Estonian Business School rector Professor Arno Almann has joined other Estonian university rectors in signing a quality agreement pertaining to doctoral studies. In addition to scientific articles, doctoral research may also comprise patents or patent applications and other applied solutions (such as technical engineering or software solutions), as well as creative work (such as public screenings, performances, exhibitions and other presentations open to an international audience). This means that doctoral candidates, as burgeoning contributors to the field of research and development, will be able to more effectively carry out their research within and for the benefit of specific companies or public-sector institutions. In this way, the candidates will also be helping to foster growth in innovation in all of these organisations.
For universities, it remains important that Estonian doctoral studies and research continue to be undertaken at an internationally comparable high level and that this gives the candidates the opportunity to launch a successful career in the academic sector.
The shared goal of the universities is for the majority of Estonia’s doctoral candidates to work as junior researchers or to carry out research and development work for public- or private-sector organisations on the basis of cooperation agreements in the future and for them to be justly rewarded for doing so. This will require the state to replace doctoral allowances with junior researcher salaries at a level that recognises the qualifications of the doctoral candidate and allows them to focus on their work. The current doctoral allowance will soon overtake the minimum wage. Universities are united in their desire for the state to place as much value on research, development and creative work as they themselves do.
Read more about the quality agreement here (in Estonian).
Source: Rectors Conference, ern.ee
