QUALITY IN RESEARCHER TRAINING DIFFERENCES BETWEEN DISCIPLINES

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• QUALITY IN RESEARCHER TRAINING - DIFFERENCES
  BETWEEN DISCIPLINES
• 3.11.2003
• Marja Makarow
• Vice-Rector
• University of Helsinki, Finland
• marja-makarow_at_helsinki.fi

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VIIKKI BIOCENTER
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THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM IN FINLAND
1. Univ Helsinki 2. Univ Jyväskylä 3. Univ
Oulu 4. Univ Joensuu 5. Univ Kuopio 6. Univ
Turku 7. Univ Tampere 8. Åbo Akademi Univ 9.
Univ Vaasa 10. Univ Lapland
11. Helsinki Univ Technology 12. Tampere Univ
Technology 13. Lappeenranta Univ Technology
14. Helsinki School Economics 15. Swedish
School Economics 15. Turku school Economics 17.
Sibelius Academy 18. Theatre Academy 19.
Univ Art and Design Helsinki 20. Academy Fine
Arts
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DECISION MAKERS
Government of Finland
Science and Technology Policy Council
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Trade Industry
Other Ministries
Academy of Finland
Technology Development Centre
SITRA Fund
Universities and Government Research Institutes
Enterprises and Private Research Institutes
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NATION-WIDE GRADUATE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN FINLAND

• 1. trial 1995-1998
• 2. trial 1999-2002
• 3. period 2003-2006
• 2003
• 114 graduate schools
• all universities
• all disciplines

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NEW GRADUATE SCHOOL SYSTEM IN FINLAND

• Aims
• improve quality of supervision
• improve quality formal education
• decrease time of PhD studies to four years
• decrease age of dissertation
• increase number of PhDs
• Key features
• entry upon application and selection (admission
  20 )
• four-year salary from Ministry of Education
  (gt1100)
• students position strengthened
• matching funds students
• funds for courses and travel from Academy of
  Finland

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THE NEED FOR PhDs IN THE COUNTRY

• in 2002, 1230 Ph.D. degrees were awarded (5.2 mio
  population)
• aim of the Ministry of Education is 1400/y
• about 20 expected to remain in research
• about 80 expected to serve society in functions
  where the degree gives added value
• the need of PhDs in the public and private
  sectors has been mapped, publication of survay on
  May 22
• these results will be used to further develop and
  focus Ph.D. education

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ELEMENTS OF QUALITY do they differ between
disciplines?

• The student
• Motivation
• Talent
• Quality of basic education
• Follow up of progress
• The supervisor
• Scientific quality of research
• Communication with peers
• Mentoring
• Responsibility beyond PhD thesis

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ELEMENTS OF QUALITY do they differ between
disciplines?

• Infrastructure
• Research environment
• Instruments, data bases etc
• Communality
• Critical mass
• Formal education - necessary?
• Specific or broad education
• Transferable skills
• Understanding of how research is funded
• Scientific leadership
• International activities and mobility

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ELEMENTS OF QUALITY do they differ between
disciplines?

• Other factors
• Quality versus quantity in PhD work
• Graduate school students versus others
• Harmonization of criteria over disciplines
  possible?
• The opinion of the end users of PhDs