Information for Doctoral Students in I-DEEP
I-DEEP is a doctoral pilot and a networks of universities offering doctoral training in collaboration, but the doctoral degrees are awarded by the I-DEEP universities separately and are based on their own degree regulations. The doctoral pilots aim to harmonise the best practices of doctoral education and to pilot new national reccommendations for doctoral training in Finland.
Doctoral study right
If the new I-DEEP doctoral researcher does not yet have the study right to complete a doctoral degree, the study right should be applied as soon as possible. In most cases the study right needs to be secured before the end of the six-month trial period of work contract at the latest. The doctoral study right is applied according to the regulations of the University and the doctoral programme. Please note that the times for applying the PhD study right in different universities and doctoral programmes may vary. You need to check the criteria from your own doctoral programme upon application.
Ask your supervisor for further advice about the doctoral study right application and the doctoral programme.
Shared Criteria for Doctoral Degree in I-DEEP
The I-DEEP doctoral pilot complies with the national recommendations for doctoral studies with the following minimum criteria for the doctoral degree. There may be some additional local criteria that might be required by your university and doctoral programme.
- minimum 30 ECTS of studies
- at least 3 publications of which 2 need to be published and 1 submitted for review
- 3 publications in which the PhD researcher should be first author in 2 and have a significant contribution in 1
Check the criteria in your University and doctoral programme if more than the shared minimum criteria is required.
Doctoral studies
You will need to make a personal study plan with your supervisor. The doctoral studies may include both general skill as well as courses related to the topic of the research. Credits are also awarded based on personal attainments like participation in summer schools or conference presentations. Credits can be awarded for I-DEEP events and trainings based on the doctoral student’s contribution (e.g. presentation, assignment, poster).
Supervision
Each I-DEEP doctoral researchers is appointed a primary supervisor who is usually also the research group leader. In addition, the aim is that all I-DEEP doctoral researchers also have a second supervisor who can be from another I-DEEP partner university or from an international collaboration university. The supervisor may sometimes also be from a research institute or industry if they meet the academic criteria for supervisor. More commonly, industry representatives will act as mentors.
Doctoral researchers and superviors agree on the supervision plan with clearly set research focus, targets, aims and regular meetings and check-points. A monitoring group is named to follow-up on the study and research progress of each doctoral researcher.
Mentoring
The aim is to find a mentor for all I-DEEP doctoral researchers. The mentor can be someone working in the industry or in a research organization (e.g. VTT) or in academia. The mentors for the doctoral researchers should preferably be PhD holders themselves with different backgrounds and expertise areas and who work in a variety of fields (both in academia and in other sectors) related to the field of photonics, but this is not a strict requirement
A mentor often has two primary functions, career-related function and psychosocial function. The mentor shares their knowledge, skills, and experience in the industry and helps the PhD researcher plan future career options and to combine research with industrial needs which enhances the mentee’s professional performance and development.
Mentoring may also prove personal examples of study, research and career experiences and also work/life balance, where the mentor may act as a role model and supporter for the mentee. Mentoring facilitates professional development, the sharing of tacit knowledge and the discovery of untapped potential. It also encourages mentees to take on new challenges and may give them a glimpse into different organizations and work cultures.
Mobility and placements
During the I-DEEP pilot, doctoral researchers are offered possibilities to do have a placement in industry and to participate in international mobilities.
The industry placement will help the PhD researchers to have a better understanding of the practical application of photonics research.
International mobility to foreign universities may offer possibility to complete courses or to do research in collaboration with foreign academic partners working on related topics.
The internships and mobilities can be short term or longer depending on the content and aim. Mobilities may also be blended includingalso virtual mobility. Mobilities should always be planned to support doctoral studies and completion of the thesis.