Speaking and Writing Skills for Academic and Career Success

The Skills Summer School (SSS, Speaking and Writing Skills for Academic and Career Success) is a unique opportunity to enhance your skills to improve your university performance and/or advance your career. You will attend classes with world-class university professors and broaden your horizons in one of the liveliest and most beautiful cities in the world.

The SSS is a two-week study program, taught in English, in which students will focus on important speaking and writing skills they need to master to be successful university students and professionals. The SSS brings together students from all over the World and some local students in a truly international environment. The course is complemented by social and cultural events, as well as academic field trips.

The course contents can be seen in the syllabus on our website.

NOTE: the web page requires choosing ONE discipline, so Communication has been chosen, but the course provides transversal skills useful in any discipline

Course leader

Check the syllabus on our website for a complete list of our Faculty.

Target group

Undergraduate students in any field.
Bachelor’s degree graduates may also apply.
A good command of English language (minimum B2 level recommended) is a general requirement for all applicants.

Course aim

A) Introduction

The SSS is a two-week study program, taught in English, in which students will focus on important skills they need to master to be successful university students and professionals, such as effective listening and reading skills, presenting to large audiences, or writing papers. In addition, students will work in small teams to make a presentation to the whole group, and they will practice their writing skills.

B) Objectives

Public speaking and presentation techniques are designed to prepare you to make unforgettable presentations. You will learn communication techniques and how to connect with the audience. In particular, the objectives are:

• Acquire knowledge and skills necessary to make attractive and successful presentations.
• Acquire knowledge and skills to achieve efficient, transparent, and fluent communication with your audience.

Reading efficiently and writing high-quality academic papers are skills you will work on in the course to be able to write excellent compositions for academic and professional purposes. You will:

• Acquire knowledge and skills necessary to process written information efficiently being able to use different techniques depending on your goal.
• Acquire knowledge and skills to write texts conveying your message in a formal, coherent, and interesting manner that will attract, entertain or convince your audience.

In addition to the primary objective, the course has a secondary objective. The complementary objective is to provide an enriching study abroad experience. Studying abroad provides students with extraordinary benefits in terms of academic, cultural, and personal enrichment.

Credits info

3 EC
The SSS has a workload equivalent to 3 ECTS credits. A 4-week study program (with a workload equivalent to 6 ECTS credits) can also be followed if you wish to take our Climate Change Summer School with two additional weeks.

Fee info

EUR 1060: 1 summer school (only Skills) – 1,060 € + application fee (85 €)
EUR 1495: 2 summer schools (Climate Change + Skills) – 1,495 € + application fee (85 €)

Scholarships

Discounts of 150-200 € for Early Bird Registration (until March 31) and Partner Universities. Discounts can be accumulated to 300-400 € if both apply.