The Art of Scientific Communication: Video, Visual Essays and Audio

Ziele

This course equips participants with essential skills to produce engaging scientific media such as video abstracts, video essays or podcasts. Using their own resources and available support, participants will:

1. Analyse their chosen format, understanding its contexts, forms and functions
2. Develop skills to craft audiovisual arguments and avoid common pitfalls
3. Explore storytelling and dramaturgical techniques
4. Script a text tailored to their format in either English or German
5. Record their media professionally in the New Media Center studio
6. Edit their work independently on their devices
   Learn copyright basics for using media and images.

Kursinhalte

Audiovisual media are transforming how research is shared across disciplines. Short formats-including video abstracts, video essays and podcasts-boost visibility and engagement, broadening authors audiences. Publishers increasingly use these tools to attract readers and amplify impact. In this course, researchers from all faculties learn to turn insights from their data and publications into compelling scientific media.

Form

Before the course, participants submit an outline of their project that describes the core content, target audience, and chosen format (e.g. video abstract, video essay or podcast). Please upload it until Tuesday, 24.02.2026, 12:00 to SWITCHdrive: https://drive.switch.ch/index.php/s/HS2DFeKoawqdd1b.
Participants will complete an online course covering the fundamentals of science communication, illustrated with a video abstract. On-site hands-on workshops and coaching develop participants’ practical skills.
Using storytelling techniques from the online course, trainers will guide participants through scriptwriting, professional recording in the New Media Center studio, and editing.

Adressatinnen und Adressaten

All Doctoral Candidates & Postdocs

Voraussetzungen

Participants must:
- Bring a dataset, a near-complete paper or an abstract on which to base their project.
- Bring their own laptops on which they can install free editing software. Participants who lack a device should notify the trainers by 24 February 2026 to arrange an alternative.
- Submit the following on time:
o Written project description: 24. 02. 2026, 12:00
o First draft of script: 17.03.2026, 12:00
o Final script: 10.04.2026, 12:00
o Finalized product: 22.05.2026 (optional for second ECTS)

Attend the in-person sessions listed below.

Informationen zu den Dozierenden

The group of trainers combines the diverse skills required for video abstracts:

Dr. Thomas Lehmann (Head of the New Media Center, having also worked as a director and a screenwriter for many years, for instance in scientific television shows). Sebastian Schell (Video Specialist at the New Media Center, editor and experienced director for television). Stephan Meyer (Lecturer for academic publication and presentation, Language Center). Prof. Dr. Mirko Winkler (Professor in Urban Public Health at the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute).

Leistungsspektrum / Workload

Total: 30 hours (1 ECTS)
- Preparation for the workshops: 2 hours for the first workshop
- Duration workshops and trainings: 15 hours
- Post-workshop assignments: 13 hours (6 ½ hours each after workshop 1 and for preparation recording and editing)

Optional: An additional 1 ECTS for delivering a finished media product that fulfils criteria discussed in the course. Total: 30 hours (Deadline: 22 May 2026)

Besonderheiten

Oral trainings (individual slots) will take place on 07.04.2026 and 08.04.2026
The recording session (individual slots) will take place on 14.04.2026

Once registration is open, applications will be collected for 24 hours and course places allocated by lot. All registrations received after the initial 24h 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 e-mail. Course registrations can only be canceled before the registration period ends (send an e-mail to grace@unibas.ch). 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 of CHF 30. In addition, participants who cancel their course registration at a later point in time, are absent without an excuse or do not attend the entire course will, for reasons of fairness, not be considered for course registration in the following semester and will be removed from other courses offered in the same semester. Please find the detailed regulations on the Transferable Skills Homepage.