The Intervals programme has provided learning opportunities to all the PRBB community since 2008, offering workshops that aim to provide essential insights in creativity, communication, leadership and critical thinking, for anyone involved in research. Over these years the programme has evolved and consolidated, becoming a renowned and valued initiative in the PRBB and beyond.
Activity in 2024
2024 ended with more than 400 attendees participating in the 42 workshops that were organised during the year. The distribution of the attendees by centre and positions is in general similar to previous years, with a slight decrease in the participation of senior researchers and technicians, and an increase in attendance of administrative and managerial positions.
Feedback was excellent, with 91% of participants rating the courses as very good and excellent, and 94% saying that they would recommend the workshops to colleagues.
Feedback was excellent, with 91% of participants rating the courses as very good and excellent, and 94% saying that they would recommend the workshops to colleagues.
New workshops
Intervals most popular courses are repeated yearly, not only to give the PRBB staff more chances of attending but also to give them the opportunity to plan their training according to their availability and needs. Yet every year Intervals also offers new training in innovative topics, and in 2024 there were 5 new workshops, in 3 key areas:
1. Collaboration and teamwork:
To complement the existing offer in this area two new courses were run: Mediación: cómo tratar conflictos en equipos científicos and The art of negotiation in science. The objectives of these workshops were for participants to understand the importance of creating an atmosphere of trust where everyone’s interests are taken into consideration when negotiating, and to learn how to avoid and deal with misunderstandings that can arise in teams.
To complement the existing offer in this area two new courses were run: Mediación: cómo tratar conflictos en equipos científicos and The art of negotiation in science. The objectives of these workshops were for participants to understand the importance of creating an atmosphere of trust where everyone’s interests are taken into consideration when negotiating, and to learn how to avoid and deal with misunderstandings that can arise in teams.
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My experience in this course was exceptionally enriching, providing me with insights and skills to navigate complex negotiations with confidence in the future Participant of "The art of negotiating in science" |
Me ha gustado mucho la dinámica generada en clase y la manera cómo el formador nos ha introducido en el mundo de la mediación y comunicación no violenta. Excelente curso! Participant of "Mediación: cómo tratar conflictos en equipos" |
2. Wellbeing:
Mental health problems in academia have been raised by numerous voices during recent years. To continue doing our bit to improve wellbeing in the research environment, two new courses were offered: Dealing with burnout, the XXI century epidemic in science and beyond and Impostor Syndrome in the research environment, don’t let it limit you!. Both courses aimed to help prevent and manage two phenomena that unfortunately many researchers and support staff experience: feeling overwhelmed and exhausted at work and feeling as if one is a fraud, doubting one’s own accomplishments and abilities.
Mental health problems in academia have been raised by numerous voices during recent years. To continue doing our bit to improve wellbeing in the research environment, two new courses were offered: Dealing with burnout, the XXI century epidemic in science and beyond and Impostor Syndrome in the research environment, don’t let it limit you!. Both courses aimed to help prevent and manage two phenomena that unfortunately many researchers and support staff experience: feeling overwhelmed and exhausted at work and feeling as if one is a fraud, doubting one’s own accomplishments and abilities.
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This course addresses a prevalent feeling that tends to go unnoticed and unattended Participant of "Impostor syndrome in research environment" |
A course on a very relevant topic, that turned out as an opportunity for improving everyday life at work Participant of “Dealing with burnout" |
3. Career development:
The research community is calling for a change in how researchers and research institutions are assessed, asking for more indicators to be considered than only publication and funding records. In line with this, in 2024 Intervals offered for the first time the course Building your story: how to write a narrative scientific CV. In this workshop participants became familiar with a new format of CV that allows researchers to reflect a wider range of contributions and achievements than just publications and funding obtained.
The research community is calling for a change in how researchers and research institutions are assessed, asking for more indicators to be considered than only publication and funding records. In line with this, in 2024 Intervals offered for the first time the course Building your story: how to write a narrative scientific CV. In this workshop participants became familiar with a new format of CV that allows researchers to reflect a wider range of contributions and achievements than just publications and funding obtained.
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The course provides me with a clear understanding of the purpose of narrative CV and an opportunity to improve my writing skills for proposals Participant of “Dealing with burnout" |
Strength in unity
With its 6 centres and more than 1400 residents, the PRBB has a critical mass that has been instrumental in consolidating the Intervals programme in the PRBB community. Since it was launched, the Intervals team has worked in close collaboration with the centres to offer their staff a wide range of training opportunities without duplicating efforts. In those cases when Intervals places are not enough to meet a centre’s demand, specific editions or joint editions are organised with them, to ensure they have the places they need. One example of these collaborations is the Leadership for junior women in science that Intervals offers together with the ISGLOBAL and MELIS-UPF.
Intervals regularly meets with centres’ representatives in the PRBB training group, a space to share information and good practice in training and career development. The group also organises two career events annually: a Career Month, with career-related workshops and talks with professionals working inside and outside academia, and Meet the companies, an event where the community has the opportunity to talk with companies from different science-related sectors that come one afternoon to the PRBB.
In addition to the PRBB training group meetings, in 2024 the Intervals team also set up interviews with centres to have more in depth information about their community and their needs and expectations from Intervals. It was notable that all centres recognised the value and excellence of the programme and the essential role of Intervals as being able to offer and fill more creative and innovative courses because of access to the critical mass of the whole PRBB community. Actions for improvement were identified and some have already been taken, such as improving communication channels and being more inclusive in how courses’ target groups are advertised, so that all staff positions, not only researchers, feel welcomed.
Intervals regularly meets with centres’ representatives in the PRBB training group, a space to share information and good practice in training and career development. The group also organises two career events annually: a Career Month, with career-related workshops and talks with professionals working inside and outside academia, and Meet the companies, an event where the community has the opportunity to talk with companies from different science-related sectors that come one afternoon to the PRBB.
In addition to the PRBB training group meetings, in 2024 the Intervals team also set up interviews with centres to have more in depth information about their community and their needs and expectations from Intervals. It was notable that all centres recognised the value and excellence of the programme and the essential role of Intervals as being able to offer and fill more creative and innovative courses because of access to the critical mass of the whole PRBB community. Actions for improvement were identified and some have already been taken, such as improving communication channels and being more inclusive in how courses’ target groups are advertised, so that all staff positions, not only researchers, feel welcomed.
In 2025
Senior positions
Intervals offers professional development opportunities for all the PRBB community. Yet many staff still have the misperception that the courses are more oriented to junior staff. In 2025 we will continue working to offer a programme that is attractive for senior positions so that they not only encourage their junior staff to attend Intervals courses, but also they participate themselves. Either by attending courses in topics that are specific for their roles (such as leadership) or by participating in those targeted at all the PRBB staff, senior staff have many opportunities to foster and learn new skills in the Intervals programme.
Creativity in science
Since its conception back in 2008, Intervals has advocated promoting the creative side of those working in research. During these years the programme has contributed by organising events and workshops that complement the rational thinking of the scientific process and approach idea generation from a different perspective (with workshops like Rhyme your research and Dance your science, among others). In today’s fast-paced and bureaucratized world we cannot forget that science is a creative process. By giving a space to creativity growth, we can help foster an environment where the new and disruptive ideas that make science advance, will emerge. The Intervals programme will continue contributing to enabling the right environment for this to happen.
Intervals offers professional development opportunities for all the PRBB community. Yet many staff still have the misperception that the courses are more oriented to junior staff. In 2025 we will continue working to offer a programme that is attractive for senior positions so that they not only encourage their junior staff to attend Intervals courses, but also they participate themselves. Either by attending courses in topics that are specific for their roles (such as leadership) or by participating in those targeted at all the PRBB staff, senior staff have many opportunities to foster and learn new skills in the Intervals programme.
Creativity in science
Since its conception back in 2008, Intervals has advocated promoting the creative side of those working in research. During these years the programme has contributed by organising events and workshops that complement the rational thinking of the scientific process and approach idea generation from a different perspective (with workshops like Rhyme your research and Dance your science, among others). In today’s fast-paced and bureaucratized world we cannot forget that science is a creative process. By giving a space to creativity growth, we can help foster an environment where the new and disruptive ideas that make science advance, will emerge. The Intervals programme will continue contributing to enabling the right environment for this to happen.
Thanks
The Intervals team would like to thank our participants and especially our trainers and collaborators during the 2024:
Marina Alvarez, Sergi Aranda, Miriam Bayés, Arnau Busquets, Joaquim Calbó, Thiago Carvalho, Susanna Diez, Monica Ixchel Castillo Salgado, Arantza Danés, Natalia Dave, David del Álamo Jaume Fatjó, Reimund Fickert, Fernando Gallego, Eva Katharina Herber, Kai Hüwelmeyer, Ana Janic, Gavin Lucas, Alicia Marín Muniesa, Andrés Martín Asuero, Eric May, Valerie Matarese, Pau Millet, Alexandros Nikolaou, Davide Nuzzolo, Gabriele Picarella, Roser Pinyol, Tobias Rodrigues, Marta Sallés, Lisa Saemisch, Louise Schubert, José Manuel Toledano, Ruben Ventura and Roni Wright.
Marina Alvarez, Sergi Aranda, Miriam Bayés, Arnau Busquets, Joaquim Calbó, Thiago Carvalho, Susanna Diez, Monica Ixchel Castillo Salgado, Arantza Danés, Natalia Dave, David del Álamo Jaume Fatjó, Reimund Fickert, Fernando Gallego, Eva Katharina Herber, Kai Hüwelmeyer, Ana Janic, Gavin Lucas, Alicia Marín Muniesa, Andrés Martín Asuero, Eric May, Valerie Matarese, Pau Millet, Alexandros Nikolaou, Davide Nuzzolo, Gabriele Picarella, Roser Pinyol, Tobias Rodrigues, Marta Sallés, Lisa Saemisch, Louise Schubert, José Manuel Toledano, Ruben Ventura and Roni Wright.
Eroteida Jiménez and Elinor Thompson
The Intervals Programme, PRBB March 2025
The Intervals Programme, PRBB March 2025
The report in pdf format: Intervals programme 2024 annual report
