Thesis in 4 Minutes Competition

• Be a PhD student at the UAB in at least the second year, with registration paid for the current academic year.
• Not have defended the thesis before the day of the competition.
• Have the approval of your thesis supervisor. 
• Undertake to attend personally on the day of the competition, since online participation is not permitted.
• Undertake not to reveal any confidential information or data related to the research.
• If you win the competition, undertake to participate as a representative of the UAB in the Thesis in 4 Minutes competition of the Catalan Foundation for Research,  which will take place on the 3rd July 2025 in Girona. If for unavoidable circumstances the winner cannot take part, the person receiving the second prize will participate.

The competition consists of two stages:   

Stage 1

Aspiring presenters should send proposals via this online form. 

The following information is requested:  

• Personal details.
• Name of the PhD programme and area of knowledge.
• Name and contact of the thesis supervisor.
• Title of the presentation.
• Summary in Catalan, Spanish or English of the thesis (maximum 500 words) which should be in an informative language which can be understood by a non-expert audience. 
• A short video (maximum 1 minute)  in which the student presents and explains the reason for wanting to take part in the competition. This video must be recorded in landscape format and saved in MP4. The link must be copied onto the form to be able to upload it onto the platform of the student’s choice. This video will be used for the presentation of the finalists in the competition and for promotion on social media.
• Contact information on social media (Instagram, Twitter, etc.). This field is optional.

The selection of proposals for presentation will be made by a panel made up of a representative of the Vice Rector’s Office for Research, a representative of the Vice Rector’s Office for Communication and Promotion, a representative of the Vice Rector’s Office for Language Policy, the Director of the Doctoral School and those coordinators of doctoral programmes who are members of the Doctoral School Standing Committee. The panel will consider the the ability to summarize, the informative language used in writing the proposals and the communication skills showed in the video.

The period for submissions is 5 to 18 March 2025. On 15 April 2025 the candidates selected will be informed and will go on to the next stage.

The deadline has been extended to 21 April at 11.59 pm.

Stage 2

Those selected must participate in a 3-hour training session (30 April 2025, 10 am to 3 pm) to help them to prepare an oral presentation of 4 minutes on the research involved in their thesis project which they stated in their application. On 8 May 205 the finalists will make their presentations before a panel that will award the different prizes.

Presentations:  

• 4 minutes maximum. The presentation will be considered to have begun when the presenter starts to speak.
• The presentation can be made in Catalan, Spanish or English.
• Only static slides are permitted as support material, and it is recommended that no more than two are used.
• Some accompanying materials are allowed but it is recommended that these are kept to a minimum.
• Brief or humorous quotes are allowed.
• Videos, sound, musical instruments, and fancy dress are not allowed.
• The presentations will be made in a ceremony to be transmitted live on the UAB YouTube. 
• The order of the presentations will be decided by drawing lots. The drawing will take place on the training day (30th April).

The jury is made up of the same members participating in the selection stage. The panel will consider the content, comprehension, and capacity for synthesis of the proposals.

The jury will award first and second prize to the best two presentations and there will also be an audience prize. This year, a special 300 euros prize "Assumpció Català i Poch" to foster theses in Catalan.

1st prize: 800€

2nd prize: 500€

Audience prize: 200€

The audience prize and the special prize "Assumpció Català i Poch” are compatible with the first and second prizes (in the case they coincide, the amounts will be added).

The rules for the Thesis in 4 Minutes competition can be downloaded below.

• Rules for the Thesis in 4 Minutes Competition 2025 (PDF, 0.20MB)

Data Protection

Personal data will be included in the file of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, with registered address at Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès 08193), and they will be processed for the purpose of data collection for managing the competition.

The person responsible for data processing is Beatriz Ferrús, Director of the School for Doctoral Studies (email: directora.doctorat@uab.cat). Personal data will not be released to third parties except in cases that are legally permitted or for obligatory compliance.

The data will be held on file for an indefinite period.

In accordance with the current legislation on personal data protection, you have the right to revoke your consent to their use at any time and you may exercise your right to access, rectify, cancel, opposed and place limitations on the processing and portability of your data by contacting the person responsible for data processing or the General Secretariat of the UAB at the Rectorat Building of the Bellaterra campus or by email directora.doctorat@uab.cat. 

You can also make any necessary consultations in relation to the processing of your personal data by writing to the personal responsible for data processing at the UAB: proteccio.dades@uab.cat. 

You can also present any complaints you may have to the Catalan Data Protection Authority.

Acceptance of Rules and Regulations

Participation in this competition assumes full acceptance of the rules. Any questions about their interpretation or any incident that may occur during the competition period must be resolved by the organising unit whose decision is final.