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Target Groups: Doctoral student

Faculty of Health Sciences’ instructions on requirements and examination of a doctoral dissertation

NOTE! As of August 1, 2025, preliminary examiners must submit their statement to the faculty no later than thirty (30) days after the thesis has been sent to them. If necessary, the dean may grant an extension.

Requirements for Doctoral Dissertation

The doctoral dissertation shall demonstrate that the doctoral researcher has in-depth knowledge of their field of research, related disciplines and the general theory of science. Moreover, the dissertation shall demonstrate the author’s skills in applying scientific research methods independently and critically in their field of research and their skills in producing new scientific knowledge independently. The dissertation must demonstrate the author’s ability to carry out independent research and be a coherent entity, be based on an original idea and goals, and present new results/concepts.

According to the Recommendation of the Finnish Council of University Rectors (7 December 1998), a dissertation shall:

  • show the doctoral abilities in independent research work,
  • form a coherent whole
  • be based on original idea and aims; and
  • present new results or ideas.

In the Faculty of Health Sciences, a dissertation can be:

  • Monograph
  • Article-based dissertation, which comprises a sufficient number of publications, or manuscripts accepted for publication dealing with the same set of problems. In addition to the articles, the dissertation includes a summary (article-based dissertation).

The faculty’s working group of doctoral programmes has made a decision that the chapter based dissertation (compilation dissertation) is no longer an accepted form for a dissertation. If you have already started writing a chapter-based dissertation, you can finalise your dissertation in that format. New chapter-based dissertations should no longer be started.

An article-based dissertation consists of peer-reviewed scientific publications. If the number of original articles is small (1–2), special attention must be paid to the high scientific quality, the amount of work done, and the development of the doctoral researcher’s expertise. In such cases, the doctoral researcher and the main supervisor must prepare a separate written statement justifying how the work carried out by the doctoral researcher meets the learning objectives set for the doctoral degree. The Director of the Doctoral Programme will assess the adequacy of the justifications. The Dean of the faculty will make a decision in the matter based on the proposal of the Director of the Doctoral Programme. High-quality systematic reviews can be accepted as articles. At least half of the articles (50%) must have been published or approved for publication in scientific peer-review series.

The doctoral researcher must be the first author (main author) in at least half (50%) of the articles included in the dissertation. Shared first authorship is interpreted as the first authorship. For justifiable reasons, the same publication can be used as a part of another doctoral thesis if a sufficiently significant and independent contribution of each doctoral researcher in the publication can be demonstrated. If the same article is used in more than one dissertation, the doctoral researcher and the main supervisor must draw up a report on the division of the doctoral researchers’ work in the publication justifying their separate and independent roles. The director of the doctoral programme will assess the adequacy of the justifications. The Dean of the faculty will make a decision in the matter based on the proposal of the director of the doctoral programme.

The Faculty of Health Sciences has outlined length and time recommendations for doctoral dissertation. The recommended maximum length of a summary part of an article dissertation is 50 pages (chapters 1. Introduction – 7. Conclusions) and the recommended time is 1/5 person-years. 

The summary part of article based thesis presents the background, aims, methods, results, discussion and conclusions of the study. It’s important to avoid unnecessary repetition of content already presented in publications. Additionally, the abstract should engage in a deeper examination of previously published research, compare it with the author’s research data, and raise questions related to the research topic. 

The recommended maximum length of a monograph is 200 pages (produced text). A monograph is a coherent and independent work written by the doctoral researcher about their own research. It should contain a comprehensive description of the data, methods and research results used in the study. Additionally, monograph contains discussion and conclusions.

If any AI application is used in thesis preparation, the application used and the manner in which it was used must be specified in writing. Writing of the thesis must not be done entirely by using an AI application. See the Rector’s decision for more detailed guidelines on the use of AI.

Permission for public examination and proposal of examiners for the dissertation

Plagiarism detection

Once the doctoral candidate and the supervisors agree that the doctoral dissertation is ready for the pre-examination, the doctoral candidate will submit it to the plagiarism detection.

Applying for a permission for public examination

Once the doctoral dissertation manuscript has passed the plagiarism detection, you may submit it for preliminary examination and apply for permission for public examination of your dissertation by using the faculty’s official application form permission for public examination.

The application must include the following information:

  • Your contact details
  • Doctoral programme, department and/or institute, and, if applicable, the discipline
  • Dissertation-related information:
    • Title of the dissertation
    • Date on which the main supervisor reviewed the plagiarism detection report
    • Description of the dissertation as a whole (number of publications and other relevant details, if it is an article-based or compilation dissertation)

The following documents must be attached to the application:

Finalized dissertation manuscript including all sub-publications (PDF)

  • Unpublished manuscripts must also be included in the file. The dissertation must be formatted using the Faculty of Health Sciences’ template.

Clarification of the doctoral researcher’s work and contribution to the publications (PDF)

Doctoral researcher must specify in writing and estimate in percentages (0-100%) their own contribution in predefined subareas for each publication.

In addition, further clarification (in the same form) is needed​;
– If any of the articles included in the dissertation is a manuscript that has not yet been published or accepted for publication​
– If the number of original articles is small (1-2)​

Please use the provided model template (model template for clarification of the doctoral researcher’s work and contribution to the publications, Word-document) for this clarification. Note: If your preliminary examiners or opponent are international, the clarification must be written in English.

Consent from the first author of a sub-publication (PDF)

If the first author is someone other than the doctoral researcher, or if the first authorship is shared, a signed written consent must be included.

Statement from the main supervisor (PDF)

If a sub-publication has been or will be used in another dissertation, a free-form statement from the main supervisor must be included. This statement must clarify the independent and separate roles of the doctoral researchers involved in the shared publication. It must also explain how the perspective of the dissertation differs from any other dissertation using the same publication. The statement must confirm that no two dissertations with identical content are or will be based on the same article.

Copy of the acceptance letter (PDF)

Required if the dissertation includes peer-reviewed articles that have been accepted for publication.

Additionally, the application must include the details of all supervisors and propose preliminary examiners, and possibly also the opponent and custos. For each of these individuals, the following information must be provided:

  • Full name
  • Academic title
  • Affiliation
  • Email address
  • Mobile phone number (For supervisors outside UEF, it is extremely important that the phone number is correct, as it is needed during the application signing process)

Note: Please ensure that all contact information is accurate before submitting the application.

The doctoral researcher can also deliver main supervisors propose for opponent, and a custos separately to the faculty. The doctoral researcher can express their potential objections against the selections.

Preliminary examination

The Dean appoints two persons outside their own university as the preliminary examiners of the doctoral dissertation, who must hold at least a doctoral degree. The supervisor of the doctoral dissertation cannot be appointed as its preliminary examiner. The preliminary examiners are appointed based on a proposal from the main supervisor. The Dean’s decision on the appointment of the preliminary examiners is sent to the doctoral researcher, the main supervisor and the preliminary examiners for information. In addition to the decision, the faculty sends the dissertation manuscript, evaluation instructions for the dissertation and the clarification of the doctoral researcher’s contribution to the publications for the preliminary examiners.

As of August 1, 2025, preliminary examiners must submit their statement to the faculty no later than thirty (30) days after the thesis has been sent to them. If necessary, the dean may grant an extension. Any changes or improvements suggested by the preliminary examiner must not be made to the doctoral thesis before the examination process is completed. Therefore, the preliminary examiner’s statement is based on the version of the thesis submitted by the doctoral researcher and sent by the faculty. The preliminary examiners will send their statements to the faculty, which will then forward them to you. You will have the opportunity to submit a free-form response to the examiners’ statements, which will be delivered to the faculty.

If the preliminary examiner(s) do not recommend granting permission to defend the dissertation in their statement, the doctoral researcher has the opportunity to interrupt the thesis examination process once. The interruption must be made in writing (Education Regulations, Section 37)

Dissertation evaluation instructions for preliminary examiners (pdf)

Dissertation permission and appointing the opponent and custos

After the preliminary examination, the Dean decides whether permission for public examination is granted based on the statements of the preliminary examiners, and appoints the opponent(s) and the custos based on the main supervisor’s proposal. The opponent must be a professor of another university or have the scientific merits required from a docent. The opponent may not be employed by the University of Eastern Finland.

The custos of the public examination of a doctoral dissertation represents the university. A person who holds the qualification of a docent may act as a custos. The faculty recommends a professor or an associate professor of the University of Eastern Finland as the custos, but also the main supervisor who holds the qualification of a docent can supervise the public examination of the doctoral dissertation.

Dissertation evaluation instructions for opponents (pdf)

On the disqualification of the preliminary examiners and opponent

The Degree regulations in the Faculty of Health Sciences (appendix 5, valid from August 1 2023) outlines the pre-examiner’s and opponent’s disqualifications as follows:

Approval of doctoral thesis

Opponent must send a written statement to the faculty within two weeks after the public examination of a doctoral dissertation. In the statement, the opponent presents a proposal to accept the doctoral dissertation on the grading scale of ‘approved’ or ‘approved with distinction’.

The Faculty will hear the doctoral candidate on the statement. If the doctoral candidate has no remarks to the statement, the doctoral thesis evaluation will be processed in the next Faculty Council. The Faculty Council decides the grade of the doctoral thesis on the basis of the opponent’s grade proposal (if thesis is submitted to the preliminary examination on 1 August 2024 or later). The Faculty Council has delegated to the Dean the right to grade dissertations between the last Faculty Council meeting of academic semester and the first meeting of next academic semester.

Philosophical Faculty’s instructions for publishing the doctoral dissertation

The Philosophical Faculty will support its doctoral candidates in the publication costs of a doctoral dissertation, such as the basic layout, printing and proofreading of the manuscript and abstract written in a foreign language. UEF’s contractual service provider must be used when the dissertation is published under the faculty’s publication series and the publication costs are covered by the Philosophical Faculty. The invoices are submitted directly to the faculty, as instructed by the Academic Affairs Specialist.

A doctoral dissertation can be published under the faculty’s publication series or by an external publishing house. The manuscript may also be left unpublished (e.g. self-published or printed unbound copy).

The Faculty supports proofreading costs for a foreign-language dissertation only once, and the language check must be carried out before or after the pre-examination of the dissertation, except for already published articles in the article thesis. The author of the dissertation sends the finished foreign language text (monograph, article thesis summary, article manuscript and/or English abstract) for review as instructed by the Academic Affairs Specialist ([email protected]). The texts to be checked are sent without a bibliography and attachments that do not require language verification. The faculty does not pay for translation costs of texts or proofreading of texts written by the author in their native language. If the author of the dissertation wishes to translate, for example, an abstract from English into Finnish, they must pay for the costs themselves and in this case they can use the translator they want.

A loose title page (i.e. a loose leaf) is placed inside the front cover of the dissertation. The leaf is printed separately. Information concerning the public examination is printed on this title page in addition to the title of the dissertation and the full name of the author.

The dissertation will be submitted no later than seven (7) days prior to the public examination of the dissertation as an electronic version on the university network or as a printed version in the university library, if there is no electronic version of the dissertation available. The author must ensure that the dissertation is published on time and available at the library or on the university network seven days prior to the public examination.

Faculty of Health Sciences’ instructions for publishing the dissertation

Preparing your dissertation for printing

You are responsible for preparing the dissertation for publication, and the layout in practice. It is recommended to use the layout template (docx) from the beginning of the dissertation writing process.  The new style sheet needs to be used in doctoral dissertations as of 1 January 2021. The document opens first in the browser (you must be signed with UEF account). Save the file to yourself. After that you can edit it.

An article-based dissertation is published in full only if the original article publishers have given their written consent to republish the articles in the university’s publication series. Otherwise only the conclusion will be published. As an author, you are responsible for acquiring copyrights and publication rights for the articles and other materials in the dissertation. Permission for reprinting is applied from the original publisher of the article(s). Publishers may have a form for applying permission; otherwise, you can use the template for applying preprint permissions. Permission for electronic publishing should be included to the application.

A paragraph dissertation requires permission to modify a published article (including technical modifications) in addition to permission for reprinting.

The permission for reprinting must be announced on a separate page at the beginning of each article, in the table of contents and after other possible indexes. E.g. ’Printed with the kind permission of [publisher’s name]’

Publishing your dissertation

After your faculty has given you permission to defend the dissertation, you may publish it. However, it must be published at least 7 days before the public examination. It is up to you to make sure that the dissertation is available for viewing at the University Library by the deadline. It is not necessary to have the dissertation printed.

The publication permission is applied for from the publication series’ editor. In the appointment with an editor, a publication contract is signed. The number of copies in the first edition is defined in the contract. The contract will be sent to Publishing Services of the UEF Library: [email protected]. The Library will thereafter send an electronic signature request via UEF Sign. In case of article-based dissertation, please, deliver also the copies of possible republishing permits to the UEF Library. The time span between having publication permission and dissertation day should be long enough (at least six weeks) to ensure adequate time for editing and printing process.

The doctoral dissertation is usually published in both printed and electronic format. A separate e-publication contract is not needed. It will be possible to delay e-publishing if necessary due to copyright reasons. The electronic dissertations are published in the eRepo-service of the UEF Library.

Dissertations in Health Sciences are published in in the Faculty of Health Sciences series (Publications of the University of Eastern Finland. Dissertations in Health Sciences). The editor decides on the layout according to the Faculty style sheet and publishing instructions.

Editors and Distribution of work by units

Once the editor has received the dissertation manuscript and the documents associated with the publishing agreement, the editor checks that

  • the language used in the dissertation manuscript is flawless (the language has been revised if needed)
  • the dissertation manuscript is formatted in compliance with the layout model of the series and that it follows the faculty’s publishing instructions
  • the necessary permissions for reprinting / reusing possible articles in the dissertation have been obtained.

ISBN code and printing

You must request an ISBN code for the dissertation from by using the ISBN request form. Deliver the printing house with the manuscript of the dissertation and the texts and pictures to be printed on the covers. You must also review the proof, which can be obtained in an electronic format (e.g. as a pdf) from the printing house. The verified proof will be printed in its final size and layout.

If the costs are covered by the Faculty of Health Sciences the compensation is available only when printing is ordered from printing house that University has an agreement with (Punamusta). The thesis can be printed at any printing service when costs are covered by you.

Dissertation printing cost compensation

Faculty of Health Sciences compensates dissertation printing costs of

  • The copies for the opponent and the custos
  • The copies to be delivered to members of the university (e.g. professors representing the doctoral candidate’s subject.  An electronic copy will be delivered to the Rector and to the Dean.
  • The copies to be put on display at and archived by the UEF Library (4 copies >> PunaMusta will mail these to the campus library in Snellmania)
  • The legal deposit copies for the National Library of Finland (6 copies >> PunaMusta will mail these to the National Library)
  • Other possible copies (decided by the doctoral student)

Compensation is available only when printing is ordered from printing house that University has an agreement with (PunaMusta). If you use other printing house than PunaMusta, if you pay for printing yourself. In this case, you must also take care of the distribution of dissertation yourself. Ordering instructions for doctoral dissertations can be found in UEF intra (requires UEF login).

As agreed between printing house PunaMusta and Faculty, the defendant should announce when ordering the printing, that an invoice of max. 400€ including VAT, can be sent directly to the Faculty. In case the printing costs are less than 400€, the one invoice can be sent to the Faculty. As a reference, the name of the defendant, date of defense, and code 2940000, should be mentioned in the invoice. You must yourself take care of the costs exceeding 400€.

Distribution of the dissertation

You are responsible for the distribution of the dissertation unless otherwise agreed. You must take care of that the printing house delivers a printed copy of dissertation to campus library to be available for public 7 days before the public examination. If you use PunaMusta they will take care of the copies to be put on display at and archived by the UEF Library. If you use other printing house than PunaMusta, you must take care of the distribution of dissertation yourself.

The University’s agreed printing house will forward the electronic dissertation to the library. If printing is executed in other than University’s agreed printing house, you should remind a printing house about this task. An electronic version will be distributed as an e-mail attachment to: electronic.publications[at]uef.fi.

Copies of the dissertation are sent to the Opponent and the Custos well before the public examination. It has been the custom to send the dissertation to the Rector of the home campus, the Dean of the Faculty and the Professor of the subject. The Rector and the Dean wish to receive either a link to the UEF e-repository or an electronic (PDF) dissertation. The Dean is also delighted to discuss the topic of the dissertation with you, and you can book the appointment by contacting the Executive Assistant Sari Koskelo (sari.koskelo[at]uef.fi).

The library is responsible for selling the dissertation and determines the price.

Academic career

Career models of the UEF

Four-Stage Career Model and Tenure Track Model are used in the University of Eastern Finland (as well as many other Finnish universities).

Four-Stage Career Model

The model seeks to promote academic career advancement and goal-oriented transition from one stage to another. The first stage for both researchers and teachers is the post of an Early-stage Researcher, followed by the research posts of Postdoctoral Researcher, Senior Researcher, and Professor. The teaching posts in the model are University Teacher, University Lecturer (Clinical Lecturer) and Senior University Lecturer. Other titles relating to the career model are Research Assistant, Project Researcher and Research Director. Proceeding is based on the development of qualifications.

More information about four-stage career model  as well as the qualification requirements defined in the University Regulations (section 31) can be found in intranet (requires UEF login).

Tenure Track

The University of Eastern Finland’s Tenure Track offers the best researchers an accelerated and personalised path for moving forward in their academic career. In practice, the Tenure Track is only intended for a limited group of deserving researchers who are given the opportunity to achieve the position of permanent professor. Tenure Track positions are always filled through strategic recruitment, meaning that the recruitment is based on the strategic planning of the university’s faculties and units.

More information about Tenure Track can be found in UEF intra (requires UEF login).

Postdoctoral positions and funding

If you aim at an academic career, the postdoctoral phase is its first step after graduation as a PhD. You can apply for open postdoc positions, or postdoctoral funding for your own research.

The open postdoc positions of Finnish universities can be usually found by using the search engine of the Public Employment Services (TE-palvelut) with keywords “tutkijatohtori” or “postdoc”. In addition, you can browse the open positions of the universities on their webpages. Links to those can be found on the page Avoimia paikkoja yliopistosektorilla by the Acatiimi journal.

International postdoc positions can be found for example on the pages Academicpositions, Euraxess and TheUniJobs. You can also make use of the supervisors’ contacts in locating potential postdoc positions. In addition, it is a good idea to be proactive and network with interesting research groups in your field already during your doctoral studies.

More information about funding opportunities in different career stages can be found in UEF website..

Academic qualifications

In order to obtains academic positions or research funding, you must be able to demonstrate your academic qualifications. Those can be achieved by publishing scientific articles, applying for (and receiving) research funding, giving scientific presentations, networking and gaining international experience, teaching, supervising, as well as by acting in academic (e.g. referee) and societal positions of expertise. In the later career phases, it is important to take leading roles and establish your own research line, research group, and scientific position within the international academic community.

Public examination

The doctoral defence is intended for the public examination of the dissertation. It provides a unique, accessible and celebratory way to promote research. If you are nearing your public defence/examination, we want to wish you a memorable day. Thank you and congratulations!

The defence is usually held two months after the faculty has granted permission to defend. This allows time for the doctoral dissertation to be printed and published, as well as for the defence to be announced and promoted.

The doctoral researcher and the Custos choose how to organise the defence after discussing it with the Opponent. They proceed with selecting the defence date and organising the event. The arrangements for the defence begin only after the permission to defend has been granted by the faculty. However, it is good to start planning the defence well in advance. The doctoral researcher is responsible for organizing most of the practicalities of the defence, and receives support from their unit and the university’s IT services.

Doctoral defenses are primarily organized so that the doctoral researcher, the custos, and the opponent are all present on either the Joensuu or Kuopio campus. The doctoral researcher may request that the defense will be live-streamed, meaning it is real-time broadcast online from university premises. The live-stream is requested through the service portal (see below for “Technical preparations for the public examination – Instructions for the doctoral researcher”). Please note that live streaming requires the consent of all parties (the doctoral researcher, opponent, and custos). Doctoral defense may also be held at partner institutions (e.g., hospitals) in fields where it is traditional to hold defenses outside the university.

In exceptional cases, due to compelling reasons, a partially remote defense may be arranged where the opponent participates via remote connection. Even in a partially remote defense, the proceedings will follow the traditional dissertation defense format as closely as possible. For more details, see the section below: “Technical preparations for the public examination – Instructions for the doctoral researcher.” A fully remote doctoral researcher is only arranged under exceptional circumstances and requires separate approval from the dean. The need for a fully remote defense must be justified to the dean. In exceptional cases, the doctoral researcher should contact the technical support service well in advance.

Checklist for the public examination

The University Library and the editors of the university publication series will be happy to assist you in all matters relating to the publishing of your dissertation. In addition, the university’s Communications and Media Relations will assist you with drafting your press release and sending it out to various media. Indeed, the only things you actually have to take care of yourself are the arrangements for the public examination and the post-doctoral party, karonkka.

Things to take care of before the public examination / public defence

These deadlines are intended as a tool for the doctoral candidate to plan their detailed timetable. As we say in Finnish, well-planned is half done. Get to know the tasks and schedule them in good time in advance so you can focus on preparing for the public defence itself.

After the faculty has given you permission to defend the doctoral dissertation

  • Contact the responsible editor of the publication series in which your dissertation will be published.
  • Agree on the date for the public examination with the opponent, the custos and the main supervisor. Book the venue using an e-form: tilavaraus-Joensuu tai tilavaraus-Kuopio.
  • Make sure the department/unit handles the travel reservations of the opponent.

1–3 months before the public examination

  • Deliver the material to the responsible editor of the publication series.
  • Finalize your dissertation and make sure it is ready for publishing.
  • Agree on the printing process with the printing house.
  • Book a catering service to serve coffee at the examination.
  • Make the necessary arrangements for your post-doctoral party, karonkka.
    • Create a guest list and invite the guests.*
    • Book a venue
    • Invite tenders for the dinner serving etc.
    • Purchase or rent the dresses for the public defense and post doctoral party
  • Utilize material bank Support for Communication in Public Defense when preparing, for example, a press release, lectio praecursoria, and speeches in your post-doctoral party.

    *You can also send invitations to people, e.g., via email, to your public examination. Make sure your invitations are clear to which event you are inviting the person. You want to avoid any confusion that the person participating in the public event during the day would mistake your invitation to the more excluded event in the evening (karonkka).

Approximately one month before the public examination

  • The layout of your dissertation should be finalized and ready for printing.
  • Obtain a written approval from the responsible editor to print your dissertation.
  • Agree on the circulation of the preprints.
  • Check the final proof.
  • A photo of the doctoral candidate is optional. Please find the instructions for photograph on Kamu webpage.
  • Fill out an electronic dissertation form to send the details of the public examination and your press release to the Communications and Media Relations Office.

A week before the public examination

  • The doctoral dissertation must be available for public viewing seven (7) days prior to the public examination. Deliver, or make sure that the printing house delivers, the printed version of the dissertation to your own campus’ library and send the dissertation file to the library for online publishing.
  • The dissertation should be distributed to the members of the university community according to the instructions of your Faculty.
  • Send a link to your doctoral dissertation to the Rector.
  • Reserve some time to reflect on your achievement, and do things that center and relax you. You are now ready to share your knowledge and valuable research with everyone interested and to celebrate. Congratulations!

Please note that the schedule is only indicative, variations may occur according to your doctoral programme.

Alumni

Have you studied or worked at the University of Eastern Finland or at the former universities of Joensuu or Kuopio? Or do you have warm ties to these universities for other reasons? Then you are welcome to join the University of Eastern Finland Alumni and Friends Network! Becoming a member of the Network is free of charge.

Join us at the alumni page!

Dissertation news releases and public examinations on UEF’s website

The university’s Communications and Media Relations raises awareness of research carried out at the university by, e.g., adding information about upcoming public examinations in the university’s events calendar and publishing doctoral dissertation news releases on the university’s website and social media channels, and also by sharing this information with the media. The faculties’ designated Communications Specialists publish the details of each upcoming public examination, and a dissertation news release, on the university’s website. All public examinations and dissertation news releases are published on the UEF website.

To ensure a smooth communication process, please fill out the electronic dissertation form no later than two weeks before the public examination of your doctoral dissertation.

Electronic dissertation form

Doctoral candidates fill out an electronic dissertation form available in Finnish and English. Please select the language at top of the webpage. Note: If the unit requires the dissertation news release in Finnish and the English-speaking doctoral candidate cannot fill the form in Finnish, doctocal candidate should ask help for filling the form in Finnish from the supervisor or other Finnish-speaking staff of the unit.

The form is used to collect all information needed for the creation of a public examination event for the university’s events calendar, and for publishing a news release about the dissertation.

Doctoral candidates can fill out the dissertation form after they know the date and venue of their public examination, and after the faculty has given them permission to defend their dissertation in public.

Events calendar

For the purpose of adding your public examination in the university’s events calendar, doctoral candidates are asked to provide basic information about themselves and about their opponent and custos, as well as the details of their public examination

If the doctoral researcher wishes their defense to be live-streamed, they must submit a UEF Technical Support service request through the service portal. For further information on streaming the event, see the instructions for public examination.

Dissertation news release

Doctoral candidates are asked to provide basic information about the topic, key findings and methods of their doctoral research on the dissertation form. Based on this information, the faculties’ Communication Specialists will prepare a brief news release for the university’s website. A more extensive press release for the media can be prepared on selected topics on a case-by-case basis.

Communications and Media Relations issues a weekly press release about upcoming public examinations, sending it to a broad selection of media in eastern Finland and to the main national media, including the Finnish News Agency STT, the Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE, MTV3 and Helsingin Sanomat. Specific newspapers and journalists interested in certain topics can also be added to the distribution.

Doctoral candidates are asked to give their contact information on the dissertation form so that journalists can contact them for more information or for an interview.

Please note that the media decide independently on whether to cover a doctoral dissertation in the news or not, and this depends on a number of things, such as the number of upcoming public examinations, how interesting the topic in general is, and what the overall news day is like. In other words, the university cannot order the media to publish any press release.

Photograph for the dissertation press release

A photo of the doctoral candidate can be included in the dissertation press release sent to the media, but this is optional. If you wish your photo to be included in your dissertation press release, please have your photo taken no later than two weeks before your public examination.

The doctoral candidate’s photo will be used both in the press release and in the doctoral conferment book. This is why the dress code for the photo should be fairly similar to the dress code of the doctoral conferment ceremony, i.e., a plain, dark, long-sleeved outfit (no extravagant jewellery; outfit colour preferably black), a tailcoat or a dark suit.

Please book a photo shoot with a photo studio. In the university’s campus towns, Joensuu and Kuopio, doctoral candidates can use the photo studios contracted by the university free of charge. UEF Communications and Media Relations (in Finnish: viestintä) pays for the photo. The photographer will make sure that your photos are delivered to all the necessary places.

If you can’t use one of the contracted studios in the campus towns, you can have your photo taken in another studio. In these cases, please ask for instructions via email: [email protected].

If you are unable to have your photograph taken in a studio but have a studio-quality photograph available, you can send it to [email protected]. NB! Digital photos taken with a consumer grade camera and small passport photos rarely are print quality. All photos must be 20x25cm in size, minimum resolution 300 dpi.

Contact persons at Communications and Media Relations

Each faculty has a designated Communications Specialist who takes care of press releases relating to dissertations.

  • Philosophical Faculty: Communications Specialist Nina Venhe, tel. +358 50 593 0160
  • Faculty of Science and Forestry: Communications Specialist Marianne Mustonen, tel. +358 44 716 2394
  • Faculty of Health Sciences: Communications Specialist Ulla Kaltiala, tel. +358 40 745 6463
  • Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies: Communications Specialist Sari Eskelinen, p. +358 50 361 9280

Data protection guide for students

Do you process personal data in your assignments or thesis?

Personal data means all information relating to a natural person that makes it possible to directly or indirectly identify the person. Direct identifiers include a person’s name, personal identity code, photo, video footage, voice recording, email address containing the person’s name, and handwritten signature. A person may be indirectly identifiable if a sufficient number of indirect identifiers is known to allow the person to be identified without unreasonable effort. For example, if a person’s job title and employer or position (such as the chair of a specific city government) is known, identifying the person may be fairly straightforward.

The processing of personal data is governed by data protection legislation (EU General Data Protection Regulation [EU GDPR 2016/679], Finnish Data Protection Act [1050/2018] and special legislation). Personal data processing means all activities performed on personal data, including viewing, collection, recording, organisation, storage, alteration, pseudonymisation, anonymisation, erasure or destruction.

Students may occasionally process personal data in connection with their thesis or in various study assignments.

As a rule, the author of a thesis collects and processes personal data if the thesis concerns living persons. The EU GDPR does not apply to deceased persons. Despite this, it should be kept in mind that a deceased person’s personal data may contain references to living descendants who may be identified even if they are not the subject of the thesis. Data protection legislation does not apply to pre-anonymised research data from sources such as the Finnish Social Science Data Archive. Data protection legislation also applies to published personal data, such as those collected from online sources.

Students can collect personal data in a number of ways, including

  • survey forms (such as Webropol)
  • interviews
  • observations
  • by collecting personal data from online sources (social media, websites of businesses and public figures, etc.)

An interviewee’s voice recording, photo or video are personal data. Even in an anonymous survey, personal data are processed if the information that is collected can be used to identify a respondent directly or indirectly. Even collecting background variables may be enough to identify a person (such as age, sex, place of residence, job title, employer). Identifiability does not mean that a large group of people can identify a person; the person is identifiable even if only by close friends and family or the researcher.

The processing of personal data in various study assignment (not the thesis) can be considered as purely personal processing (so-called household activities), the EU GDPR does not apply to the assignment. Even in this case, personal data should be processed appropriately (see Edinburgh Univerity: If your research is strictly for domestic purposes related to your own personal academic use whilst studying at the University, then your research may be exempt from the Data Protection Laws. However, you should still work as if the legislation applies as it also aligns with ethical best practice). In contrast, the processing of personal data collected for a thesis cannot be considered as personal or household activities.

What do I need to take into consideration before processing personal data?

Before you begin processing personal data:

  1. Describe in as much detail as possible (in the research plan, for example) what personal data you plan to process, how and for what purposes.
  2. Describe in your research plan (or other comparable written document) how you plan to process and store personal data needed for your thesis/research. Keep in mind that you may not collect any redundant/unnecessary data (data minimisation). Also keep in mind that you may process the data only for its stated purpose (purpose limitation).
  3. Identify who is the controller of personal data. The controller is the party that determines the purpose and means of the processing of personal data In general in theses and scientific studies, the purposes and means of processing personal data are determined in the research plan (research questions = purposes of processing personal data, research methods =means of processing personal data). If you are the sole author of the study and use a research plan that you yourself have written, you are the controller. If the student and another party (such as another student or the University or hospital) together determine the purposes and means of processing personal data, they are considered joint controllers. In this case, the data must be stored according to the University’s data protection policies (in other words, you may not store the data on your personal computer). If the student writes a thesis as part of a research project using the project’s research data and questions and the thesis is included in the research project’s publications, the controller is usually the party that is otherwise the controller of the research project’s data. In individual, commissioned studies (typically for a private-sector organisation or business), the client may determine the purposes and means of processing personal data and act as the controller. In this case, the student must follow the client’s instructions on data protection.
    When determining who is the controller of personal data collected for a thesis, discuss the following questions with your supervisor: who decides (source for the questions: memo by THL Data Protection Officer Jarkko Reittu on the controller of personal data, 8 May 2020):

    • whether or not personal data are processed (begins the processing and benefits from it)
    • why the personal data are processed (purpose of processing)
    • what personal data are processed
    • how long the personal data are processed/stored/archived
    • who has access to the personal data and where are they transferred
    • how the personal data are processed (means of processing)
  4. Write a privacy notice in which you answer the questions above. A privacy notice should be written even if you do not collect direct personal identifiers and the risk of identifying a person indirectly is very low. Store the privacy notice in case you need to demonstrate your compliance with data protection legislation. If you want, you can include it in your thesis as an appendix (if you are the controller, remove your contact information from the published privacy notice and leave only your name).
  5. Write an announcement for your research subjects about your study. Think about how you should handle communication with research subjects.
  6. If you collect personal data from official sources, for example, you may need a permission to conduct the study. Include the privacy notice with the request for a permission.
  7. Make sure that you do not need to transfer the data to third parties or to third countries outside the EU or EEA. Transferring personal data to third countries is prohibited unless the safeguards defined in the EU GDPR are taken. If you use free cloud services on your mobile device or computer, for example, the data may be transferred outside the EU/EEA.
  8. If your thesis makes extensive use of so-called sensitive personal data (such as health data, racial origin, religious beliefs or political opinions, trade union membership or sexual orientation), you may also need to perform a data protection impact assessment in which you evaluate the risk posed by the processing to the research subjects. You can find out whether an impact assessment is necessary by first performing an advance assessment of data protection.
  9. The supervisor and student together decide on the need for an advance assessment of research ethics. The general rule at the University of Eastern Finland is that student theses are not reviewed by UEF’s Committee on Research Ethics. The topic of the thesis should be chosen so as to not require an advance assessment of research ethics.

Purpose of processing personal data, legal basis for processing and requesting consent

The purpose of processing personal data and the legal basis are not one and the same. The purpose of processing means that personal data are collected only for a specific purpose (such as managing an employment or client relationship, maintaining membership records, planning and monitoring treatment of a patient, writing a student thesis, undertaking scientific or historical research, compiling statistics, archiving in the public interest). The purpose of processing must be determined separately for each scientific study or student thesis because each research plan defines a specific set of research questions (= purpose of processing personal data) and research methods (= means of processing personal data)

There must be always be a legal basis for processing personal data that is established before processing begins. The legal basis cannot be changed once the processing has been associated with a specific legal basis. The legal basis governs what rights research subjects have relative to the controller. In scientific research, the legal basis for processing is usually public interest (processing is necessary for a task carried out in the public interest, more specifically for scientific research purposes).

The legal basis must be defined in the privacy notice and communicated to research subjects. If the research plan for the thesis (Bachelor’s thesis) does not meet the scientific criteria of the field of study, the legal basis for processing cannot be scientific research in the public interest. In such cases, the legal basis must be the research subject’s consent, for example.

All research subjects from whom personal data are collected directly must be asked to consent to participate in the study (so-called informed consent for research, not the same as consent to personal data processing). Informed consent can be obtained from participants in writing, verbally before an interview or in a separate field in the survey form after the research subject has received a separate notice describing the research.

  • Example: In Webropol surveys, the author of the thesis can include a separate introductory paragraph [=notice to the research subject] that provides general information about the study and a detailed description of how personal data are processed (information to be disclosed to the data subject under the EU GDPR). Alternatively, the information can be behind a link or in a separate document, provided that it can be read before giving consent and is separate from the consent request. The information can also be given separately before responding to the survey when recruiting research subjects by email, for example. The survey must include a consent request checkbox that the research subject can accept before accessing the survey. Be sure to delete any data you have collected from Webropol after completing the study at the latest.
  • You can also ask for consent verbally at the start of an interview, provided that the research subject has received information about the study and personal data processing in writing or verbally before you ask for consent.
  • Consent can also be requested in writing. However, keep in mind that in this case, the written consent form includes the research subject’s signature, which is a direct identifier and forms a part of a data file of personal data.
  • If you use consent as the legal basis for processing personal data, remember to also ask research subjects for their consent to personal data processing (for the purpose you have described).

Templates prepared by UEF that you will need:

  • Privacy notice
  • Informing research subjects
  • Consent to participation in a study
  • Consent to personal data processing and participation in a study
  • Advance assessment of data protection
  • Data protection impact assessment

Store the documents for at least the period of time that you store your research data.

You can find the templates on the Intranet (requires login).

Ensure adequate data protection

In order to protect the privacy of research subjects, you should pseudonymise (remove all direct identifiers and store then separate) or anonymise (delete all personal data in a way that ensures that it is impossible to revert to identifiable data) the data you use in your thesis. You must store the data in a secure location on a platform provided by the University or your personal computer and make sure that the data are sufficiently protected.

A personal data breach or data security anomaly means that personal data are lost or disclosed to outsiders. If you suspect a personal data breach, report it to [email protected] or [email protected] immediately for further instructions. Situations in which a device used to store data is lost or stolen (such as a phone or computer) are also considered data breaches.

Keep in mind that you may not discuss confidential information shared by research subjects with outsiders. Under the non-disclosure obligation, you may not show or disclose documents to outsiders (confidentiality of documents), disclose contents of confidential documents or unrecorded information which, were it recorded in a document, would be confidential (obligation of confidentiality), or use confidential information for the benefit or detriment of yourself or another (prohibition of use). If necessary, you can go over your research data with your thesis supervisor as they are not an outsider to your thesis and you have named them in the privacy notice. However, note that if you are the controller, you may not usually disclose the data to the University for some other purpose (other than scientific research).

What happens to personal data after the thesis is finished?

After your research has ended, any research data that contains personal data must usually be destroyed in a secure manner that ensures that the data are not disclosed to outsiders. Do not throw out written materials in a public recycling bin! The University has locked trash bins for secure recycling of written documents. Files saved on network drives and Webropol must be deleted and any other data destroyed in a secure manner. It is especially important that the lifecycle of data is managed appropriately. Personal data processing has a beginning and an end. In some case after a study has ended, research data can be stored in the Finnish Social Science Data Archive or Language Bank of Finland, for example.

Further information

Privacy protection (in Intranet requires login) and Information security (in Intranet, requires login)

Guidelines of the Finnish Advisory Board on Research Integrity (TENK)

Guidelines by the Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman for scientific research

For guidance and advice, contact the University of Eastern Finland Data Protection Officer: [email protected], tel. +358 50 576 0282.

Employment of UEF doctoral graduates

Aarresaari (Career Services Network of Finnish Universities) has been conducting doctoral degree career monitoring since 2007. The target audience for career monitoring are doctoral graduates who have graduated three years earlier. The aim of the national career monitoring is to obtain information on placement in the labor market and its quality and appropriateness, satisfaction with the degree completed and the skills required in working life.

Sectors of employment

Based on the data collected in years 2017–2023, 36% of the UEF doctoral graduates (from years 2014–2020) remain in the university sector three years after their graduation. Universities are important employers specifically among the graduates from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies with 57% of them working in this sector. Municipalities employ 18% of all doctoral graduates, with 31% of the graduates from the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Private enterprises are the third most important employer with 16%, and specifically for graduates from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Forestry with 24%. Government and governmental institutes employ 10% of doctoral graduates. Universities of applied sciences, associations and foundations employ altogether 9%, whereas 4% of the doctoral graduates are self-employed. The employment rate of doctoral graduates was 96% in total.

Benefits of the doctoral degree

Based on the data from the years 2014–2020, 56% of doctoral graduates had received a higher salary, 63% more demanding professional duties, and 58% more interesting professional duties. Almost half (47%) reported that their chances of success had improved in the labor market: 38% of doctoral graduates had landed a job with a new employer, and 49% had received a better position in their present workplace.

Satisfaction with the doctoral degree

Even though the doctoral degree had not necessarily brought financial benefits, 87% of the respondents reported to be partly or fully satisfied with the direction of their career. 80% of the respondents thought the job requirements corresponded with their doctoral education. A clear majority (68%) were satisfied with their doctoral degree, and 90% felt they could effectively utilize what they had learned in their current workplace.