Transversal Activities
PhD programmes include both transversal and specific activities in the area of each programme.
Transversal activities are useful for people who are doing their doctorate outside their area of knowledge, since they offer the opportunity to acquire transversal competences during the training period of the PhD programme. They are elective activities and completely free of charge. You can find the transversal activities organised by the UAB and presented by the School for Doctoral Studies in this section for quick and easy access to the information.
For the specific activities, you can find the information in individual folders for each of the PhD programmes.
Within the transversal activities, the Language Service of the UAB offers language courses specifically addressed at PhD students: the courses Thesis writing in English and Defending your Thesis.
The School for Doctoral Studies also offers some seminars related to the competences of Industrial Doctoral Research such as How to validate your research, Technology-based intellectual property, Leadership techniques or How to expand your network of contacts to get a job, among others. The activities offered may change each academic year depending on the trainers' availability. In the description of each activity the course language is also detailed.For further information on how to get the attendance certificates for transversal activities, please contact ed.transversals@uab.cat.
To include these activities in your academic record, please check this video (click on the subtitle icon at the bottom right corner). Select the type of activity 65 (Transversal Activity) and write the name of the activity in the field “Description”. It is highly recommended to fill this field in the three available languages (Catalan, Spanish and English).
Below you can find the available courses. These activities are exclusively addressed to first stage researchers enrolled at UAB School for Doctoral Studies as students of a doctoral programme offered by the UAB. Please bear in mind that the scheduled activities may be subject to some changes.
From Science to the Marketplace
Date: September-December 2025, schedule to be confirmed
Mode: on-site (Startup UB lab)
Language: Catalan and Spanish
Addressed to: master's degree and PhD students
The University of Barcelona, the Autonomous University of Barcelona, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and the Pompeu Fabra University have launched the seventh edition of 'From science to the marketplace', a 100% subsidised training course to foster scientific entrepreneurship. The programme consists of 100 hours of training on knowledge transfer and business creation. In addition, each project will have between 2 and 10 hours of individualized tutoring with professionals from the sector.
More information and registrations here.
Writing a Thesis in English
Sciences, Health Sciences and Engineering
Date: 20/10/2025 to 19/11/2025, Mondays and Wednesdays from 5 to 7 pm
Law, Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities
Date: 21/10/2025 to 20/11/2025, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 7 pm
Mode: on-site
Language: English
Trainer: Servei de Llengües
Addressed to: first stage researchers with an accredited B2.2 English level and who do not have English as a native or native-like language
Issues related to academic-scientific writing, specialized languages and the conventions of formal university texts are addressed. The course is thought as a support in the writing process of the thesis. Participants can share small fragments of their text, so specific doubts can be solved.
For more information visit the Servei de Llengües website.
Presenting Research
Date: 21/10/2025 to 20/11/2025, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 12 pm
Mode: virtual
Language: English
Trainer: Servei de Llengües
Addressed to: first stage researchers with an accredited B2.2 English level and who do not have English as a native or native-like language
The School for Doctoral Studies organises, together with the Languages Service, this course aimed at strengthening researchers’ skills for presentations in English in working sessions, workshops, seminars and conferences. Participants will learn to control anxiety and nerves before a presentation, to choose and organize contents to make an interesting and persuasive oral presentation and to adapt their discourse to the public. They will also learn to develop and use a script and other support systems for the transmission of content (PowerPoint or Prezi), to express themselves naturally and to manage the questions of the audience. The course also focuses on aspects such as register and linguistic correctness.
Registrations via this link.
Chemical Risks in the Laboratory
Virtual self-learning course available all the academic year-round.
Mode: virtual
Language: Catalan, Spanish and English
Trainer: UAB Risk Prevention Service
Addressed to: course specially recommended to first stage researchers working in a lab. This activity is equivalent to the one with the same name offered by the Unitat de Formació.
The School for Doctoral Studies organises, together with the Risk Prevention Service, this course that aims at informing and rising awareness about the most common risk factors for human health and safety in the laboratories by training in risk detection and protection systems.
Aims
- To identify the most common risks in a laboratory.
- To know the most common entry channels of chemical contaminants and biological agents.
- To know the most common protection systems in the laboratory. Fume hoods, biological safety booths, individual protection equipment.
- To learn tools for a qualitative risk assessment.
- To raise awareness about preventive culture.
More information via Aula Moodle.
Open Access Publishing of Research Data
Date: several sessions
Mode: virtual
Language: Catalan, Spanish and English
Trainer: Servei de Biblioteques
Addressed to: first starge researchers
The School for Doctoral Studies organises, together with the Libraries Service, this course that aims to offer a general overview on the publication of open access research data. Firstly, attendees will be given an explanation about research data, the benefits of publishing them open access and the regulations ruling it. The repositories to publish those data will also be explained, such as the institutional repository for research data at UAB, CORA RDR.
Contents
- Research data
- Requirements
- FAIR principles
- CORA RDR
- Other research data repositories
- Good practices
Registrations and timetables via Aula Moodle.
Data Management Plan for PhD Students
Date: several sessions
Mode: virtual
Language: Catalan, Spanish and English
Trainer: Servei de Biblioteques
Addressed to: first stage researchers.
The School for Doctoral Studies organises, together with the Libraries Service, this course where all aspects related to the creation of a Data Management Plan (DMP) will be discussed, showing the specific template for doctoral students of the CORA.eiNa DMP application, as well as the elements that must be included in the DMP to ensure that the data generated will be FAIR.
Contents
- Data Management Plan
- FAIR contents in a DMP
- CORA.eiNA DMP
Registrations and timetables via Aula Moodle..
Good Research Practices and Research Integrity at the UAB
Virtual self-learning course available all the academic year-round.
Mode: virtual
Trainer: Ethics Committee on Animal and Human Experimentation
Language: English
Addressed to: first stage researchers
The School for Doctoral Studies organises this online seminar to transmit to early career researchers their responsibilities as future scientists, including awareness of and ability to deal with issues concerning research integrity and research ethics in a wider sense while promoting responsible conduct of research. Early career researchers will have the opportunity to learn ethical principles and apply them to problems they will encounter during their professional activities as researchers.
More information via Aula Moodle.
Welcome Session. Technical and Administrative Aspects of Doctoral Studies. Academic year 2025-2026
Date: 26/11/2025, 11 am to 12.30 pm
Mode: hybrid (virtual and on-site)
Venue: room Carles Perelló, (floor -1, School for Doctoral Studies)
Language: Spanish
Addressed to: first stage researchers
The Welcome Session of the UAB School for Doctoral Studies is specially addressed to first year PhD students but it is also open to other first stage researchers that may be interested in attending. This session will include a welcome by the director of the School and will aim to address the most relevant aspects related to the regulations and procedures of doctoral studies
More information and registrations via Aula Moodle.
Boosting your Research Career
Activity cancelled
Date: 27 & 28/11/2025, 9.30 am to 1.30 pm
Mode: on-site
Venue: room Carles Perelló, (floor -1, School for Doctoral Studies)
Language: Catalan (materials and slides in English)
Trainer: Teresa Rosas, academic talent officer at CREAF
Addressed to: first stage researchers, specially from thiet second follow-up
This interactive training is designed to guide predoctoral researchers in the development of their professional careers, both inside and outside academia. Participants will have the opportunity to acquire practical tools to get to know themselves better, explore their career options, and prepare face new opportunities with confidence.
More information and registrations via Aula Moodle (not available yet).
Gender Perspective in Research
Date: 1 & 3/12/2025, 2 to 5 pm
Mode: on-site
Venue: room 2, School for Doctoral Studies
Language: Catalan
Trainers: Ingrid Agud and Mireia Foradada, Department of Educational Theories
Addressed to: first stage researchers
The School for Doctoral Studies organises the course "Gender Perspective in Research". The course will enable researchers to embed gender equality in their own research proposals, as well as training their ability to review research proposals from a sex - gender perspective.
For more information and registrations visit the Aula Moodle.
Elevator Pitch
Date: 1,3, 10, 15 & 17/12/2025, 10 am to 12 pm
Mode: on-site
Venue: to be confirmed
Language: English
Trainer: Servei de Llengües
Addressed to: first stage researchers with an accredited B2.2 English level and who do not have English as a native or native-like language
Aim: to prepare attendees to explain their projects in English and in a limited time.
The School for Doctoral Studies organises, together with the Language Service, this course to create an interesting, entertaining, persuasive and attractive speech from the point of view of substance and form. The course will address aspects such as the analysis of the expectations of the interlocutor or the audience, the ability to synthesize and the communication of complex content in a simple and informative language. All attendees will produce a short speech to be presented in front of their colleagues. Feedback on the strengths and weaknesses of the intervention will be given.
Registrations via Aula Moodle.
Scientific Illustration
Date: 2 & 4/12/2025, 10 am to 2 pm
Mode: on-site
Venue: to be confirmed
Language: Spanish
Trainer: Mikel Graphic Science
Addressed to: first stage researchers
The School for Doctoral Studies and the Scientific Dissemination Unit of the UAB organize this course aimed at promoting the dissemination of science using graphic resources.
Contents
- Design applied to the creation of scientific posters: typography, color, layout, accessibility, user experience improvement
- Visualization of data: applied design or data viz, types of graphics, creation of impactful graphics in RawGraph, editing of graphics in Inkscape
- Creating illustrations, maps and icons for scientific figures in Inkscape
- Free websites and resources
Registrations via Aula Moodle.
Research Design with the Idea Puzzle® Software
Date: 9/12/2025, 11 am to 12.30 pm
Mode: virtual
Language: English
Trainer: Ricardo Morais (Idea Puzzle)
Addressed to: first stage researchers
The School for Doctoral Studies organises this seminar where the use and possibilities of the Idea Puzzle® software will be explained. This software is thought to design, diagnose and defend research projects. It constitutes an investment in life-long research skills.
Contents:
- Research as a system of 21 decisions
- Theoretical decisions of your research
- Methodological decisions of your research
- Empirical decisions of your research
- Rhetoric decisions of your research
- Authorial decisions of your research
- Application to participants' research with the Idea Puzzle® software
More information via Aula Moodle.
Research Papers
Social Sciences and Humanities.
Date: 11/12/2025 to 29/01/2026, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 4 pm
Mode: virtual
Language: English
Trainer: Servei de Llengües
Addressed to: first stage researchers with an accredited B2.2 English level and who do not have English as a native or native-like language
Aim: To improve the writing of scientific papers in English
The School for Doctoral Studies organises, together with the Languages Service, this course on one of the most common sorts of discourse in scientific communication, the scientific paper. The participants develop and consolidate the necessary skills to write scientific papers in English. The course addresses aspects related to the standardized structure of papers (introduction, methodology, results, discussion, conclusions) and the formal and discursive characteristics that these parts must have. Questions related to English vocabulary and correct grammar and syntactic structures when writing papers are also addressed.
Registrations via Aula Moodle.
Communicating Science
Date: 12 to 26/01/2026, Mondays and Wednesdays from 10 am to 12 pm
Mode: on-site
Language: English
Trainer: Servei de Llengües
Addressed to: first stage researchers with an accredited B2.2 level and who do not have English as a native or native-like language
The Doctoral School organises, together with the Languages Service, this course aimed at the production of texts for scientific dissemination, both oral and written, to learn how to use plain language to reach non-specialised audiences. Attendees will learn to adapt the content to the audience, the register and the pitch; to choose the appropriate words; to manage the redundancies and the words of transition; to control the negative and affirmative modalities of the speech in order to achieve maximum clarity; to properly manage the emergence of known and unknown information; to foster a good thematic progression; to determine the lengths of the sentences and the paragraphs to build them appropriately and to foster the comprehensibility and readability of the text, among other aspects.
More information and registrations via Aula Moodle.
Information Resources for PhD
Date: several sessions
Mode: virtual / on-site (depending on the session).
The English edition will be available as a self-learning course.
Language: Spanish and English
Trainer: Servei de Biblioteques
Addressed to: first stage researchers. Specially recommended for 1st year PhD students
The Doctoral School organises, together with the Libraries Service, this course that offers an overview of the main resources of bibliographic information, both contracted and open access, informing about the search strategies, contents, alerts, possibilities for storage and export of results.
Contents
- The need for information
- Development of a search strategy
- Evaluation of results
- The UAB libraries' browser
- Internet Search
- Databases
More information for the Spanish sessions and registrations via Aula Moodle (not available yet).
Self-learning course in English (not available yet).
Zotero
Virtual self-learning course available from the 20th January to the 31st May.
Mode: virtual
Language: Catalan, Spanish and English
Trainer: Servei de Biblioteques
Addressed to: first stage researchers
The course is structured in five modules. The aim of this course is to offer a broad vision of the reference manager Zotero, that allows storing, organising and sharing information. Estimated dedication time is 4.5 hours.
Contents
- What is Zotero?
- Personal library
- Organising your personal library
- Gathering and inserting references in a text
- Teamwork
More information via Aula Moodle (not available yet).
How to Read a Paper Using Common Sense and AI
Date: 03/02/2026, 9.30 am to 5.30 pm
Mode: on-site
Venue: to be confirmed
Language: English
Trainer: TPM Science
Addressed to: first stage researchers
The aim of this workshop is to accompany the participants during the process of reading scientific literature by offering appropriate tools to help gather, manage and extract scientific evidence from the literature. Key competencies and good practices will be reviewed for approaching this task in a more systematic way. Likewise, the growing offering of AI tools that can be used to speed up and automate different parts of the process will be explored.
More information and registrations via Aula Moodle (not available yet).
Technology-based Intellectual Property: a Practical Approach to the Use of Patents, Know-How and Utility Models
Virtual self-learning course available all the academic year round.
Mode: virtual
Language: Catalan
Trainer: Xavier Vallvé, Head of the Office of Patent Valuation UAB
Addressed to: first stage researchers, preferably from scientific and technological fields
The seminar "Technology-Based Intellectual Property" provides a theoretical overview of patents, know-how and utility models. Early stage researchers will watch several videos with basic information about how to protect their research and how to manage patents. The seminar is organized by the Office of Patents Valuation together with the Doctoral School and is part of the transferable skills training programme.
Topics
- Uses of Technology-based Intellectual Property (or how to become a smarter researcher).
- Patents: Requirements and exclusions, structure, prosecution, and infringement.
- Utility models.
- Know-how: when to keep information confidential and comparison with patents.
- Patent information: how to take advantage of research patented by others, and multiple uses of using patent databases.
Course and programme via Aula Moodle (not available yet).
Teamwork
Date: 2, 9, 16 & 23/02/2026, 10 am to 12 pm
Mode: virtual
Language: Spanish
Trainer: Grup Sural
Addressed to: first stage researchers
Objectives
- Knowing ourselves to better understand others and to have more tools for teamwork
- Discover the available resources to use them
- Value the importance of all aspects that define a team
- Our role inside a team
- Discover the benefits of teamwork
- Turn differences into added value
More information and registrations via Aula Moodle (not available yet).
Research Yourself ®
Date: 2, 9, 16 & 23/02/2026, 3 to 5 pm
Mode: on-site
Venue: room 2, School for Doctoral Studies
Language: Spanish
Trainer: Elvira Reche, PhD in Health Psychology
Addressed to: first stage researchers
Is your doctorate causing you stress? Do you feel overwhelmed by pressure? Are you worried about your relationship with your supervisor and your team? Do you find it difficult to maintain a good work/life balance? According to recent studies, earning a doctorate, although gratifying, can also be a mentally challenging process. For that reason, the Doctoral School has organised this 4-session course that, by using coaching and mindfulness techniques, will give you tools to combat the anxiety, fears and frustrations that may arise during this training phase.
Session 1: What is and what is not mindfulness. Is it useful for scientific personnel?
Session 2: Do we have an emotional profile? What is emotional regulation? Can it be measured?
Session 3: What are the main stressors of research staff? What are my time constraints during my PhD and why do I procrastinate...sometimes?
Session 4: Is a conscious communication with my research group and/or thesis director possible?
More information and registrations via Aula Moodle (not available yet).
Web of Science and Scopus
Date: several sessions
Mode: virtual
Language: Spanish, Catalan and English
Trainer: Servei de Biblioteques
Addressed to: first stage researchers
The Doctoral School organises, together with the Libraries Service, this course which offers an introduction to the main features of these two bibliographic and bibliometric resources of paramount importance for doctoral students. The course will explain search strategies, content, storage possibilities and export of the results, as well as the analysis of the quality of the journals and the scientific production of the authors.
Contents
- Designing your search strategy
- Search options in WOS
- Search options in Scopus
- Main indicators
Registrations and schedule via Aula Moodle (not available yet).
Innovate and Transfer your Research to Society
Date: 10, 12, 17 & 19/02/2026, 3 to 5.30 pm
Mode: 10, 12 and 17 on-site; 19 virtual (to be confirmed)
Venue: UAB Research Park
Language: Spanish
Addressed to: first stage researchers
The UAB Research Park organises, together with the Doctoral School, this seminar to give tools to first stage researchers to determine whether their research can be transferred and applicable to society.
Aims
- To discover the possible transfer of your thesis to society
- To improve the quality of the thesis, focusing on applicability and innovation
- To promote personal growth and increase confidence in the presentation of the project, optimizing communication according to the needs of the audience
More information and registrations via Aula Moodle (not available yet).
Writing a Thesis in English
Sciences, Health Sciences and Engineering
Date: 16/02 to18/03/2026, Mondays and Wednesdays, 5 to 7 pm
Social Sciences and Law, Arts and HumanitiesDate: 17/02 to 19/03/2026, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2 to 4 pm
Mode: virtual
Language: English
Trainer: Servei de Llengües
Addressed to: first stage researchers with an accredited B2.2 English level and who do not have English as a native or native-like language
Issues related to academic-scientific writing, specialized languages and the conventions of formal university texts are addressed. The course is thought as a support in the writing process of the thesis. Participants can share small fragments of their text, so specific doubts can be solved.
For further information visit the Servei de Llengües website.
Defending your Thesis in English
Date: 16/02 to 18/03/2026, Mondays and Wednesdays from 1 to 3 pm
Mode: virtual
Language: English
Trainer: Servei de Llengües
Addressed to: first stage researchers in their last year, with an accredited B2.2 level and who do not have English as a native or native-like language
Course to prepare doctoral candidates in their last year for the reading and defense of their thesis.
For further information visit the Servei de Llengües website.
Welcome Session. Technical and Administrative Aspects of Doctoral Studies. Academic year 2025-2026
New edition.
Date: 24/02/2026, 11 to 12.30 pm
Mode: hybrid (virtual and on-site)
Venue: sala Carles Perelló, School for Doctoral Studies
Language: Spanish
Addressed to: first stage researchers who couldn't attend the welcome session last November
The Welcome Session of the UAB School for Doctoral Studies is specially addressed to first year PhD students but it is also open to other first stage researchers that may be interested in attending. This session will include a welcome by the director of the School and will aim to address the most relevant aspects related to the regulations and procedures of doctoral studies
More information and registrations via Aula Moodle (not available yet).
Intellectual Property in the Thesis
Self-learning course available from March to May.
Mode: virtual
Language: Catalan, Spanish and English
Trainer: Servei de Biblioteques
Addressed to: first stage researchers. Specially recommended for 2nd year PhD students
The School for Doctoral Studies organises, together with the Libraries Service, this course that has a two-fold aim: on the one hand, to provide an overview of different aspects that the PhD Candidates need to take into account in order not to violate third parties’ rights when writing the thesis; and, on the other hand, to explain that they must publish their thesis dissertation in the institutional repository, as stated in the Article 14 Assessment and public dissertation of the doctoral thesis of the Royal Decree 99/2011 of 28th January, which regulates official doctoral studies. The course is addressed to early stage researchers. Industrial property will not be addressed at this course.
Contents
- Defining “author”
- Attribution of rights. Copyright and exploitation and patrimonial rights
- Transfer of rights. Creative Commons Licenses
- Public domain materials
- Respect third parties’ rights
- Thesis dissertation in TDX and DDD
- Interesting resources
Course and programme via Aula Moodle (not available yet).
Applied Statistics with JMP
Date: Monday 2, Wednesday 4, Monday 16 & Monday 23/04/2026, 9 am to 1 pm
Mode: on-site
Venue: to be confirmed
Language: English
Trainers: Josep Rialp & Teresa Obis, Business Department
Addressed to: first stage researchers (the course is opened to researchers from all fields but the examples will be specially focused on social sciences)
The aim of this course is to introduce some basic statistic concepts and ideas that should be followed for developing empirical research. All techniques are studied using statistical packages JMP.
More information and registrations via Aula Moodle (not available yet).
Systematic Reviews and Generative AI: The Case of Scoping Reviews
Date: 3/03/2026, from 3:00 to 5:00 pm
Mode: virtual
Language: Spanish
Trainer: Servei de Biblioteques
Addressed to: first stage researchers
The Doctoral School, together with the UAB Library Service, organizes this course offering a practical introduction to the scoping review methodology, a key tool for literature review in emerging research contexts. In addition, it explores how generative artificial intelligence can support the different stages of the process, from formulating the research question to synthesizing results.
Contents
- Systematic vs. bibliographic reviews
- PRISMA and SALSA protocols
- Phases of a systematic review
- Use of AI in the stages of a scoping review
More information and Registrations via Aula Moodle (not available yet).
Critical Thinking
Date: 3 & 6/03/2026, from 9 am to 1 pm
Mode: on-site
Venue: room 2, School for Doctoral Studies
Language: Spanish
Trainer: Carme Ruiz, Departament of Applied Pedagogy
Adresssed to: first stage researchers
This seminar aims to:
- Provide knowledge, methodologies and resources that favour critical thinking within research.
- Reflect on the role of this competence in the context of research.
- Know self-assessment tools of this critical thinking competence.
More information and registrations via Aula Moodle (not available yet).
How to Communicate your Research on Social Media
Date: 10 & 12/03/26, 10 am to 12pm
Mode: virtual
Language: Catalan
Trainer: Lydia Gil (socialmediaeninvestigacion.com)
Addressed to: first stage researchers
The emergence of digital platforms and social networks in the last years has modified the media ecosystem and has redefined the way of communicating and behaving in private and public spheres. The academia is not an exception. Nowadays, social media is a basic tool for research and scientific production and has a key role in networking with other researchers.
Aims
- To get an overview of the combination of social media and science
- To motivate early stage researchers to use social media
- To bring research at UAB and society closer by using social media
- To prepare a strategy for #ComunicaCiencia
- To discover the main 2.0 dissemination tools
More information and registrations via Aula Moodle (not available yet).