"1st Complementary skills training course" Impression of ESR1

"One of the best experiences I have had so far is Complementary skills training at the University of Montpellier, France, which was affiliated with the DECODE project with my other colleagues from different cultures. The training dealt with two aspects, one of which is technical content and the other is about discovering and visiting archaeological sites in Montpellier.

As for the technical side, it dealt with some topics that are a major focus for the TEAM-BUILDING (getting to know each other and ourselves, and understanding the cultural differences), and INTERPERSONAL SKILLS (basic principles of communication: the notion of the message and the public, plain language: how to explain complex scientific issues in simple words, understanding the needs and deciphering the feedback of our public: how to adapt our communication tools to the type of audience, and how to use creativity to boost our communications).

We were 15 PhD researchers from different cultures, but after this training, we became receptive to differences to achieve maximum results"

Mohammed AboArab

ESR1, UOI