See first University information about application for doctoral education (updated in May 2017).

1) The first thing is to find an interesting research topic and seek for suitable supervisor(s) who have similar project. Searching databases (University of Helsinki or international research databases) can give info about the research groups in the University of Helsinki.

Searchable research database in the University of Helsinki (research projects, researchers etc.) is TUHAT (https://tuhat.halvi.helsinki.fi/portal/).

List of DPDR supervisors. Contact information search in the University Helsinki: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/university/contact-information. It is possible to have a supervisor who is not yet on the list.

2) A right to pursue doctoral degree in one Doctoral programme (and Faculty) in the University of Helsinki is required before starting the doctoral education. The right can be applied twice a year (updated 30.6.2017), next time at

The application is via electronic form (link will be provided later) which closes at 15.00 o’clock (Helsinki time) on the last day of the round of applications.

Documentation needed for the application:

A. Electronic Application

1. Research plan – The research plan should be composed according to the University of Helsinki research plan guidelines. The following fields related to the research plan are included in the electronic application form (the number in parentheses indicates the maximum number of characters per field, spaces included):
   • Brief summary of the research plan (1500)
   • Significance of the project in relation to current knowledge (1500)
   • Objectives of the research (2000)
   • Effects and impact beyond academia (500)
   • Research methods (2000)
   • Research material to be used and its significance for the research project (1000)
   • Data management plan (1500)
   • Critical points for success, alternative implementation strategies (500)
   • Ethical issues (1000)
   • Publication plan (including a preliminary outline of a monograph) (1000)
   • Methods for ensuring open access (more information available on the University Library’s website, 500)
   • Schedule for the research (500)
   • Funding plan for research and doctoral studies (500)
   • Applied funding and salaried positions (500)
   • Motivation for choosing the University of Helsinki as the site of doctoral research and motivation for selecting the doctoral programme (500)
   • Mobility plan (500)
   • The most important research literature and/or sources (1000)

   Despite the application language (English, Finnish or Swedish) the research plan has to be in English due to evaluators’ language skills.

2. Study plan – Study plan is made according to the Doctoral programme’s degree requirements (see Theoretical education in DPDR Doctoral education page). Theoretical studies should be planned the way that they support the research work.
3. The title and summary of your Master´s thesis or equivalent or a description of previous academic publications.
4. The names of the supervisors, who have agreed to supervise the thesis.

B. Attachments to the Electronic Application (in pdf format):

1. Degree diplomas. Copies of your previous degree certificate(s) (Master’s degree or equivalent and potential Bachelor’s degree). Transcript of records for your previous degree(s) (Master’s degree or equivalent and potential Bachelor’s degree)Language certificate – The language certificate must be delivered to the admission services by the end of application period unless proven by the Master’s degree (see instructions for English, Finnish or Swedish).
2. In case of pursuing the doctoral degree in the Faculty of Medicine, a statement from one of the ethics committees of the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa and/or the National Animal Experiment Board if the research or a part of it entails experimental research on humans and/or animals.
3. A signed letter of commitment from the supervisor, approval of the Professor of the discipline and proposal of the thesis committee member(s). See DPDR guideline of the thesis committee and follow-up (.pdf, updated 16.3.2017) for details.

Additional documents to be sent by post (applicants whose previous degree is not from the University of Helsinki)

1. An officially certified copy of your previous degree certificate (Master’s degree or equivalent)
2. An official transcript of studies included in the Master’s degree (or equivalent).
   More information on submitting the documents related to eligibility.
3. Verification of language skills, unless proven by the Master’s degree (see instructions for English, Finnish or Swedish).

The officially certified copies of the degree diplomas must be delivered to the admission services by the end of the application period. More detailed information is in the University of Helsinki web-pages (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/research/doctoral-education/apply-for-doctoral-education). The applicant must make sure that these documents arrive by the end of the application period. Applications and additional documents sent by email are not accepted. Incomplete applications are not considered.

Selection criteria:

• Motivation and CV of the applicant, success in previous studies
• Demonstration of adequate knowledge in relevant fields and potential of the applicant to develop into an independent researcher
• Scientific relevance and ambition of the research plan, use of relevant methodology
  Thematic fit of the research plan with the doctoral programme profile
• Funding plan and feasibility of the thesis project within the intended timeframe (net time 4 years)
• Supervisory and follow-up of progress arrangements, quality of the research environment

The Doctoral Programme in Drug Research reserves the right to organize an interview.

Decisions:

Once the decisions have been made, applicants will be informed of them. If the decision is positive, the offered study place must be accepted within the set time limit. Should the decision be negative, it will be accompanied by information on the appeals procedure.

The so-called rule of one study right means that if you are offered more than one study right at a higher education institution leading to a university degree starting at the same term in Finland, you may accept only one of them. This rule will affect all degrees that begin on 1.8.2017 or later.

In Finnish: Helsingin yliopiston tohtorintutkintoon johtavan koulutuksen valintalinjaukset Terveyden tutkimuksen tutkijakoulun tohtoriohjelmissa

3) Application to doctoral programme University of Helsinki funded salary positions (1-4 years) are typically in September (via electronic form). Doctoral candidates who have or do not have a right to pursue doctoral degree in one Faculty in the University of Helsinki can apply. Instructions are published in this web page. Decision of the doctoral programme University of Helsinki funded positions are usually published in the end of November. Doctoral candidate must have a right to pursue doctoral degree when starting this salary position.

Details of DPDR, curriculum, courses and transition (from earlier degree requirements) guidelines is described in DPDR Doctoral education page.
Info in Flamma.

Call for applications  for UH funded doctoral candidate positions years 2018-2021!

The University of Helsinki – among the best in the world

Founded in 1640, the University of Helsinki (UH) is one of the best multidisciplinary research universities in the world. The UH has an internationally diverse academic community of 40,000 students and staff members. It operates on four campuses in Helsinki and at 9 other locations nationally. The high‐quality research carried out by the University creates new knowledge for educating diverse specialists in various fields and for utilization in social decision‐making and the business sector.

In the University of Helsinki doctoral training is organized into four doctoral schools and 32 doctoral programmes (https://university.helsinki.fi/en/research/doctoral‐education/doctoral‐schools‐and‐programmes) that cover all disciplines and doctoral candidates of the University.

The Doctoral Programme in Drug Research (DPDR) within the Doctoral School in Health Sciences (DSHealth) is hosted by the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki. DPDR covers diverse areas in drug research, such as drug design and synthesis, pharmaceutical chemistry, bioactivity screening, drug formulation, industrial manufacturing, pharmaceutical microbiology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, analytics, drug interactions, pharmacogenetics, pharmacology and clinical pharmacology, clinical drug research, pharmacoepidemiology, clinical pharmacy, pharmacoeconomics, toxicology and clinical toxicology and veterinary drug research. Besides the Faculty of Pharmacy, funded doctoral candidate positions can be allocated to doctoral candidates performing drug or toxicology research in other units of the University of Helsinki. The goal is to achieve the doctoral degree (Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Philosophy [Pharm], Doctor of Medical Science, Doctor of Dental Science, or Doctor in Veterinary Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy [Psychology]) at the University of Helsinki within a four-year net time period. The duties of a doctoral candidate are to work on his or her own doctoral thesis and to complete his or her postgraduate studies. The duties can include also teaching and other tasks up to 5 % of the annual working time.

THE DOCTORAL PROGRAMME IN DRUG RESEARCH INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR UH‐FUNDED DOCTORAL CANDIDATE POSITIONS STARTING IN JANUARY 2018:

• Target group: all applicants working or planning to work in the field of drug and/or toxicology research
• Duration: 1‐4 years of full time research (*clinicians 6‐48 months). The length of the employment contract is determined by the stage of the applicant’s doctoral thesis.

*Exception: Doctoral candidates pursuing specialist degrees in medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine can apply for half of a UH‐funded position (6 months/year). These applicants are expected to commit to full time (100%) doctoral training for a six month period per year and to specialist clinical training for the remaining six months of the same calendar year.

• Eligibility: The applicant should have completed a Master’s or Master’s (Pharm) degree or Medical, Dentistry or Veterinary medicine licentiate degree in a relevant field. Selected applicants should have the right to pursue a doctoral degree (https://www.helsinki.fi/en/research/doctoral-education/the-application-process-in-a-nutshell) from the Faculties of Pharmacy, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine or Science, University of Helsinki before starting the position in 2018, nb! application period September 1-14, 2017, further information at https://blogs.helsinki.fi/reenila/application-to-drdp/. Knowledge of either domestic language (Finnish or Swedish) and/or English is mandatory. The communication language of the Doctoral Programme in Drug Research is English.
• Employment: The employment contract will be arranged with the University of Helsinki. The salary for the UH-funded doctoral candidate positions is on levels 2‐4 of the demands level chart for teaching and research personnel in the salary system of Finnish universities. In addition, the appointees will be paid a salary component based on personal work performance. The total salary is EUR 2065–3022 per month, depending on the appointee’s qualifications and experience. The appointment starts with a probationary period of four months.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

Before starting to fill in the application form, familiarize yourself with the general instructions for applying for UH-funded salaried positions: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/research/instructions-for-applying-for-uh-funded-salaried-positions-for-doctoral-candidates (including also instructions for attachments concerning degree certificates).

Application (September 2017)

Please submit your application, together with the required attachments, through the University of Helsinki Recruitment System via the APPLY LINK (see the bottom of the page). Applicants who are employees of the University of Helsinki are requested to leave their application via the SAP HR portal (https://saphr.it.helsinki.fi/irj/portal).

The call is open from September 1‐14, 2017 at 23.59 (EEST).

Application instructions are available at https://blogs.helsinki.fi/reenila/application-to-drdp/.

Required attachments:

Attachment 1: All applicants are to attach in the application a single pdf-file which includes:

• the research plan
• the funding plan
• the schedule for completing the degree
• references (max. 10)

The maximum length of the attachment 1 is three (3) pages (Arial 11, margins 2, line spacing 1). Applications with attachments exceeding the maximum length will be discarded.

Attachment 2: Applicants who do not yet have the right to pursue a doctoral degree at UH (https://blogs.helsinki.fi/reenila/application-to-drdp/) are to attach in the application:

• copy of the second-cycle degree certificate
• copy of the certificate of the language skills

https://www.helsinki.fi/en/research/doctoral-education/the-application-process-in-a-nutshell

Please note: Attachment 2 does not apply to applicants who have been accepted to complete a Licenciate of Medicine or Licenciate of Dentistry degree in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki.

Note! The ‘Confirmation of Supervision’ e-form (including the supervisor’s CV and publication list) completed by the primary supervisor and submitted by September 18, 2017 at 23.59 (EEST).

Both the application through the University of Helsinki Recruitment Service with the attachments and the ‘Confirmation of Supervision’ e-form https://elomake.helsinki.fi/lomakkeet/70984/lomake.html must be completed and submitted by the deadline for the application to be valid. Applications submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed. Applicants are expected to contact prospective supervisors independently and agree on the details of the thesis project before applying.

Note! Doctoral candidates enrolled in specialist training are expected to provide a ‘Letter of Commitment’ indicating how the doctoral training period will be integrated with clinical work. The signed ‘DPDR_Commitment letter 2017’ (https://blogs.helsinki.fi/reenila/files/2017/08/DPDR_Commitment-letter-2017.doc) must be submitted by e-mail to DPDR Coordinator (Ilkka.reenila @ Helsinki.fi) by September 14, 2017 at 23.59.

Selection Process (October 2017)

All eligible applications will be evaluated by DPDR Board members. The applicants are ranked based on:

• Clarity of the project, e.g. clear and well-planned project
• Originality and significance of the proposed research, e.g. potential for new knowledge and feasibility of the proposed project, e.g. sufficient abilities and knowledge to carry out the project in the time planned, methodology, resources, academic support
• Academic qualifications, academic track record, credits, publications, references
• Other factors such as prior activities, work abroad
• The relevance of the application to the DPDR doctoral training profile

Principles regarding evaluation of the applications:

• Code of conduct; a proper and fair process, impartiality
• Confidentiality; any information of applications
• Conflict of interest; any disqualifying conflict of interest with any application

Decisions (December 2017)

The DPDR Board proposes to the corresponding Faculties which applicants should receive the UH funded positions. All applicants will be informed of the selection by e-mail and the decision will be published on the Doctoral Programme in Drug Research webpage.

For further information about:

• Doctoral Programme in Drug Research, please visit https://blogs.helsinki.fi/reenila/application-to-drdp/ or contact Ilkka Reenilä, Coordinator (e mail ilkka.reenila [at] helsinki.fi or tel. +358 (0)50 4480672).
• DSHealth, please visit http://www.helsinki.fi/health/ or contact dshealth-office [at] helsinki.fi.
• University of Helsinki International Staff Services, please visit www.helsinki.fi/intstaff/.
• Technical support for using the recruitment system: rekrytointi(at)helsinki.fi.

Apply at latest September 14, 2017 at 23.59 (EEST).

APPLY LINK:

Avoimet työpaikat:

 https://www.helsinki.fi/fi/avoimet-tyopaikat/doctoral-candidate-positions-doctoral-programme-in-drug-research-dpdr

 Open positions:
https://www.helsinki.fi/en/open-positions/doctoral-candidate-positions-doctoral-programme-in-drug-research-dpdr

 Lediga anställningar:

 https://www.helsinki.fi/sv/lediga-anstallningar/doctoral-candidate-positions-doctoral-programme-in-drug-research-dpdr

30.11.2016

Decision of the UH funded position by DPDR Board meeting 26.10.2016:

Mariia Bogacheva (Faculty of Pharmacy), 1.1.2017-31.12.2020
Manlio Fusciello (Faculty of Pharmacy), 1.1.2017-31.12.2020
Iiro Kiiski (Faculty of Pharmacy), 1.1.2017-31.12.2020
Saara Huoponen (Faculty of Pharmacy), 1.1.2017-31.12.2018
Päivi Pöhö (Faculty of Pharmacy), 1.1.2017-31.12.2017

22.11.2016

Decision of the UH funded position will be published here 30.11.2016 at the latest.

31.8.2016

The University of Helsinki – among the best in the world