Is it possible to talk about complex scientific research in a way that is understandable to the general audience and do it in just three minutes? This is the challenge facing the participants of the international Three Minute Thesis® (3MT®) competition, which has been helping the doctoral students of around the world develop their communication skills for years. In the autumn of 2026, WUM will join this prestigious initiative for the first time as a co-organizer of the event alongside the Warsaw University of Technology.
Rules of the 3MT® competition
Three Minute Thesis® was developed in 2008 by the University of Queensland in Australia. Currently, the competition is held at nearly a thousand universities in almost a hundred countries. Its participants – doctoral students – have three minutes to present their scientific research in English. They are allowed to use only one static slide. Success is determined primarily by narrative skills, clarity of message and the ability to engage an audience that is not familiar with the field.
The course of the competition
The competition consists of three stages (registration, preliminaries, finals). During the last stage, previously selected doctoral students present their projects to the jury and the audience. The best performances are rewarded.
In accordance with the signed agreement, WUM and the Warsaw University of Technology will carry out the first two stages at their universities: registration and preliminaries. The finals of the competition will take place jointly and will gather 6 representatives of each university. The partners will also cooperate in the promotion of the event, registration of the participants and the appointment of jury members.
Thanks to participation in 3MT®, young scientists will have the opportunity to present their ideas and discoveries and develop communication and popularization skills.
Photo: Warsaw University of Technology