HBKU Students Hone Skills During ‘Three-Minute Thesis’ Contest

Masters and doctoral students at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) recently participated in Three Minute Thesis (3MT), a contest launched by the University of Queensland, Australia, and brought to Qatar for the first time by HBKU Student Affairs. The 3MT competition requires competitors to deliver a succinct overview of their thesis to a non-specialist audience, in three minutes or less, giving them an opportunity to hone their academic, presentation, and research communication skills. Competitors were required to present their research using a single static slide, which had to be displayed at the start of the discussion. Electronic media and other props were not permitted. A panel comprising three judges assessed competitors based on comprehension, content, engagement, and communication. The 3MT initiative nurtures a supportive environment in which schools, institutes, and universities can provide valuable presentation skills training. The event is also an opportunity for competitors to get to know other students on campus and learn about their respective research projects. 3MT competitors portrayed high levels of presentation skills and innovative ideas in their research topics. Owing to its inaugural success, HBKU will next year host the event on a larger scale, extending participation to masters and PhD students from universities across Qatar.