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•  This programme is exclusively open to PhD/MD-PhD students of the Faculty of Medicine as well as for PSLS students
• Candidates must have completed at least 18 months of their PhD by 31 mars 2025 (this rule doesn't apply to MD-PhD students) and finish their PhD no sooner than June 2026 (to have time to disburse the grant).
• The selected PhD students commit to respect the schedule, to prepare themselves as well as possible for the coaching sessions and video recording.
• Thesis projects will be presented orally in English only (during the auditions and the videos).
• Supervisors must be informed of their student's participation and intellectual property issues must be adressed beforehand.

Important

• Please note that all candidates must be available to participate 1) in the auditions (in person only), 2) in the coaching sessions (online and in person) and 3) in the video shooting.
• We limit the number of candidates to 20 if we receive too many applications. In that case the first 20 élégible applications received will be considered. 
• To apply, you must fill in the form and send a short thesis summary. The summary must be accessible to a non-scientific audience and be no longer than 250 words.
• A Q&A session will take place on 7 March CET at 11:00 am via Zoom. Your participation is not mandatory.

• Receive a grant of CHF 5'000 if you are selected (5 grants available)
• Benefit from an unique opportunity to develop your skills in communication, synthesis, popularisation, etc.
• Get personalised advice from a coach in scientific communication and support throughout the process.
• A great learning experience and an added value on your CV, as well as a video presentation of your thesis project.

Complete the and attach your CV and the summary of your thesis in English. The summary must be accessible to a non-scientific audience and be no longer than 250 words).
Deadline for submission of applications: 3 March 2024 (24h00 CET) 

Step 1 - Auditions:

The first 20 eligible candidates will participate in the auditions, in front of a jury composed of 4 professors and 3 communication professionals. The candidates will give a 3-minute oral presentation (in English) on their thesis topic. This presentation will be assessed by the jury according to the following criteria:

• Communication, presentation and popularisation: ability to make the subject understandable to a non-expert audience
• Clarity of the objectives: ability to present and describe the objectives of the research project in a structured way
• Highlighting potential and innovation: ability to emphasise the innovative nature and potential impact of the project
• Quality and use of the PPT slides: relevance of slides (content and clarity)
• Responses to questions: ability to provide relevant and concise answers to the jury's questions
• Elocution, motivation and passion: quality of speech, enthusiasm and commitment.

Presentations must be clear, concise and accessible to a non-scientific audience. Candidates may use up to 3 PowerPoint slides (animations are permitted, but no videos) + 1 introductory slide with your name, the name of the laboratory and the title of the thesis.

Phase 2 - Coaching and video shooting:

After the auditions, each candidate will receive personalised coaching to improve their project presentations. This includes :

• Three individual sessions per candidate, focusing on improving content and presentation skills, body language and preparation for the video shooting.
• Video shooting: each candidate will present their project in front of the camera at the end of the coaching sessions. We will produce short videos of 3 minutes per candidate/project for a non-scientific audience. The videos will be published on the Faculty of Medicine website, as well as on UNIGE's social media.

Phase 3 - Selection of the 5 finalists:

The jury will gather again to watch the videos of the presentations and make a new assessment based on the following criteria:

• Communication, presentation and popularisation: ability to make the subject understandable to a non-expert audience
• Relevance of the PPT slides: quality, clarity and coherence of slides
• Fluency and rhetoric: articulation, art of speech and quality of argument
• Elocution and commitment: clarity of speech, motivation and passion
• Respect of the presentation time : presentation within the time limit

This process aims to select 5 finalists. The selected PhD students will receive a grant of CHF 5'000 each to be used, for example, to participate in international meetings, to follow training courses, to visit laboratories abroad, or to cover the printing costs of their thesis.

Weight of the final assessment :

• Video presentations: 75%
• Auditions: 25%

• 3 March - deadline for applications
• 13 March - auditions
• 19 and 20 March - first round of individual coaching sessions (online - 30 min. per candidate) to work on the content
• 26 and 27 March - second round of individual coaching sessions (online - 30 min. per candidate) to work on the structure and slides of the presentation
• 2 and 3 April - third round of individual coaching sessions (in person - 30 min. per candidate) to work on the form of the presentation (non-verbal, gestures, tone of voice, etc.)
• 10 and 11 April - video shooting (one hour per candidate) 
• End of April  - video edition and publication of the videos
• May - selection of the 5 finalists
• August - grant disbursement discussion and follow-up with the finalists