The graduate colloquium was established in Spring 2019 as a monthly psychology event. It gives master and Ph.D. students the opportunity to present a research project at any stage of development, be it the first ideas and plans, a full-fledged proposal, a conference presentation (planned or already held), or a final paper from a graduate class formulating original ideas. A presenter can invite up to three faculty to address the presented research. Each session includes two presentations with discussion. A presentation involves a twenty-minute talk accompanied by a projection and followed by a discussion of twenty minutes.

The basic philosophy of the graduate colloquium is mutual development and inspiration through collaboration as a form of dialogic thinking-together. Critique is always considerate and precise to the topic under discussion. In this sense, the audience is seen as important and students are strongly encouraged to take part.

The graduate colloquium represents an important opportunity for the professional development of novice academics and has the following aims:

  1. Students practice presenting research in a structured and pointed way, which might include questions to the audience about theoretical or methodological problems to solve. Optimally, it is collaborative and inspiring to everyone.

  2. Students practice giving feedback to others' research, and thus to their own. This is the reflective function that is developing by the necessity to articulate an argument to someone else’s research, which can be then applied to one’s own research.

  3. Faculty and students as a community of scholarly researchers keep themselves informed about ongoing local research.