We define a meeting date each semester, based on your demand. The dates are announced through this website, and via the mailing list.

If you want to sign up for our mailing list and get invitations to the meetings, please follow the link: https://mailman.wu.ac.at/mailman/listinfo/academic_speakers_club.

If you want to request a meeting of the club, please write us an email to asc@wu.ac.at and we will define a date together.

Each meeting lasts 1-2 hours, depending on the amount of people. The meetings are held either online or in person (conditional on the COVID-19 situation). The maximum number of paricipants is 15 people.

The working language of the meetings is English but some exercises and presentations can also be done in German, if you prefer. During the registration period, we ask whether some of the participants would like to practice a prepared presentation for a specific occasion such as a conference, job talk or an interview. Everything presented and said is of course treated with confidenciality.

We start our meetings with various ice-breaker exercises. These are followed by the presentations prepared by the participants (if there are any). These presentations should not be longer than 10 minutes. Afterwards, there is time for extensive feedback on the presentation style and any other aspects the presenter is interested in.

In the remaining time, we practice various skills, such as:

• impromptu speaking

• self-introduction

• interviews

• challenging conversations

• Q&A sessions

• communication tips and tricks

• networking (small talk, follow-up etc.)

• negotiations

• ...

Please register at the latest 24 hours prior to each meeting. We assign spots on a “first come, first served” basis. If you are interested in participating, please write an email to asc@wu.ac.at and include the following information:

• full name

• position (prae-doc, post-doc, research assistant, etc.)

• Indicate whether you want to practice a prepared presentation/job talk/interview at this meeting. Please note that we cannot guarantee you a presentation spot since these are also assigned on a "first-come, first-served" basis.

You will receive information regarding the location (online or offline) a few days prior to the meeting.

• You can join any of our meetings. Participating in one of them does not imply that you are obliged to join other meetings or have a guaranteed spot.

• What is discussed during the meeting stays at the meeting! We strive to create a supportive, friendly and comfortable atmosphere where everyone can practice their presentation and communication skills without hesitation. It goes without saying that any ideas and topics presented and discussed during the meetings must stay confidential.

• If the meetings are held online, a functioning camera and a microphone are required for participation.

If you cannot attend the meeting, please inform us at least 2 days in advance! This will allow us to give your spot to someone else.

WU researchers at the prae- and post-doc level.

The WU Academic Speakers’ Club is for you if you want to:

• Become more comfortable in different communication situations.

• Gain practical experience and receive feedback on your presentation style and habits.

• Practice prepared or improvised speeches and interviews.

The Club is self-organized by employees of the WU and supported by the Personnel Development Office.

We are a team of six researchers from different departments and institutes who wanted to create a space where we can practice our presentation skills regularly. Since 2019, we exchange tips and tricks, best practice examples and advice for challenging situations during our meetings. Thus, with this form of peer-to-peer mentoring, we support each other in a relaxed environment. 

Assisted by the  Personnel Development Office and various coaches, we have collected a toolkit of exercises we share with participants. 

During the meetings of the ASC, we will practice speaking in public as well as in a virtual setting through a mix of interactive exercises, which cover topics as diverse as presentations, impromptu speaking, interviews, networking and negotiation. We are excited to share these tools in our meetings and are looking forward to seeing you!

The founding members of the club who usually moderate the meetings are Lena Gerdes, Marta Glowacka, Ann-Kathrin Herfeld, Mariia Kostetckaia, Birgit Meyer and Biliana Yontcheva.