University courses

We run courses for academics, professional services staff, researchers and postgrads. All courses can be delivered either online or in person. A selection of our most popular courses are listed below. At VOX, our specialism is designing tailored courses to suit our clients and course participants— so if you’ve got a specific need which you can’t see covered here, don’t hesitate to ask if we can help.

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How to Shine in Fellowship Interviews

Preparing for a fellowship interview means working on style as well as content. This course helps candidates develop a clear, authoritative interview manner that lets their ideas shine through. It also brings out the leadership qualities that assessment panels often look for.

Straight Talking: Difficult Conversations

Difficult conversations with those above and below us in the hierarchy are inevitable, particularly during periods of challenge and change. This course builds confidence and helps people interact openly and constructively even when the circumstances are far from ideal.

In the Spotlight: Excellence at Presentations

Giving a presentation can be tough. As well as the challenge of managing nerves, there’s the need to connect immediately with the audience, hold their interest and convey a message with clarity and impact. This course turns competent presenters into outstanding ones.

Personal Impact and Confident Networking

Meetings, networking events, encounters with high-status individuals, interviews – they all test your communication skills. If those skills aren’t up to scratch, your message may be lost. This course helps people develop an authentic ‘presence’ and make a memorable impression.

Managing Research Relationships

This course focuses on relationships between researchers and their principal investigators / supervisors. It’s an engaging exploration of tensions in communication, assertiveness, securing collaboration and ‘managing your manager’ with subtlety and grace.

Engage Your Public

How can we talk accessibly about complex ideas with people who have limited knowledge of our area of expertise? This course explores ways of adapting communication style and content to suit non-specialist audiences – without patronising them or dumbing down.

Success on Screen

Live or recorded video material affects the way people perceive the speaker, the subject and the institution. This course equips academics and others to make the most of the medium and do justice to their topic.

Impact and Influence

It’s important that everyone feels empowered to effectively communicate their ideas and insights– ensuring their voices are heard, regardless of their hierarchical status. This course helps individuals grow in personal authority and influence, making them trusted partners in both formal and informal settings.

Authority, Authenticity and Assertiveness

Struggling to be heard? Feeling drowned out by more senior or strident voices? This course transforms interactions, fostering confidence and authenticity. Participants develop authoritative personas and learn how to adapt communication styles to fit a variety of contexts.

What our clients say

[The] interpretation of the brief, tailoring of content and varied delivery made for a productive and enjoyable event … I wouldn’t hesitate to use Pete or VOX again.

Director for Careers and Employability

… an inspiring coach who makes an enduring difference to the way people communicate, lead and manage.

Communications and Marketing Director

Participants find the sessions great fun, and at the same time are amazed at how blind they might have been to their own and others’ behaviours, be it in a meeting, or relationships with junior or senior colleagues.

Assistant Director, Researchers and Research Culture

I had a fantastic experience with VOX Coaching … in preparation for interviews for large grants from research councils. In simple words, without [their] help, it would have been very challenging to perform well at the interview.

EPSRC Research Fellow & Professor of Coatings and Surface Engineering University of Nottingham