Graduate schools and research infrastructure as a basis for high-quality PhD studies

Graduate schools and research infrastructure as a basis for high-

quality PhD studies

Marco KirmVice Rector for Research, University of Tartu

Estonian R&DI Strategy 2007-2013„Knowledge based Estonia“

Strengthening the Baltic- Nordic research collaboration, 21.-23. May 2014 Tartu

The strategy sets out three main objectives:• competitive quality and increased intensity of research and development;• innovative enterprises creating new value in the global economy;• innovation friendly society aimed at a long-term developmentThe objectives set in the strategy will be achieved through 4 activities:• development of human capital;• organising the public sector RD&I more efficiently;• increasing enterprises’ innovation capacity;• policy-making aimed at long-term development of Estonia.

The strategic key technologies: information and communication technologies;• biotechnologies;• material technologies;

Goal for 2015300 PhDs yearly

ParliamenPolicies and strategies

Program Design

Application of programs

Projects

ParlamentGovernmentResearch and Development Council

Development Fund

Ministry of Economy and Communication

Ministry of Science and Education Research Competence

Council

Estonian Research Council

Archimedes Foundation

KredexEnterprise Estonia

Innove

Academy of Sciences

Innovation Policy Committee Reserach Policy Committee

Enter-prises

R&DOrganisa-tions

Univer-sities

Science and Technology parks

Compe-tence Centres

Estonian Innovation and Financing system in 2014

http://www.mkm.ee/eesti-innovatsioonisusteem/

Programs -Estonian Research, Development and Innovation Strategy 2007-2013

http://www.hm.ee/index.php?148667

Development of human rescources – programs (European Social Fund):

• TULE – continuation of broken higher education (Bac., Ms. and PhD students)• TeaME – science, media and we (society)• PriMus- improving quality of higher education• BeSt- program for developing e-education• DoRa – PhD studies and Internationalization of higher education• Mobilitas – mobility of scientists – to and from Estonia• EduKo- support for educational sciences and teachers education

Development of research infrastructures and equipment (European Regional Development Fund):

• Small scale equipment – research group level – up to 60 k€ • Medium scale – institution level (University) – each project up to 1 278 k€• Large scale - state level (Research Infrastructure Roadmap ) > 1 200 k€


National Roadmap of Research Infrastructures in 2010, upgrade in 2014

1. Estonian e-Repository and Conservation of Collections2. Estonian Centre for Genomics - BBMRI3. Center of Estonian Language Resources –ELIXIR 4. Estonian Environmental Observatory5. Estonian Beamline at MAX-IV Synchrotron Radiation Source6. Estonian Magnet Laboratory (EML)7. Estonia in European Social Survey8. Estonian participation in the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)9. Estonian PET-Centre10. Estonian Structural Biology Infrastructure (ESI)11. Estonian Scientific Computing Infrastructure12. Estonian Research and Education Optical Backbone Network13. ESS - European Spallation Source - ESSS14. Membership in the European Space Agency - ESA15. Membership in the European Southern Observatory (ESO)16. Natural History Archives and Information Network -NATARC17. Baltic Sea Regional Research Vessel18. Nanomaterials - Research and Applications-NAMUR19. National Centre for Translational and Clinical Research - EATRIS20. Plant Biology Infrastructure - from Molecules to Crops


Courtesy of Priit Tamm, Estonian Research Council

EU Funding (ESF 111.7 and ERDF 328.2 M€)


Investments into research infrastructures•State program for developing R&D infrastructure – 29.3 M€ (81 % - UT share)•Internationalisation of Estonian R&D – 12.6 M€ •Large scale equipment – 120.8 M€ (39 %)•Equipment at research group level – 45.1 M€ (50 %)

Human capital•Center of Excellence program – 11 centers, 46.5 M€ (55 %)•Graduate Schools Programme – 13 schools, 16 M€ (65 %)•DoRa ( Int. of higher education) – 26.5 M€ (50 %)•Mobilitas (Post Docs, Top Scientists) - 19.2 M€ (40 %)

Research and Developement•R&D technology programs - 46.9 M€ (35 %)

Chemicum 2009, Physicum 2014, SIME 2014


CoE: „Translational medicine“„Estonian Centre for Genomics“

Graduate School „Functional Materials and technologies“

Graduate School in Biomedicine and Biotechnology

CoE: „Advanced materials for sustainable development“„Mesosystems – theory and applications“

„Centre for nonlinear studies“

On roadmap:Nanomaterials - Research and Applications-NAMUR National Centre for Translational and Clinical Research

EATRIS ERICBBMRI ERIC; ELIXIR ERIC

Estonian Finish beamline at MAX-IV, Lund SwedenEuropean Spallation Source ; activities at CERN

Statistics on PhD studies in Estonia


ca 1300 are involved to the graduate schools, 241 are from abroad (66)57/43 % female/male , ca 400 starting every year no of doctoral programs: 167 70 ; no of students 12 43

http://www.haridussilm.ee/

Graduate Schools


Graduate Schools were established in the framework of Estonia’s OP for Human Resource Development measure "Development of collaboration and innovation in higher education institutions", sub-measure "Doctoral Schools", as financed by European Structural Funds.

Each Doctoral School is an exclusive project for developing academic cooperation including universities or other relevant institutions. It aims to develop existing doctoral programs through various activities and projects attracting different supplementary resources.

13 Doctoral schools 2009-2015 ( 16.9 MEUR)

• Graduate School in Biomedicine and Biotechnology (3/6/5)*• Estonian Graduate School in Mathematics and Statistics (3/3/6)• Graduate School in Civil and Environmental Engineering (3/8/7)• Doctoral School of Energy and Geotechnology (2/2/7)• Graduate school „Functional materials and technologies“ (2/1/1)• Doctoral School of Educational Sciences (2/1/1) • Doctoral School in Information and Communication Technology (2/2/2)• Graduate School of Linguistics, Philosophy, and Semiotics (2/1/1)• Doctoral School of Clinical Medicine (1/1/1)• Doctoral School of Behavioral, Social and Health Sciences (2/1/1)• Graduate School of Culture Studies and Arts (4/4/1)• Doctoral School of Earth Sciences and Ecology (4/2/6)• Doctoral School in Economics and Innovation (3/1/6)* Data source http://researchinestonia.eu/


Benefits of doctoral schools supplementary funds which enabled additional necessary activities

which could have not been organised otherwise (for example, summer and winter schools, conferences, co-supervisors from abroad, etc.)

enhanced collaboration between institutions, disciplines, sectors and countries,

intensified mobility of PhD students improved communication between doctoral students, supervisors,

teaching staff and coordinators of doctoral programmes adjustment of requirements and regulations among Estonian

universities general movement towards more structured doctoral programmes.


Accord. studies lead by Prof. Eamets „Efficiency of PhD studies“, 2014 under programme TIPS „Monitoring research and innovation polices“ and 2011 – „Report on graduate schools“

Bottlenecks of PhD studies in Estonia

Policy makers•MOTIVATION – social and economic (higher income!) security +

sufficient research funding + generally the status of PhDs in society

Universities • CONDITIONS – high level supervising + sufficient rescources (funding, equipment, staff, cooperation …) + clear responsibilities and procedures


Graduate schools have been great help for improving quality of PhDs,but not the quantity yet. This program will be continued in 2015.


PhD degrees awarded in Estonia and at UT

Conclusions & Challenges


• Modern competetive research infrastructure has been developed • Strong link to European activities incl. large scale facilities• Successful complex approach – people, infrastructure, R&D

programs• Too many split programs – burden of bureaucracy at the use of SF• Additional „softer“ efforts for increasing number of PhD awarded

• Networking with other sectors (industry) and other countries• Balance between national / EU structural funding • Conditions for more efficient PhD studies – state, university, institute• Application of smart specialisation in a smart way – changes towards

knowledge based economy with considerable impact !


Tartu , May 22, 2014

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Graduate schools and research infrastructure as a basis for high-quality PhD studies

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