In 2021, we initiated the pilot of Three Minute Thesis at UvA's Amsterdam Law School. This resulted in the first official UvA-wide pitch competition in which four faculties eventually participated. For each faculty, three researchers were chosen for whom we directed and produced videos. Beforehand, they were trained by us in pitch and presentation techniques. FdR researcher Malouke Kuiper won the runners-up prize in this first edition!

One year later, IXA and the Amsterdam Business School took over. Based on our format, they organised the second edition of this competition - in which all faculties eventually participated.

One of our videos

Goals

Our goals with 3MT®:

• To introduce Three Minute Thesis at the UvA.
• To encourage UvA researchers to participate in this pitch competition.
• Providing a valuable programme where researchers develop skills to pitch the essence of their research in a three-minute video.
• Supporting researchers in making an impact. How? By using these videos to connect with non-academic stakeholders, journalists and the general public. 

Activities

• Initiating the pitch competition for researchers at the Amsterdam Law School.
• Expanding 3MT® to the entire UvA.
• Directing and producing the pitch videos.
• Creating the branding for the pitch videos.
• Providing pitching guidance and mentoring for all participating researchers.

Impact numbers

• Started in 2021 with four participating UvA faculties, followed by participation of all five faculties in 2022.
• In 2021, 12 PhD students competed against each other. In 2022, three candidates per faculty were selected for the UvA 3MT® final.
• Commissioned by us, a total of 27 pitch videos were eventually produced.
• We also trained 12 researchers from the Faculty of Law in pitch and presentation skills. 
• Elisabeth Jäckel represented UvA at the global competition in 2022.