The Research Careers Campus Graz invites all doctoral candidates to participate in the 2026 Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Competition!
The 3MT is an academic competition that challenges doctoral candidates to describe their research within three minutes to a general audience. 3MT celebrates the discoveries made by early-stage researchers and encourages them to communicate the importance of their research to the broader community.
Don’t miss this opportunity to practice your presentation skills, meet other doctoral candidates, and have a chance to participate in the Coimbra Group Three Minute Thesis Competition in Granada (18 June 2026)!
Friday, March 6, 2026, 7 pm–9 pm at Literaturhaus, 8010 Graz
Participating doctoral candidates are required to present concrete research results (not mere research plans). All doctoral candidates at the University of Graz who have already achieved results in their dissertation projects are therefore eligible to apply.
Not eligible for participation are:
- Doctoral candidates who began their doctoral studies in winter semester 2025/26
- Doctoral candidates who will have graduated by March 2026
Please make sure that you will be available on the following dates:
Mandatory Info-Event: Wednesday, 14 January 2026, 2 pm.
Workshop (recommended): 30 Jan, 4 Feb, 5 Feb, 2026, each day after 2 pm.
Coaching Sessions: 17+20 Feb, 2026, each day after 2 pm.
Send a mail to rcc@uni-graz.at with your name + field of study + a summary of your doctoral thesis in three clear-cut sentences
Application deadline: Monday, 5 January 2026
Notifications of acceptance will be sent out until Friday, January 9, 2026.
Winner 1250 Euro
People’s Choice 650 Euro
The 3MT competition will be recorded for the Coimbra Group competition, but only the winning video will be sent to Coimbra Group.
All participants will receive access to recordings of their presentations after the event.
Clips from the presentations will only be published with the participants' consent! Details and consent forms will be discussed at the information event on January 14, 2026.
Wondering if you are up to the challenge?
Don't worry, we will give you the training and information you need to succeed!
RCC Graz will provide free workshop and coaching sessions with science communication expert Dr. Ariane Pessentheiner.
Just make sure you are available on the following dates: 30 Jan, 4 Feb, 5 Feb, 19 Feb and 20 Feb, 2026, each day after 2 pm.
What is this event about?
The 3 Minute Thesis (3MT) competition requires doctoral researchers to compete to deliver the best research presentation in just 3 minutes, with just one presentation slide to aid them in their presentation.
It is based on a concept developed by the University of Queensland in 2008 which quickly spread across Australia and New Zealand, and has gone global.
At the 3 Minute Thesis Competition Graz the participating doctoral candidates compete for the People's Choice (audience award) and the 3MT Graz title (jury award).
The Uni Graz competition is part of the international Coimbra Group Three Minute Thesis Competition. In order to participate in the international competition, the winning video of the Graz 3MT will be sent to the Coimbra Group after the event.