SAVE THE DATE: Let's Talk Science, a taste of science communication

Are you ready to bring your research into the spotlight?

Many scientists do groundbreaking work but struggle to bridge the gap to a broader audience. Clear communication is not just a talent, it is a skill you can master. Let’s Talk Science! is the premier interuniversity summer school designed to give you the tools, confidence, and creativity to make your science matter.

Join fellow researchers from all over Flanders for three days of immersive workshops, inspiring keynote sessions, and networking.

The 2026 edition of Let’s Talk Science! provides a comprehensive deep-dive into the modern landscape of science communication. The program opens with a high-energy plenary session featuring renowned experts. Participants then curate their own learning path by choosing from a series of intensive, hands-on workshops. These sessions cover the full spectrum of communication, ranging from the technicalities of designing award-winning scientific posters and writing for non-expert audiences to the performance-based skills of pitching and storytelling. This year's edition will be hosted at the KU Leuven.

More information can be found here.

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:
  • oral communication
  • presentation skills
  • written communication
  • stakeholder awereness
• academic research competences:
  • publication skills
  • valorisation
• personal effectiveness
  • self-confidence
  • self-development

For whom?

• PhD students & postdocs
• Find out here if you are eligible to participate and more information about the registration procedure.

When and where?

• June 30, July 01 & 02, 2026 - 09:00-17:00
• Let's Talk Science will be hosted both physically and digitally.
• All physical workshops and sessions will take place at the Social Sciences Campus of KU Leuven.

Registration?

• Registrations are organized in two steps.
  • STEP 1: Admission registrations take place from March 25, 2026.
  • STEP 2: Starting from April 27, 2026 register for program items by logging in on the website.
  • You can edit your registration until Monday June 01 or until there are no more places left.
  • Places for the specialized workshops are limited and are allocated on a first-come, first served basis.
• No-show fee applicable for this interuniversity event: Participating is free. However, if you should cancel your registration after June 1, 2026, we'll ask for a no-show fee of 150 euros. Valid reasons for late cancellation or for missing a session are:
  • Illness, corroborated with a doctor’s certificate
  • Circumstantial leave (brief leave of absence) with a certificate

Acknowledged as?

• DS S&T: Scientific and generic communication - course on scientific or generic communication
• DS H&LS: Compulsory elective transferable skills courses - (half of) a transferable skills course
• DS BS&H: Research management & communication skills 

After successful participation, the DS-team will automatically add the activity to your portfolio (based on the attendance list). Please keep in mind that participation will be acknowledged as soon as possible. However, due to the summer period, this may take several weeks.