on a combination of academic background literature, personal experience from seasoned academics, and input from the participants themselves. Participants test their newfound skills through brief assignments and by discussing real-life examples. The goal is always practical: to help PhD students get the most out of academic conferences and, in doing so, make their life a little bit easier. 

Learning outcomes

During this workshop, participants will be...

• able to make an informed and conscious choice about which conferences to go to
• able to write an abstract that gives them a good chance of giving a talk at a conference
• able to make an informed choice on travelling to a conference, based on convenience and environmental issues
• able to prepare thoroughly and methodically for a conference
• able to give a focused talk, attuned to their targeted audience
• able to support their talk with an efficient presentation
• able to deal with Q&A efficiently and comfortably
• able to pose focused questions at academic talks
• more efficient at academic networking.

Competences

An important part of preparing for any further professional step is becoming (more) aware of the competences you have developed and/or want to develop. In the current workshop, the following competences from the UHasselt competency overview are actively dealt with:

• interpersonal competences:
  
  • assertiveness
  • networking
  • oral communication
  • presentation skills
  • persuasion

For whom?

• Early-stage PhD students, preferably in the first two years of their PhD.
• 15 places available -> places will be allocated on a first come, first served basis!

When & where?

• December 09, 2026 - 10:00-17:30 
• Campus Diepenbeek, building D, room E142

Preparation?

• No preparation is required. Participants are asked, if possible, to bring along a presentation they have created in the past.

Registration?

• Register here from August 27, 2026 until November 08, 2026.
• As places are limited, registering does not automatically imply that you will be able to participate. You will be notified by email after the registration deadline has passed.
• Please cancel your registration at least one week in advance in case you cannot make it (cf. cancellation & no-show policy).

Acknowledged as?

• DS BSH: tbd
• DS HLS: tbd
• DS ST: tbd