Welcome to Project Management and Interpersonal Skills

Description: This course is a practical ‘hands on’ workshop, which will support PhD students in their endeavors to manage the PhD project. The focus is twofold: 1) enhancing project management skills in a university culture that is characterized by unruly creative work, lack of formal structures and network organization. 2) Enhancing interpersonal skills, particularly in relation to the cooperation with supervisors and other important stakeholders.

The workshop will introduce and illustrate an easy and down to earth method on how to plan your time on a daily basis inspired by Steven Covey (2005) and the game plan approach from the world of coaching. The course will also work with the Core Quality Quadrant (Ofman, 2004) as a tool to explore interpersonal communication structure. Key issues in the relationship between PhD student and supervisor will be identified and analyzed by means of role-play.

There will be a possibility for an individual follow up coaching session after a month for those PhD students that find it beneficial. Target group: • PhD students preferably during their first year

Time schedule for the workshop: One workshop will be held in the spring and one in the fall

Objectives: To show the PhD student:
•How to be a good project planner on a daily basis in a university setting
•How to apply the Core Quality method to understand your own role in interpersonal relationships
•How to use basic negotiating skills in making agreements with your supervisor
•How to build a network in academia

Course structure:
•2 consecutive days consisting of a mix of introductions and exercises individually and in groups.
•An assignment related to actual skills is to be send in before the workshop
•Relevant literature will be introduced during the course


Completion of the course: Handing in assignments and participating in the course are criteria for passing the course.

Course program: Day 1 Planning and time management. Day 2 Interpersonal skills and negotiation


Course literature:

Covey, Stephen R. The seven habits of highly effective people. 2005. ISBN 9780743268165

Ofman, D. Core. Qualities and the Core Quadrant. Core Quality International, 1999. ISBN 90 5594 1697. 7th edition 32013.

Phillips, E.M. & D.S. Pugh. How to get a PhD? A handbook for students and their supervisors (Third edition). Open University Press, Buckingham, 2000. P 235.

Prochaska, James O. et al. Changing for good. Changing for Good: A Revolutionary Six-Stage Program for Overcoming Bad Habits and Moving Your Life Positively Forward. 1994/2008

Organizer and lecturer: Associate Professor Pia Bøgelund, e-mail: pb@plan.aau.dk and Professor Erik de Graaff, email: degraaff@plan.aau.dk

ECTS: 2

Time: 13 - 14 November 2019, 9:00-16:00

Place: Rendsburggade 14, room 4.521

Zip code: 9000

City: Aalborg

Number of seats: 20

Deadline: 23 October 2019


Important information concerning PhD courses: We have over some time experienced problems with no-show for both project and general courses. It has now reached a point where we are forced to take action. Therefore, the Doctoral School has decided to introduce a no-show fee of DKK 5,000 for each course where the student does not show up. Cancellations are accepted no later than 2 weeks before start of the course. Registered illness is of course an acceptable reason for not showing up on those days. Furthermore, all courses open for registration approximately three months before start. This can hopefully also provide new students a chance to register for courses during the year. We look forward to your registrations.