Special Courses English Summer Semester 2026

Presentation Skills

Level: B2/C1

Dates: 06.11., 13.11., 27.11., 04.12., 11.12., 18.12., 08.01., 15.01. and 22.01. 3:30 PM–5 PM

VMP 5, room 3047

Lecturer: Kimberly Oppenheim

Topics:

• The aim of this course is to provide the opportunity for PhD students and post docs to practice presenting their work in English. The course will help participants gain the confidence to hold presentations at international conferences, present their results a department meetings, defend their dissertation, or even teach courses in English. The focus of the course will be on presenting your ideas clearly and concisely, while working on tone, body language and general delivery. Additionally, we will work with the language for presentations, with an emphasis placed on stating your purpose, signposting and describing visuals. The use of rhetorical devices such as repetition and alliteration will also be addressed. Each participant will receive both peer and instructor feedback on organisation and structure, grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary.

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Academic Writing Workshop

Level: B2/C1

Dates (choose one of the two workshop cycles):

Cycle 1: Thursdays, 29 October and 26 November, 4 PM – 7 PM (online via Zoom)
Cycle 2: Thursdays, 28 January and 25 February, 4 PM – 7 PM (online via Zoom)

Lecturer: Arnold Borsutzky

Topics:

• This academic writing course is designed to support scholars who are in the process of completing a PhD thesis in English. The focus of the workshop will be the work-in-progress of each individual student—whether that is perfecting a difficult chapter, preparing a journal article for publication, or contemplating a paper for an upcoming conference.
• The course will pay particular attention to structure, word choice, punctuation, and style. We will also look at common mistakes, as well as tips for improving your academic writing skills. Activities are based on a variety of materials and exercises prepared by the tutor. Students can also submit several pages of work over the course of the sessions to be proofread.

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This course focuses on English skills for everyday work at the University. Key topics include telephone calls, email and letter writing, presentation techniques, participating in English-language meetings, and handling intercultural differences, as well as other university-specific vocabulary and themes.

Date: Tuesdays, 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM starting from October 20, 2026 (online event)

Lecturer: Orla Mac Mahon

Topics:

• The language of telephoning
• Writing emails and letters
• Intercultural differences
• Providing information on the faculty/your area of work
• Presentation techniques
• International meetings with suppliers/universities etc.
• University-specific vocabulary

The aim of this course is to deepen and professionalise communication in English. Example topics include writing official texts, making telephone calls, giving presentations and participating in meetings. Other content includes aspects of intercultural communication, university-specific vocabulary and frequently asked questions from everyday working life.

Date: Wednesdays 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM starting from October 21, 2026 (online event)

Lecturer: Dr. Peter Witchalls

Topics:

• Writing stylistically correct official emails and letters
• Intercultural differences
• The language of telephoning
• University-specific vocabulary
• Providing information on the faculty/your area of work
• Presentation techniques
• International meetings
• FAQ
• etc.

The focus of this course is good presentation and debating practices, such as diverse voice, language and nonverbal training exercises. This will include giving a short talk on a work-related theme, as well as discussing and receiving feedback on the language used. The overall aims are to improve fluency and proficiency, to understand the underlying principles of good communication, and to provide an opportunity to discuss university-related topics.

 Date: Thursdays, 12:15 PM - 1:15 PM starting from October 22, 2026 (online event)

Lecturer: Dr. Peter James Witchalls

Topics:

• Presenting & Discussing in English with Confidence & Competence

This course is designed for employees who have not spoken English for some time and would like to boost their confidence. The focus is on reactivating the language and building communication skills.

• Mondays, 13 April – 18 May 2026
• 13:00–14:00
• Online (Teams)
• B1

This short course is designed to build confidence when speaking English, focusing on improving fluency and communication skills while discussing university- and work-related topics.

• Fridays, 17. April – 22 May 2026
• 11:00–12:00
• Online (Teams)
• B1/B2