Developed by WU Vienna and NHH Bergen in cooperation with URL, the ENGAGE.EU Paper Development Workshop in Management took place at WU Vienna from 3-7 March and brought together nine participants from four other ENGAGE.EU partner universities. This one-week blocked course provided PhD candidates with a structured opportunity to refine their dissertation papers and prepare them for journal submission.
A Structured Approach to Paper Development
The workshop followed the conventional structure of research articles, dedicating each day to a fundamental component:
- Tuesday: Introduction
- Wednesday: Theory and Hypotheses
- Thursday: Methods and Results
- Friday: Discussion
Each day, participants received guidelines and best practices for drafting, reviewing, and revising each section of their papers, ensuring steady progress towards a high-quality manuscript.
An Intensive and Collaborative Learning Experience
The workshop started on Monday with a warm-up session, including a guest lecture from URL, and a guided tour of the WU Vienna campus. Participants were then introduced to the key elements of writing a compelling introduction. On Tuesday, the peer-review process began: each participant provided feedback on another participant’s introduction section, implementing the suggested revisions in a collaborative and iterative manner. The afternoon sessions featured presentations where reviewers shared their feedback and authors presented their progress based on that feedback, and the group engaged in a constructive discussion to further refine the work. This structured approach continued throughout the week, with each subsequent day focusing on another crucial section of a research article.
Strengthening Research Through Peer Review and Expert Guidance
A defining feature of the workshop was its peer-review system. Each participant received written feedback on all sections of their paper from four different peers, accompanied by in-depth classroom discussions. This multifaceted feedback process allowed participants to gain fresh perspectives, identify gaps, and develop actionable plans for improving their manuscripts. Additionally, expert instructors provided valuable insights, equipping candidates with the skills needed to successfully navigate the academic publication process.
A Roadmap to Publication
By the end of the workshop, participants left with significantly enhanced versions of their papers and a clear roadmap for further refinement and submission to academic journals. The combination of structured learning, collaborative review, and expert feedback ensured that PhD candidates not only improved their research articles but also strengthened their ability to contribute meaningfully to their respective fields.
The success of this workshop underscores the critical role of ENGAGE.EU in fostering academic excellence and cross-institutional collaboration. By providing PhD candidates with a platform to develop, review, and refine their work, ENGAGE.EU continues to support the next generation of researchers in their journey towards impactful scholarly contributions.