University of Helsinki
In connection to the Big Wheel project, the university wants to unify the application process so that the application time for doctoral programmes would be only twice per year. The board of the association, together with others who care about the doctoral education at the university, has today articulated its concern that these changes might make it substantially more difficult to start the process of PhD research and reduce the attractiveness of doctoral education.
The board suggests that it would be better that the doctoral programmes should be able to decide the application times themselves, according to what best fits the needs of the discipline.
Together with the doctoral students’ representatives in the steering groups of the doctoral schools, the doctoral students’ representatives in the scientific council, and the doctoral students’ representative in the Big Wheel project-group we propose:
- that the faculties continue to choose their application deadlines so that they suit the needs of their discipline
- that application to the doctoral programmes is done according to the schedule set out by their faculties
- that, to ensure a smooth application process and an efficient use of funds, and to maintain an international competitiveness, application deadlines should generally be held more than twice per year
Your can read the whole statement and see the signatures in Finnish here or find the English abbreviation of it here.