Graduate schools and research
infrastructure as a basis for highquality PhD studies
Marco Kirm
Vice Rector for Research, University of Tartu
Estonian R&DI Strategy 2007-2013
„Knowledge based Estonia“
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 development
The 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 2015
300 PhDs yearly
Strengthening the Baltic- Nordic research collaboration, 21.-23. May 2014 Tartu
Estonian Innovation and Financing system in 2014
http://www.mkm.ee/eesti-innovatsioonisusteem/
Policies
and
strategies
Development Fund
ParlamentParliamen
Academy of Sciences
Government
Research and Development Council
Innovation Policy Committee
Program
Design
Application
of
programs
Projects
Ministry of Economy
and Communication
Enterprise
Estonia
Enterprises
Kredex
Science and
Technology
parks
Reserach Policy Committee
Ministry of Science and
Education
Research Competence
Council
Estonian
Research
Council
Competence
Centres
Archimedes
Foundation
Universities
Innove
R&D
Organisations
Programs -Estonian Research, Development and Innovation Strategy 2007-2013
Development of human rescources – programs (European Social Fund):
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•
•
•
•
•
•
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€
http://www.hm.ee/index.php?148667
National Roadmap of Research Infrastructures in 2010, upgrade in 2014
1. Estonian e-Repository and Conservation of Collections
2. Estonian Centre for Genomics - BBMRI
3. Center of Estonian Language Resources –ELIXIR
4. Estonian Environmental Observatory
5. Estonian Beamline at MAX-IV Synchrotron Radiation Source
6. Estonian Magnet Laboratory (EML)
7. Estonia in European Social Survey
8. Estonian participation in the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
9. Estonian PET-Centre
10. Estonian Structural Biology Infrastructure (ESI)
11. Estonian Scientific Computing Infrastructure
12. Estonian Research and Education Optical Backbone Network
13. ESS - European Spallation Source - ESSS
14. Membership in the European Space Agency - ESA
15. Membership in the European Southern Observatory (ESO)
16. Natural History Archives and Information Network -NATARC
17. Baltic Sea Regional Research Vessel
18. Nanomaterials - Research and Applications-NAMUR
19. National Centre for Translational and Clinical Research - EATRIS
20. Plant Biology Infrastructure - from Molecules to Crops
Strengthening the Baltic- Nordic research collaboration, 21.-23. May 2014 Tartu
Courtesy of Priit Tamm, Estonian Research Council
Strengthening the Baltic- Nordic research collaboration, 21.-23. May 2014 Tartu
EU Funding (ESF 111.7 and ERDF 328.2 M€)
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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 %)
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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 %)
Strengthening the Baltic- Nordic research collaboration, 21.-23. May 2014 Tartu
Chemicum 2009, Physicum 2014, SIME 2014
On roadmap:Nanomaterials - Research and Applications-NAMUR
National Centre for Translational and Clinical Research
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“
CoE: „Translational medicine“
„Estonian Centre for Genomics“
Estonian Finish beamline at MAX-IV, Lund Sweden
European Spallation Source ; activities at CERN
EATRIS ERIC
BBMRI ERIC; ELIXIR ERIC
Strengthening the Baltic- Nordic research collaboration, 21.-23. May 2014 Tartu
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/
Strengthening the Baltic- Nordic
research collaboration, 21.-23. May
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", submeasure "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.
Strengthening the Baltic- Nordic research collaboration, 21.-23. May 2014 Tartu
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/
Strengthening the Baltic- Nordic research collaboration, 21.-23. May 2014 Tartu
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“
Strengthening the Baltic- Nordic research collaboration, 21.-23. May 2014 Tartu
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.
Strengthening the Baltic- Nordic research collaboration, 21.-23. May 2014 Tartu
PhD degrees awarded in Estonia and at UT
300
250
250
233
190
200
175
163
161
153
150
114
100
96
90
06/07
07/08
101
95
50
0
09/10
10/11
11/12
12/13
Strengthening the Baltic- Nordic research collaboration, 21.-23. May 2014 Tartu
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
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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 !
Strengthening the Baltic- Nordic research collaboration, 21.-23. May 2014 Tartu
Tartu , May 22, 2014
Strengthening the Baltic- Nordic research collaboration, 21.-23. May 2014 Tartu