TEDx University of Warsaw

TEDx University of Warsaw

We invite you to submit your application for participation in the TEDx University of Warsaw, which is not only an opportunity to present your research, but also (and perhaps above all) will allow you, thanks to individual training, to improve your public speaking skills.

The goal of TEDx University of Warsaw is to present the research of young researchers from the University of Warsaw. 12-14 speakers, including 10 doctoral students. In the case of a larger number of applications, the directors of doctoral schools will select them, with a view to presenting the widest possible variety of scientific research at the University of Warsaw.

Each speaker who decides to take part in the project, must attend two types of trainings: storytelling and public speaking. The trainings will take place at the University of Warsaw’
premises (Main Campus, Powiśle Campus). Each speaker will have to sign a copyright statement for TED Talks. Speakers must agree to participate in communication and promotional activities (more information at www.facebook.com/tedxuniversityofwarsaw.

Speakers do not get any salary or other types of financial compensation. The project is financed by the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” program.

Here you can watch last year TEDx UW speeches – https://tedxuniversityofwarsaw.uw.edu.pl/

Calendar:

Submission of applications to the address szkola.dr@uw.edu.pl by February 9, 2024, 11:59 p.m.
Preparation for the TEDx includes:
- a full-day training (the date is not yet known, but probably it will be February 26 or 28) – project and team presentation, coaching and storytelling (offline);
- individual trainings (creating a TEDx speech – storytelling; public speaking on stage and in front of the camera; coaching and consultation);
TEDx University of Warsaw 2024 will take place April 24, 2024 (a rehearsal will be the day before).

TEDx application form – Download TEDx application form 2024 – docx document

Q&A

How long can a TEDx University speech last?

The speaker’s speech can last up to 11 minutes.

Is it possible to present my own book, company, etc. during the speech?

If it’s essential to a talk that the speaker mentions what they do and describe the businesses that they’re in, they should. But speakers may never use the TED or TEDx stage to pitch their
products or services, plug their books, or ask for funding. While entrepreneurs and business leaders can speak at TEDx events, their talk should be driven by an idea and not sell from the
stage. A TEDx event is not a platform for professional or circuit speakers, such as motivational speakers and professional life coaches – it’s a fine line between shameless self-promotion and
wholesome self-reporting so, as a rule of thumb, if it feels like an advertisement, it probably is.

Can political or religious issues be raised during speeches?

Politics, social issues, and policy are key parts of the global conversation. However, TEDx stages are not the place for partisan politics, nor for extremist or inflammatory positions. Speakers must not attack or advocate for parties, party platforms, and political leaders in their talk. They must not advocate for violence or oppression. Special care should also be taken with politically divisive subjects (eg. abortion, gun control) so as to avoid polarizing “us vs. them” language.

What issues should be addressed during the speech?

Presentations should encourage to think outside the box on a variety of topics.

What requirements should the speech meet?

TEDx is a platform for presenting and explaining real, research-backed advances in science. Therefore, speakers’ claims should be based on data that has been verified by experts in a given field. Speakers are required to transparently present the basis for any of their claims about thematic facts and the scientific evidence to support them.

Can I use copyrighted material during my speech?

The content of each presentation must comply with the copyright law. Speakers are required to provide advance notice of all third party material that will be used in their presentations and obtain written permission for copyrighted material where applicable. In the case of using materials under the Creative Commons license, they should be signed with the name of the author and the name of the license with information about the source. More on copyright: Direct link to the pdf file

How to create presentations?

Presentations are not necessary – however, if the speaker intends to enrich her/his speech in this way – it is worth getting acquainted with the TEDx rules for creating slides.

Slides should be: clear, visually attractive (high resolution graphics), easy to understand, with as little text as possible. One slide should cover one point of the speech. At the same time, too many slides can distract listeners. Therefore, it is worth making individual slides well-thought-out and serving a specific purpose. Slides with headings and enumerators should be avoided on the slides (they are boring for a large part of the audience). The size of the text should be large enough to be readable by all people gathered in the room. Slides should have a simple background. They should use a sans serif font (Helvetica or Verdana).

The full set of TEDx rules for speakers can be found here: https://www.ted.com/participate/organize-a-local-tedx-event