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WisskomQ: Strengthen Your Science Communication

Strengthening researchers of all disciplines and career stages comprehensively and systematically in their science communication: That’s the goal of the WisskomQ qualification programme, which will be offered at the University of Freiburg starting in the 2025 summer semester. It provides essential knowledge and a wide range of practical skills for this purpose – from the foundations of media law and the secure and effective use of social media to strategies for handling difficult situations in front of (live) cameras. The programme consists of two one-day foundations courses and three of five one-day specialization courses. They are held partially on campus and partially online, and they also include e-learning opportunities. Participants who complete the entire programme receive the University of Freiburg’s WisskomQ certificate. It’s also possible to take individual courses.

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“Not just creating knowledge but also communicating it to society and fostering exchange on it is becoming an increasingly important part of a researcher’s work – and we would like to offer them the best possible qualifications for that as well.”

Prof. Dr. Kerstin Krieglstein

Rector of the University of Freiburg

‘Not just creating knowledge but also communicating it to society and fostering exchange on it is becoming an increasingly important part of a researcher’s work – and we would like to offer them the best possible qualifications for that as well’, says Prof. Dr. Kerstin Krieglstein, Rector of the University of Freiburg. With the launch of WisskomQ, University of Freiburg is one of the first universities in Germany to offer its researchers a comprehensive opportunity to strengthen their communication competencies. Krieglstein emphasizes: ‘Good science communication is crucial to one of our central concerns at the University of Freiburg: making a significant contribution to overcoming the pressing challenges of our time through the application of research findings.’

WisskomQ was developed jointly by the Office of University and Science Communications, the Centre for Advanced Researcher Development (CARD), and the Freiburg Graduate Centre (GraCe). It will be implemented by ‘TwentyOne Skills’, a market-leading provider of continuing education for science communication.

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Courses

Two courses will be held in the 2025 summer semester: Foundations I (5 May) and Foundations II (7 July). The entire WisskomQ programme can be completed within two to three semesters.

The courses will be held in German and/or English as required.

Registration

You can register for individual courses from the WisskomQ programme on HISinOne (for doctoral candidates and postdocs) or by email (for professors): kommunikation@zv.uni-freiburg.de

Important for all participants: If you would like to complete the entire certificate programme, please register by 31 March 2025 via a message to kommunikation@zv.uni-freiburg.de – in addition to signing up for individual courses on HISinOne.

Foundations I: Understanding science communication – communicating with assurance and authority (5 May 2025)

What exactly is science communication? How does it work, what is it important for, and how can I handle demanding communication situations? The course provides essential knowledge about science communication as well as fundamental practical skills for communicating with assurance and authority in demanding communication situations. In addition, it provides information on science communication structures and offerings at the University of Freiburg that researchers can use.

The course includes the following content:

nature, modes of action, and relevance of science communication
standards of good science communication
legal foundations for science communication, in general and with regard to media law
environments and roles in science communication
interview preparation for different media channels (TV, radio, print, online)
handling difficult questions and (live) situations
conveying complex facts in plain language

To the registration

Foundations II: Communicating methodically and effectively – e.g. on social media channels (7 July 2025)

How is good science communication produced? How do I create multimedia content, and how do I disseminate it? The course provides fundamental practical skills in science communication, enabling you to communicate methodically and effectively, for example on social media channels.

The course includes the following content:

designing communications (decisions on objectives, target groups, content, channels, etc.)
creating multimedia content (texts, photos, videos, graphics, etc.)
planning active press work (in cooperation with the Office of University and Science Communications)
selecting appropriate social media channels (Instagram, Bluesky, Facebook, X, etc.)
building up and managing a community
dealing with hate speech, shitstorms, and other challenges

To the registration

Specialization Course I: Planning and creating multimedia content – for a broad audience and specific groups

How do I create texts that everyone can understand (or that have special impact on particular groups)? What is storytelling, how does it work? How do I produce impactful photos, videos, and graphics? The course builds on the foundations courses and deepens practical skills for creating impactful multimedia content for a broad audience and specific target groups.

The course includes the following content:

conveying complex facts in clear and simple texts
understanding target groups and addressing them specifically
understanding and using storytelling
creating and editing photos and videos
creating graphics
developing your own style
planning content across several media

Specialization Course II: Using social media consistently and successfully

Which social media channels are appropriate for my science communication? What content do I need for it, and how do I build up a community? The course builds on the foundations courses and deepens practical skills for using social media.

The course includes the following content:

selection of channels (opportunities and risks)
building up individual channels
planning and creating channel-specific content
building up and managing a community
dealing with hate speech, shitstorms, and other challenges
measuring success using monitoring and analysis tools
special tools for scientific social media work

Specialization Course III: Handling camera and microphone appearances with assurance and authority

How do I prepare for interview questions? What constitutes a good camera appearance in terms of voice and (body) language? How do I react in difficult interview situations? The course builds on the foundations courses and deepens practical skills for TV and radio appearances.

The course includes the following content:

preparing for the content of interviews
response techniques for interview questions
voice, language, and posture for camera and microphone appearances
handling difficult interview situations
releasing quotations to media

Specialization Course IV: Planning and holding talks for a broad audience

What do I have to watch out for when I give talks outside of my scholarly community? How should I react to unexpected questions? What opportunities for giving talks are there outside of academic conferences, etc.? The course builds on the foundations courses and deepens practical skills for planning and holding talks for a broad audience.

The course includes the following content:

planning talks for a non-academic audience
making content understandable and vivid for a general audience
different presentation styles
handling critical questions
special formats like science slams, TED talks, PechaKucha, 3MT, etc.

Specialization Course V: Visualizing research vividly and effectively

How can I convey my research in graphics and other visualizations? How can I derive additional benefit from data journalism, and what methods can I work with? The course builds on the foundations courses and deepens practical skills for visualizing research processes and findings.

The course includes the following content:

basic knowledge and competencies for creating photos, videos, and other visualizations
planning and realizing visual core messages, visual storytelling, and visual abstracts
use of videos and other animated visualizations
data journalism