Public Speaking Opportunities at GBSH

No matter bringing individuals together within your team or across organisations for further collaborations, you need to build a distinctive capability of being a good presenter. Speaking in public is a learnable skill, and students studying at the UCL Global Business School for Health (UCL GBSH) gain an additional competitive edge. GBSH Social Media Ambassador Helen Mac shares some of the public speaking opportunities available at GBSH. 

There is always a safe and encouraging learning environment at UCL to practise your public speaking skills, regardless of your English proficiency. Speaking in front of a vast crowd, nervousness is normal. Practice does not make perfect, but practice makes permanent! At GBSH, the skills students develop from day one will stay with them personally and professionally throughout their lifetime.

Meet Your Tutor
Understanding yourself before getting to know your audience is crucial to allowing your personality to shine through your speech. At GBSH, every student has a personal tutor and an academic staff with different skills and professional experiences. Throughout your studies, your private tutor does not solely provide academic support; students can always take the initiative to create a dynamic interaction, which is a valuable experience to explore your hidden charisma. 

Find Your Voice in Classrooms
GBSH adopted a flipped classroom approach. This creates more time and space for students to share their opinions during seminars. We are given ample opportunities to speak up. Perhaps you are too shy on week one, but you will be nudged a few centimetres out of your comfort zone every week. Training workshops are also organised in mid-term to polish your skills. Hence, you can eventually find your voice in a friendly, non-judgmental environment. I am sure you can deliver an impromptu speech by the time the term ends. 

Be a Student Rep or Social Media Ambassador
Putting yourself forward to represent your classmates at your program, the Faculty and the School is a great way to share your insights with a broader audience. Leveraging social media platforms, such as participating in live sessions, creating videos, and collaborating with others, is always fun. You never know how this “meta-interaction” would lead to. 

Join a Society
UCL offers a myriad of clubs and societies. Pick one that arouses your interest – not only will you meet new friends, but you will also gain public speaking skills when you get involved. While some societies are more academically related and give you constructive feedback on skills development and interpersonal connections, the rest are usually leisure-based, creating another platform to share your unique perspectives and personal stories and develop your voice. 

Utilise UCL Resources
Apart from clubs and societies, UCL Student Union and UCL Careers provide numerous skill-based training. There are bespoke online workshops co-organised by UCL and some consultancy companies. In these workshops, you can learn how to craft your voice by liberating your identity as a public speaker, capturing the hearts and minds of your audience, turning your speech into a powerful story and closing with inspiration. 

After all, speaking confidently lies in practice, practice, and practice! At GBSH, you’ve got even more training.