“More than 2,000 doctoral degrees are completed in Flanders every year. There is a lot of fantastic, high-quality research, but unfortunately we don't hear enough about it. Researchers often share these studies only with fellow scientists. Arno Zondermann from organizer SciMingo vzw says: “With the Flemish Doctoral Cup, we encourage them to make their research public. The competition does this using the now well-known formula: doctors must clearly present the essence of their years of research in… three minutes.”
Translation and storytelling
Anyone who has completed a PhD in the last two years can apply until the end of June. On August 26, the jury will select 16 researchers who will learn how to clearly explain their complex research through, among other things, a four-day media training at VRT. “Unveiling your research is both a translation and a story. “You have to translate this complex issue to a wide audience, in a way that people understand, and you have to turn it into a great story so people will listen to you,” says VRT NWS science journalist Koen Wauters. He will mentor the candidates , along with colleagues such as Jacquot Brocken and Tim Bowles.
“A wonderful adventure”
For legal researcher Marie Decock, winner of the 2023 edition, the competition provided a huge boost: “The Doctoral Cup has provided me with the tools to contribute to the social debate. The VRT NWS allocated an article to my research, which I was also allowed to explain in Nieuwe Feiten and De Ochtend on Radio 1. Also an interview with Het Nieuwsblad, Het Belang van Limburg and Juristenkrant, and I had the opportunity to write an opinion piece at that time My advice to researchers? Don't hesitate, sign up and start an amazing adventure in which you can share your research with a large audience.
Theater (Concert) of Science
The Doctoral Cup gives researchers a platform, both figuratively and literally. This year the stage will be the Handelsbeurs Concert Hall in Ghent, where the final will be held on October 16. The last eight researchers will compete that evening for the PhD Cup 2024. The winner will receive a €5,000 voucher for Vlerick Business School, can make a video with the University of Flanders and will have the opportunity to publish a book with Academia Press.
All information and conditions are available www.phdcup.be
