University of Oulu Graduate School UniOGS

1. University of Oulu Graduate SchoolUniOGS Starting on 1.8.2011

2. Background • Previously, doctoral studies were frequently characterized as a hobby-like activity with • Little guidance • Little support • Ministry of Education and Culture has established the following goals to met by Finnish universities: • Development of doctoral training • Shortening the training time required for a Doctoral degree • Increase the number of foreign doctoral students

3. Doctoral training at University of Oulu

4. Background • The Board of Directors of the University of Oulu decided, in March 2010, to reform the doctoral training as a part of a new strategy of the University • 19.10.2010 The Board of Directors decided that the University of Oulu will start a Graduate School, which will have the administrative responsibility for both doctoral degrees and for International Master’s Degree programmes.

5. UniOGS Planning CommitteeChair: Vice-Rector for Research, Prof. Taina Pihlajaniemi Members Prof. Vanessa Andreotti PhD student Andrew Conlin Coordinator Sinikka Eskelinen Prof. Harri Haapasalo Prof. Markku Juntti Prof. Sanna Järvelä Prof. Sari Kunnari Dr. Eva Maria Raudasoja Prof. Arja Rautio Dr Leila Risteli (until 28.2.2011) Prof. Outi Savolainen Prof. Veikko Seppänen Prof. Olli Silvén PhD. student Hannah Strauss Prof. Kaisa Tasanen-Määttä Prof. Jari Oksanen (from 25.3.2011) Dr Elina Rossi (secretary)

6. Goals • The goal of the UniOGS is to educate doctors in four-year programs, so that graduates have both a professional and social proficiency to work at doctoral level tasks: • Good scientific capacity • Good ability to search for information • Good skills to work in groups • Capacity to act in an international environment

7. Create more uniform practices for doctoral training: • Application • Admission • Course work and other requirements • Thesis work supervision • Follow-up group • Thesis examination practices • Improving the planning and quality of doctoral training • Shorter time to obtain the degree

8. Create a flexible path to the doctoral training via Master’s Degree programmesforcandidates interested in research work

9. Faculties and Doctoral Training Committees: multidisciplinary Health and Technology and Human Sciences Biosciences Natural Sciences Doctoral degree Master’s degree LkT LuTK TTK TaTK HuTK KTK

10. Tutkijakoulun rakenne • Student • Commitment • Motivation • Interest in doingresearch • Reaching the milestones of Doctoral Training Plan • Supervisor • Guiding • Encouraging • Ensuringappropriatesupport for the planning and implementation of the research and studies Doctoralprogramme UniOGS Follow-upgroup • Composed of professorsand/or senior scientists • Annualevaluation and reporting • Ensuring the training process under the bestconditionspossible Management Group and Dean • Management group is responsible for management and monitoring of doctoraleducation • Harmonizes the processes • Ensuring the right of students and supervisors • Compilation of the curriculum • Dean is responsible for establishing the criteria for selection of students, accepting new students, approving the curriculum and the criteria for accepting the doctoralthesis and grants the doctoraldegrees • Reports to ResearchCouncil Doctoral Training Committee • Composed of professorsand other senior scientists of differentfields, and coordinators • Recommending the admission of students • Managing the processes of studentselection, admission and registration • Appointingsupervisors and members of follow-upgroup • The acceptance of the fullDoctoral Training Plan

11. Requirements for admission to the UniOGS • Suitable Master of Science or Master of Arts degree, or their equivalent, granted by a recognized or accredited university • Or, for entry via the International Master’s Degree programmes, a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree, or their equivalent, granted by a recognized or accredited university • Thesis grade at least 3 / 5 • Sufficient language skills

12. Application process for admission • The deadlines for submission are 30th October and 31th March, applications may be submitted also at any time • Electronic application including • Degree diploma and transcript of courses • Proof of languageskills • CurriculumVitae • Statement of researchinterest (applicantsentering the UniOGS with no pre-selectedSupervisor), orOutline of Doctoral Training Plan (applicantswhohavealreadytakencontact with theirSupervisor) • Explanation for choosingpart-time status, ifapplicable • Twoletters of recommendationfrompreviousteachersorsupervisors • A plan for financing the doctoralstudies

13. Admission of students The Doctoral Training Committees give a recommendation for admission to the Dean of the UniOGS: EITHER Unconditional admission: four-year Study Rights period starting at the beginning of the next semester OR Conditional admission: an initial Study Rights period of one year. For the Study Rights to be continued, the student must complete the required background studies for the doctoral work and a Supervisor must have been appointed. Supervisor’s recommendation is a prerequisite for the continuation of the Study Rights to be granted.

14. Admission of students • The Dean of the UniOGS admits the students • All students will be registered in Oodi; this registration gives the official status and rights for the students

15. Degree Requirements • The aim is the completion of the doctoral degree in 4 years Full-time work Acquire professional and social proficiency to work at doctoral level tasks • Doctoral Training Plan • Study plan (60 ECTS in total) • Research plan for thesis (180 ECTS in total)

16. Doctoral Training Plan • Doctoral Training Plan will be made taking into account that the dissertation be completed in four years • Students make a plan with his/her supervisor • Doctoral Training Committee accept the plan • Follow-up Group monitors the implementation of the plan annually • The study and research plan can be redefined if necessary

17. Doctoral Training Plan • Doctoral Training Plan is a tool for • Planning the research and studies • Task scheduling • Implementation of monitoring • Motivation • Financial planning • Determination of the critical milestones For research stages For publication process For dissertation process

18. Doctoral Training Plan

19. Study Plan • Field-relatedstudies • At least 50% of the totalstudycredits • Courses fromotherdomesticor international universities and graduateschoolscanbeincluded • Acceptance of supervisor and DoctorartrainingCommittee • Creditsfrom international researchvisitscanbealsoincluded • Max 20 ECTS fromteaching • The tracking of allcourses is done via Oodi

20. Study Plan • Transferableskillscourses • Obligatory Courses • UniOGS Induction Course • General researchethics • Recommendedstudies For example: • Writing and presentationskills, General researchmethods, Careerdevelopment, Information management, Teaching and Learning skills, Patentinformation, IPR in research • Max 20 % of the totalstudycredits

21. Research Plan • Draft at the beginning of the studies • A detailedplanmustbesubmittedprior to the firstmeeting with the Doctoral Training Follow-up Group (beginning of 2ndyear) • Canevolveduringresearch process • Facilitate the scheduling of research and monitoring the implementation

22. Dissertation • Monograph, compilation-based thesis, a collection of essays • High-quality, discipline-specific thesis and Doctors • Research plan should be planned so that a doctoral degree is possible to be carried out within the target time of 4 years

23. Summary: