Like every September, fifteen University of Graz researchers will soon make their way to Deutschlandsberg and spend three days writing, walking, eating, yoga-ing and enjoying themselves in community, supported by writing and productivity coach and psychology researcher Gayannee Kedia, and the lush western Styrian landscape.
And we have some breaking news for our research community!
In 2026 we will offer two retreats: one for PhD researchers and one for postdoctoral researchers and researchers on the tenure-track.
Why do we offer this? Because we have evaluated the impact, and we know that these retreats...
- lead to finished papers, books and funding proposals
- enrich personal writing practices and routines
- build a community that stays in touch afterwards
- lead to productive reflections about research as a career
What did previous participants say about the retreat?
"The content was well balanced between the focused writing hours and the input from Gaya. She helped a lot that we were able to reach our goals. The most valuable on these kind of retreats is alsways the exchange between different people which was fostered by the breaks and also the other leisure activities."
"It was a good and effective time and opportunity for me to look on the writing process from a new perspective. I have enjoyed communication with colleagues, retreat and location. Such forms of work/leisure are really a good idea."
"It was good to have alternating content input and writing sessions, so it definetly helps to be guided by such an experienced trainer."
"I especially enjoyed being far from everyday life, writing together with others, getting connected to other researchers."
"Getting new ideas how to include writing, in my working routine. The exchange and team building with other researchers. Being away from everything to be able to fully focus."
"As a newly arrived international scholar at the university, I was immediately interested in the Writing Retreat, as I was sure it could be a unique opportunity to deepen in writing techniques and time management, as well as to get in touch with new scholars (inside and outside my research field) and share some insights into the challenges of our everyday life, such as dealing with stress or sharing information on calls and funding."
"I realised that several researchers, like me, spend long hours in their office alone without seeing anybody. It would be nice to have lunch together, write together, work together on common projects..."
Mark your calendars!
- PhD retreat: April 9-11, 2026 (registration opens December 2, 8am), research-careers-campus.uni-graz.at/de/veranstaltungen/phd-writing-retreat-flow-for-your-thesis/
- Retreat for those with a PhD: Sept 24-26, 2026 (registration opens June 1, 8am), research-careers-campus.uni-graz.at/de/veranstaltungen/community-joy-and-productivity-in-the-countryside/