A three-part training series on dialogical practice, facilitation, and design organised by Network Science in Dialogue, IXA and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Across healthcare and academia alike, we often talk about “dialogue”, but what does it truly mean to engage in one? How can we create the kind of meaningful conversations that foster trust, mutual understanding, and shared learning across professional, disciplinary, and societal boundaries?

The Art of Dialogue is a hands-on training series designed for researchers, educators, and practitioners who want to bring a dialogical mindset into their work, whether in patient engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, or public communication of science. Each session combines experiential learning, reflection, and conceptual grounding. Together, they form a full trajectory that moves from speaking and listening, to facilitating dialogue between others, to designing dialogical processes within complex environments such as healthcare, research, or education.

Why it matters: Dialogue is not a soft skill. It’s a scientific and ethical competence that enables collaboration across difference. For researchers, and health and life sciences professionals, it offers a powerful method to navigate uncertainty, complexity, and moral tension in research and care.

Session 1 - The Art of Speaking and Listening: Practicing Dialogue

Thursday 4 December 14:00-17:00 hr, W&N Building room 3D

Focus: Interpersonal communication and the mindset of dialogue

What you’ll learn: This session introduces the foundations of dialogue as a distinct mode of communication, quite different from discussion or debate. Participants explore how curiosity, suspension of judgment, and attentive listening shape the quality of conversation. Through short exercises and case examples from healthcare and research, we practice slowing down the pace of exchange, making room for multiple perspectives, and identifying the subtle dynamics of trust and understanding in complex settings.

Session 2 – The Art of Facilitation: Guiding Dialogues in Practice

Monday 12 January 2026 14:00-17:00 hr, Main Building-room Forum 2

Focus: Facilitation skills and group dynamics

What you’ll learn: Researchers often find themselves in the role of informal facilitators: leading meetings, reflection rounds, or interdisciplinary discussions. This session focuses on the craft of holding space for others. You’ll learn concrete facilitation techniques to foster open and safe dialogue, manage tensions productively, and deal with emotions or power imbalances in group conversations. We’ll draw on real-world cases where dialogue helped bridge professional silos, address ethical dilemmas, or rebuild trust after conflict.

Session 3 – The Art of Design: Creating Dialogical Processes

Tuesday 3 February 2026 14:00-17:00 hr, W&N Building room 3D

Focus: Designing dialogues that make a difference

What you’ll learn: The final session turns to the strategic and creative work of dialogue design: how to craft a meaningful conversation architecture that serves a purpose. For example, improving team reflection, exploring moral questions in care, or involving citizens in health research. Participants learn to think systemically about context, stakeholders, and desired outcomes. Together, we explore various prototype sessions tailored to participants’ own environments, preparing them to implement dialogue as a structured and sustainable practice.