The rapid start to the doctoral pilot – EDUCA-Doc sets a strong foundation for research careers

The national doctoral education pilot has been launched as planned across several universities. The aim of the pilot is to train one thousand new doctors between 2024 and 2027. EDUCA-Doc is part of the national pilot, focusing on research topics related to education and learning. A total of 78 doctoral researchers are participating in EDUCA-Doc.

In the EDUCA-Doc programme, doctoral researchers form a strong and supportive group where peer support and the sharing of experiences contribute to both the progress of research and the development of researcher identity. Professor Marja-Kristiina Lerkkanen, who leads the EDUCA-Doc programme, views community as a key strength. Professor Niina Junttila also emphasizes the importance of interaction and a climate of trust for the well-being and motivation of researchers.

The programme includes active collaboration with working life, and doctoral researchers have, from an early stage, begun building connections with actors outside the academic research community. In addition, some researchers have already published their first articles, reflecting the strong early progress of their research work.

Read more about the progress of EDUCA-Doc and experiences from the doctoral pilot on Acatiimi’s website: The rapid start to the doctoral pilot – Acatiimi, April 11, 2025.