FiDPEL Newsletter 2013/06

02.08.2013

This is the first FiDPEL Newsletter. From now on, these kinds of letters are sent to the FiDPEL members every month. Important information concerning FiDPEL is published in these newsletters. This newsletter was sent to the members of FiDPEL earlier by e-mail and is now added on the FiDPEL website a bit delayed.

The new FiDPEL website opened

The new FiDPEL website has been opened during June. The site is part of the University of Turku website. The construction of these pages is still under work (especially the English part) but go and see how it looks like and give us some feedback. The new website has a news section, where monthly newsletters will be published. The events calendar shall work a bit differently than before. The calendar will inform FiDPEL members of important events like conferences, seminars, courses and forthcoming dissertations within FiDPEL. Thus, remember to inform the coordinator of your upcoming dissertation. Also give information of the events that might be of special interest for FiDPEL members. Especially supervisors, please be active and send information of events that you think doctoral candidates might find useful. Coordinator will maintain the calendar and add the events there.  

The re-formation of doctoral training in the universities is in progress

During the year 2013, the doctoral training in Finnish universities is being under reform. The universities are building their own doctoral programmes and the doctoral candidates will be members of these programmes primarily. However, FiDPEL will also continue its functions. As part of the renewal, FiDPEL will be forming as a new kind of network, binding together university based doctoral programmes. The elements well tried before, like the annual seminar and possibility to form networks over the borders of universities and disciplines will be retained. FiDPEL will follow the process in universities and will inform of the upcoming changes. Also follow the information concerning the re-formation process coming from your own universities.

The annual seminar gathered together FiDPEL members on May

This year’s annual seminar was held May 14-15th in Helsinki, Kulttuurikeskus Sofia. The theme of the seminar was ”Analyzing and Interpreting Data – Aineiston analyysi ja tulkinta”. Keynote lecturers in the seminar were Professor Rachel Thomson, PhD Hanna Ojala and Docent Kimmo Vehkalahti. There were almost 50 doctoral candidates and about 15 supervisors involved in the seminar. The feedback given concerning the seminar evaluated the event quite successful.

The feedback questionnaire was answered by 16 doctoral candidates and 4 supervisors, altogether 20 people. In general the feedback was positive. Participants were most happy with the food in Kulttuurikeskus Sofia, expertise of the supervisors, general value of the seminar and the arrangements and information of the seminar.

Also open answers gave a positive picture of the seminar. The theme of the seminar was said to be apt and common enough to be a binding factor. The unofficial side of the seminar was considered important. The group work was the most commented theme on the feedback. Many of the commentators said that the workshop had been useful and the discussions in the group had cleared their thinking. Supervisors had given good comments and the doctoral candidates had had valuable advice. In some of the groups there had been too much haste. The timetable had not been followed and the doctoral candidates had had different amount of time for handling their research. Some of the comments stated that the subjects of the workshops were too far from each other. On the other hand, there were also comments saying that it was good to meet other researchers using the same methodology from different areas.

To develop the group work in the future it was suggested that instead of preassignments, the ”real” work like article manuscripts or chapters of the dissertation could be handled. To activate the students, it was suggested that an opponent system could be established in the seminar. Also, it was proposed that the students themselves would organize workshops. In general, more time was asked for the group work.

The same kind of activies that FiDPEL already has was hoped to be organized in the future as well. Annual seminars were hoped to be held. Also smaller scale seminars and one day gatherings were suggested as well as other training as for example web-based courses. Also it was hoped that FiDPEL would allow travel grants for its members. One thing that was also brought up in the feedback was the ground that FiDPEL gives for forming informal networks with other researchers with same kind of research interests.

Thank you for the feedback that you have given! This information is used when the upcoming FiDPEL seminars as well as other future functions of FiDPEL are being planned. Also remember to take care of the travel expenses for this year’s seminar, if you have not already done that.

Have a nice summer and refreshing holidays!

Very nice and relaxing summer for all FiDPEL members! Coordinator is on leave from June 24th June to July 26th. The next newsletter will appear on August. 

Created 02.08.2013 | Updated 02.08.2013