Global Communication Skills for Academia

Course description

Global Communication Skills for Academia is an online course delivered through Zoom and designed to support graduate studies through a series of 90-minute sessions. This series focuses on how to enhance communication abilities and prepare for success in academic and professional endeavours. In this series, students will elevate presentation skills and leave a lasting impression in every professional setting, refine their professional writing skills, focus on crafting clear and effective emails, and explore tips for effectively chairing meetings and seminars.

Course offerings: 

• Mondays: April 7–28, 2025
• Fridays: April 4–25, 2025 

Week one: Enhance conversation skills through tone

In this session, students will discover techniques to initiate and sustain engaging professional conversations, forge meaningful connections with peers and colleagues, learn how to introduce themselves in a professional setting, and develop the skills to initiate and engage in small talk—an essential ability for networking and building relationships.

Week two: Presentation skills to engage your audience

In this session, students will discover essential techniques to engage their audience and deliver impactful presentations. They will learn the art of signposting to guide listeners through their talk; how to use intonation and pausing effectively to emphasize key points; and develop strategies for hesitating and buying time with confidence. Additionally, students will review the fundamentals of creating effective PowerPoint presentations and incorporating humour to keep their audience captivated.

Week three: Refine your writing: emails, summaries and professional tone

In this session, students will refine their writing skills for professional communication. They will learn how to craft clear and effective emails, summarize complex information concisely, and develop a professional tone and style suitable for various contexts. By mastering these techniques, students will enhance their ability to communicate clearly and professionally in academic and professional contexts.

Week four: Chair effective meetings and seminars

In this session, students will explore the essential skills for effectively chairing meetings and seminars. They will learn how to elicit and field questions, manage speakers smoothly, and reiterate the topic and purpose to keep the discussion on track. By mastering these techniques, students will further develop their abilities to manage productive and well-organized meetings and seminars, which achieve their intended outcomes.