CONFERENCE
Does your writing keep getting pushed to “tomorrow” because there’s always another email, meeting, or urgent task? An online co-writing session helps you do exactly what is often hardest in doctoral studies: sit down and write regularly.
This is a quiet, structured MS Teams co-working session where everyone writes their own work in parallel (dissertations, publications, literature reviews, project and grant applications, etc.). You’re not alone - you’ll see others on screen working too, and that shared presence provides extra motivation.
Why does it work?
• Motivation through shared presence: when others are writing, it’s much easier to write yourself.
• Time reservation: the Doctoral School schedules two sessions (morning and evening) each month, and this time becomes “blocked” in your calendar.
• Clear structure: writing happens in defined intervals with short breaks.
How does the session work?
• You may keep your camera on or off, but for a sense of community, we encourage keeping it on;
• The session begins with a short introduction where the facilitator explains the structure (length of work blocks, etc.);
• If you wish, you can share your goals with the group (in the chat). Public commitment is another tool that helps you move toward your goal;
• Several focused work blocks with short breaks;
• Closing: reflect on what you accomplished and set your next concrete step.
What to bring?
Your writing task (a section of your dissertation, an article, references, editing, or anything else), and one realistic goal. This is not a lecture — this is a session where writing happens.
The Doctoral School of the University of Latvia will organize two virtual co-writing sessions each month - one during working hours and one after. Specific times will be adjusted based on students’ needs.
If you need an “external structure” that provides discipline and protects your writing time from meetings, this session is exactly for that. Put it in your calendar and come write what would otherwise remain just a plan.
Schedule of the first sessions:
31 March 2026, 9:30–11:00, MS Teams
9 April 2026, 17:30–19:00, MS Teams
MS Teams joining link.
This text was translated using machine translation tools (DeepL and ChatGPT).
The establishment of the University of Latvia Doctoral School is one of the activities within the Recovery and Resilience Mechanism project "Internal and External Consolidation of the University of Latvia" (No. 5.2.1.1.i.0/2/24/I/CFLA/007), implemented by the University of Latvia and the Banking Institution of Higher Education, continuing the enhancement of doctoral studies at the University of Latvia that was initiated under the European Social Fund project "Strengthening the Doctoral Capacity of the University of Latvia within the Framework of a New Doctoral Model" (No. 8.2.2.0/20/I/006).
