EQUALITY GUIdE - KU Leuven

Chapter 4 ! Scientific communication 223
4.2.8. The time aspect
It was not always easy to respect the allotted time. Very often, certain subjects had to
be postponed to the next meeting. This was probably due to the interactive approach
of the meetings. It is difficult to know in advance which topics will appeal to the participants
and how much time people will want to spend on them.
Apart from the timing problem, the training went very well and there were no real setbacks.
The participants were very enthusiastic women who really went for it. If it were
up to them, they would all be at the top within a few years. As a matter of fact, three
participants were promoted to Assistant Professor, one to fulltime Assistant Professor,
one to post-doc and one to BOF-ZAP 242 shortly after they followed the scientific communication
training.
4.3. Tips for organizing the training
The test trainings produced insights into several organizational aspects of the training
such as the desired topics, the form or way in which the training should be given, the
ideal group of participants, the requirements for lecturers, the duration of the training
and each session, the best location and the most efficient set-up of the room, how the
evaluation should be performed and what the syllabus should look like. They also
generated a number of session-specific tips.
4.3.1. The desired topics
In order to begin the training in an efficient way, it is a good idea to provide participants
with information in advance. It is also advisable to introduce the participants to
the lecturers and their potential offerings, so they can select the topics themselves. That
way, the offerings of the lecturers are geared to the needs of the participants.
4.3.2. The form
The training should be practical and interactive, with many exercises and exchange of
experiences and tips. It should also be change-oriented and supportive.
During the test trainings, the use of a learning environment such as Blackboard was
perceived as very useful. Blackboard offers a forum in which participants can exchange
their opinions and give feedback after the training. Furthermore, all information and
242 BOF = Bijzonder Onderzoeksfonds. Flemish Government fund with financial resources for fundamental
research. ZAP = Senior Academic Personnel.