finnish graduate schools - competition and cooperation in ph.d. education
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TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Finnish Graduate Schools - Competition and Cooperation in
Ph.D. Education
Poika Isokoski and Kari-Jouko Räihä
Graduate School on User Centered Information Technology,Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction,
and Department of Computer Sciences University of Tampere, Finland
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Contents
• The Finnish Graduate School System• UCIT
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
The Finnish “Graduate Schools”
Gymnasium
Univ. Of Applied Sciences(higher vocational training)
University
12 yearsin school
Bachelor’s degree(3 years)
Master’s degree (2 years)
Doctoral degree (4 years)
Graduate School
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Pre-Graduate School Ph.D. Education
• Graduate students supervised by professors
• Students worked as research or teaching assistants in universities– Often short-term appointments– Some five-year assistantships with
teaching inclination available in most departments.
• Many students working in companies– Progress in studies and thesis work often
slow
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Reform needed?• There was political pressure in the 80’s
and 90’s for more efficient Ph.D. ”production”.
• Work in committees and ministries led to Graduate schools added on top of the old system– The old system remains operational– The five-year assistant positions have
gradually been discontinued in most universities.
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Graduate Schools
• A government funding scheme.• Funding for the first 722 positions in
1995.• In 2010 paid positions for 1600
doctoral students in about 110 graduate schools.
• Graduate schools offer funding for 4-year full-time doctoral studies
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Graduate Schools• Organize Ph.D. education for their
members.• Are similar to research projects in the
university administration. – Receive funding and spend it to achieve their goals.– May emerge or be discontinued according to the
wishes of the funding source (Academy of Finland), discontinuation rare.
– May involve many departments in many universities.
• Do not award degrees – faculties do.
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Goals
• Shorter duration of Doctoral education• Higher quality of Doctors• Better national and international
networks for faculty and graduates• More doctoral degrees
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Paid and Unpaid students• In addition to students with salary
funding Graduate Schools may involve other doctoral students– Graduate school has the opportunity to
involve all Finnish doctoral students in its discipline.
• Unpaid students typically work as researchers or research assistants in universities or other research institutes.
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Competition• Graduate schools are evaluated every
2 years – the best are funded– Evaluation is done by a panel of experts.– Evaluation based on:
• plan for future operation• statistics on past performance• self-evaluation.
• Positions in graduate schools are given to the most promising applicants.– A large portion of Ph.D. work remains
outside graduate schools.
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
More Competition
• The graduate student ”owns” the funding once granted – can shop for the best supervisor– can also shop for the best department – can shop for the best university in the
graduate school– In practice shopping is rare.
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Cooperation
• Graduate schools are cooperation organizations of university departments– Competition for students and research
funding.– Cooperation in the graduate school– Cooperation makes sense because the
graduate school funding is otherwise unavailable.
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Professor’s View• Plusses:
– Money for hiring doctoral students.– Some of the visitor/seminar/course load
can be shared between professors.– Graduate schools offer peer support for
professors and students.• Minuses:
– Complexity: many schools and students outside schools
– Must participate in the administration of graduate schools.
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Student’s View• Plusses:
– Four years of funding– Few distractions - can concentrate on the
Ph.D. work– Peers in one’s own sub-discipline can be
found in the graduate school.• Minuses:
– The salary is not competitive.– Possible to remain detached from the real
world -> poor job prospects.
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
UCIT
University of Tampere- Dept. of Computer Sciences (TAUCHI)- Dept. of Social Research- Tampere School of Public Health
Tampere University of Technology- Dept. of Electronics- Dept. of Software Systems
(IHTE)- Center for Safety Management
and Engineering
Aalto University, Helsinki- Helsinki Institute for Information Technology- Dept. of Media Technology- Dept. Of Computer Science and
Engineering (Stratus)- Center for Knowledge and
Innovation Research- School of Design
University of Helsinki- Dept. of Psychology- Helsinki Institute for
Information Technology
Nokia Research Center
VTT
UCIT – Graduate School on User Centered Information
Technology
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
What does UCIT Do?• Courses:
– Research methods– Scientific writing– Annual UCIT research seminar
• Funding for research visits by students• Funding for student-organized events• Summer schools• Visiting lecturers• Joint events with domestic and foreign
peer organizations.
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Practical Challenges• ”Take the money and run” strategy.
– Some prefer staying in their offices instead of joining the educational program.
– The graduate schools do not have much power over universities or individuals in them.
• Recruiting international students.– Paid positions available only periodically.– Result of an application unsure. Long wait
for the results and for the next opportunity.
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
More Practical Challenges• Operating graduates schools is
complicated– Network of independent organizations is
difficult to steer.– Sometimes difficult to fit together the
needs of the multiple fields of science.• Different practices in different
disciplines– E.g. the four-year doctoral program is not
universally ideal.– Some departments make the students
work harder than others.
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
UCIT – What Works Well• HCI is a marginal area in many departments– UCIT brings the otherwise marginalized
students (and teir supervisors) together.• Ph.D. education in HCI in different
disciplines is compared in UCIT.– Leads to harmonized requirements.
• Graduates know the key people in Finland.
• ”Outside” position allowed significant investment in HCI researcher training without painful politics inside universities.
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Results
• Shorter duration of doctoral education– Graduation faster in graduate schools. (Is this due
to student selection or good work in the schools?)• Higher quality of graduates
– Difficult to measure• Better national and international
networks for faculty and graduates– Most likely true.
• More doctoral degrees– Yes
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
iSchool/UCIT/Future?• Universities in Finland are under reform– Some universities are merging– Several cross-university
faculty/department splits and mergers are underway.
– Ministry of education is encouraging the universities to take the lead in shaping the graduate schools
– It is a good time to change things.• How should we set up our doctoral
programs?• What can we learn from iSchools?
TAUCHI – Tampere Unit for Computer-Human Interaction
Further Information
• UCIT: http://www.cs.uta.fi/ucit• Academy of Finland: http://www.aka.fi
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