GDNet Research Communication: Presentation skills training for Awards and Medals Finalists

Budapest, Hungary 14-15 June, 2012

It is increasingly not enough for scholars to be methodologically thorough and to produce robust and objective research. To be effective, they need also to be proficient communicators who can engage policymakers and the media in their results and its implications for wider development debates. It is in this context that a special two-day GDNet Research Communication Training will be held on June 14-15 in Budapest, Hungary, prior to the GDN 13th Annual Conference. The training is designed in partnership with CommsConsult, for the Awards and Medals finalists with the aim to strengthen their capacity in identifying the key messages of their research and tailoring it for a range of different audiences, and presenting it in an engaging style to other scholars and the judging committee at the conference. Therefore, the climax of the training sessions will be the presentation of each finalist's research; participants will have the opportunity to apply the learned skills during the workshop and work to improve their presentations in preparation for the Awards and Medals Competition.

The training will showcase inspiration speakers and work with participants to develop principles of effective communication in the written and spoken word. It will use video-critique and peer review methods to improve the styles and build the confidence of participants to present their work in different forums, including at the Conference Ceremony later in the week. The training will also explore some of the social media tools to help researchers make their research travel to a broader audience.

The Global Development Awards and Medals Competition is the largest annual international competition for research on development. Through this Competition, launched in 2000 with the support of the Government of Japan, GDN seeks to unearth new talent and recognize innovative ideas. Nearly 6,500 researchers and development practitioners representing more than 100 countries throughout the developing world have participated to date. Over $2 million has been distributed in prizes and travel to finalists and winners. In 2009 alone, the Competition attracted 486 applications.

In the past GDN has supported multi-disciplinary research on a range of issues including global health concerns and domestic responses; pro-poor market reform; changes in global trade; industrial development and long-term growth; governance and development; interest groups and civil society; conflict and human security; the role of institutions for development in the context of globalization; international migration; regional integration; globalization, regulation and development. Finalists and winners are selected through a rigorous process of three selection panels comprising of subject experts and advisors.

Learn more about the GDNet’s Research Communications Capacity Building Programme

Also check GDNet Research Communication Training for Awards and Medals Finalists 2010, Bogotá, Colombia