Doctoral Studies and Internationalisation Programme “DoRa”

In 2006, the Estonian parliament (the Riigikogu) adopted the Higher Education Strategy of Estonia for 2006–2015. The Research, Development and Innovation Strategy of Estonia for 2007–2013 (Knowledge-Based Estonia) was approved a year later. The Strategy for the Internationalisation of Estonian Higher Education over the years 2006–2015 was approved by the Minister for Education and Research in 2007. The Operational Programme for Human Resources Development was drawn up on the basis of the aforementioned documents, and it was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Estonia in the same year.

The doctoral studies and internationalisation programme DoRa has been created to implement the measure ‘Promotion of Doctoral Studies and Internationalisation’ of the Priority Axis ‘Development of the Human Resources of Research and Development Activities’ of the Operational Programme for Human Resource Development. The programme was approved by the Minister for Education and Research on 10 June 2008.

The development of Estonian higher education and research environment, the promotion of new study and research opportunities in Estonia, and the creation of an attractive environment for international students and academics must be systematic and continuous. The DoRa programme offers an integrated set of activities to achieve these aims.

Achieving a knowledge-based society requires a large number of highly qualified employees, whose knowledge, skills and experience guarantee the society’s continuing development and competitiveness. DoRa will motivate higher education and research institutions to become more open and competitive. As a result, it will enhance Estonia’s capacity to hire highly qualified specialists from abroad, or train them here. This will significantly improve Estonia’s general research and innovation capacity.

The specific objectives of the programme are:

a) to improve the competitiveness of Estonian higher education in the Baltic Sea region, to raise the international profile of our higher education institutions and thereby to make studying and working in Estonia internationally attractive (Activity 1);

b) to increase the number of researchers and engineers holding PhDs, especially in areas that are crucial for improving the quality of living in Estonia and the competitiveness of Estonia’s economy (Activities 3 and 4);

c) to facilitate an active participation of Estonian universities in the international circulation of knowledge (Activities 2, 4–9);

d) to improve the quality of Estonian research and higher education by increasing the involvement of highly qualified international specialists (Activities 2, 4, 5);

e) to foster R&D cooperation between universities and businesses, and thereby to increase the RD&I intensity of businesses (Activity 3).

Aims of the programme

3

The DoRa Programme is administered by the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHED), a unit of the Archimedes Foundation. The Archimedes Foundation is an institution working in the jurisdiction of the Ministry for Education and Research. The foundation is a long-standing partner to Estonian education and research institutions in implementing programmes funded by the EU and by the Estonian government. The foundation has already administered numerous similar activities, pilot projects and programmes. In the course of

this work, the Foundation has built up the necessary human resources, established the required accounting and quality management systems and accumulated considerable practical experience in managing student and researcher mobility projects, funding study and research projects and promoting Estonian higher education and research abroad. All DoRa activities represent follow-ups built on earlier pilot projects which, with support from the Structural Funds, are expected to achieve a new quality.

Administration of the programme

The CHED will invite higher education institutions to participate as partners in the implementation of the programme. Partners will be asked to enter into a partnership agreement with the CHED. The agreement will stipulate the rights and obligations of the parties, set out the division of responsibilities between the partner and the final beneficiaries, and specify the DoRa activities that the partner is authorised to use. When DoRa was approved, the list of partner institutions included the University Nord, the Institute of Theology of the Estonian Evangelical

Lutheran Church, the Estonian Academy of Arts, the Estonian

University of Life Sciences, the Estonian Maritime Academy,

the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, the Estonian

Business School, the Eurouniversity, International University

Audentes, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn University

and the University of Tartu. Since requirements for partner

institutions are different under different DoRa activities, not

every partner is involved in every activity.

Partners

4

Eligibility period for DoRa activities

Target group of the programme

Budget of the programme

The general eligibility period for the programme’s activities extends from 1 January 2008 to 31 May 2015. Thus, expenditure incurred during that period may be regarded as eligible. Since not all activities are open throughout the entire period, the operational schedule of each activity must be observed (see page 14). The requirements that expenditures must meet in order to be reimbursed from support funds also vary between different activities.

DoRa activities are intended for Master’s students, doctoral students and members of teaching staff studying or working at Estonian higher education institutions. The majority of the activities allow final beneficiaries to be selected by the partner institution. In the case of some activities, however, the final beneficiaries have to submit the application directly to the CHED themselves.

The total cost of the programme amounts to 504,830,000 Estonian kroons, of which up to 76.18% will be covered by assistance from the European Social Fund. The contribution of the Estonian government is at least 8.96% of the cost of the programme. Contributions from the programme’s partners amount to 14.86% of the budget.

5

Activity 1 aims to improve the competitiveness of Estonian

higher education in the Baltic Sea region. It is intended to

increase the visibility of Estonia’s higher education institutions

and make studying and working in Estonia internationally

attractive. Our partners in promotion activities are Estonian

higher education institutions, the Estonian Ministry of Foreign

Affairs, the Enterprise Estonia Foundation, as well as foreign

embassies, diplomatic missions of foreign governments, and

other institutions.

The activity offers support to the following types of projects:

organisation of training events to increase the international

capability of the administrative and support structure of higher

education institutions, publication of information materials in various languages regarding the study and research opportunities in Estonia, the holding of promotional events to raise awareness of Estonia as an excellent place for studying, working and living; promotion of study and work opportunities in Estonian higher education institutions in foreign media, creation of exhibitions related to Estonian higher education, participation in regional delegations to international higher education fairs, the carrying out of marketing-related studies and studies regarding the risks that international students and teaching and research staff may be exposed to when moving to study or work in Estonia. Specific actions will be organised to maintain contact with researchers of Estonian origin working abroad.

ACTIVITY 1 Promoting Estonia as an excellent place for study and work

6

In order to facilitate the international exchange of knowledge and improve the quality of higher education, Activity 2 supports the employment of international teaching staff members in regular positions at Estonian universities and higher vocational education institutions. Activity 2 is intended to help Estonian higher education institutions hire highly skilled international teaching staff in areas in where this is critical for assuring the quality of instruction. At universities, the qualifications of international staff members employed in supported positions must meet the requirements established for professors. At higher vocational education institutions, the international staff members employed in supported positions must possess a higher education and substantial earlier work experience, and perform the duties of a lead member of teaching staff.

When hiring a staff member to a supported position, the recruitment must be for a regular term of at least three but

no more than five years. Specialists with exceptional

qualifications may be hired part-time. The DoRa grant must

be used to pay the international staff member’s salary, of which

it may cover up to 50%. The remaining part must be paid from

the partner’s own resources. The grant may not be used to cover

ineligible costs (including research costs), which should be

borne by the partner or the staff member.

Under Activity 2, the DoRa programme invites grant

applications from Estonian universities who were running

accredited programmes in all three levels of study at the time

of DoRa’s approval. Higher vocational education institutions

that are offering accredited programmes in the areas of natural

sciences, engineering, health and customer service are also

invited to apply. Grant applications under the activity must be

submitted by the partner institutions.

ACTIVITY 2 Improving the quality of higher education by supporting the employment of international teaching staff

7

Activity 3 is intended to assist innovative companies who successfully apply research results, technology and professional design in their services and products by funding the creation of supported doctoral student places. The activity will make it possible universities to train doctoral students in cooperation with businesses. Such partnerships will help to link research with practical problem solving and ensure that research results will find a practical application.

In order to be admitted as a partner to the programme, the business must be engaged in a development activity that possesses good application prospects and be willing to conclude an employment contract with the doctoral student and to pay at least the legal minimum wage to that student. It is the task of partner universities to find a suitable partner and the universities will also be responsible for the quality and progress

of the supported students’ studies.

Eligible expenditures under Activity 3 include the student’s tuition fees, a monthly stipend and the remuneration of the student’s co-supervisor at the company. Supported doctoral student places will be funded on the same terms that apply in relation to doctoral studies under the funding scheme established in Estonia in relation to government funded provision of higher education.

Activity 3 is intended to foster development in the priority areas specified in Estonia’s national RD&I strategy (information and communication technology, materials technology, environmental technology, biotechnology, power engineering and health). Eligible partners for DoRa Activity 3 are Estonian universities who are offering accredited PhD programmes in the aforementioned priority areas.

ACTIVITY 3 Training doctoral students in cooperation with businesses

8

In order to facilitate international cooperation and exchange of knowledge, and to contribute to expanding the pool of researchers holding PhDs, Activity 4 is intended to fund the studies in Estonia of international doctoral students who intend to defend their theses here. Candidates to be admitted to doctoral student places created with support from the DoRa programme must reside in a country other than the Republic of Estonia. They must not be enrolled at an Estonian university at the time the grant application is submitted and must not have resided in Estonia for a total period exceeding one year during the preceding three years. The candidate must possess an education that allows him or her to be admitted to doctoral studies and must intend to defend his or her thesis in Estonia.

Supported doctoral student places will be funded in accordance with the funding scheme applicable in relation to government funded provision of higher education in Estonia. Supported

doctoral students will be reimbursed (on the basis of expense receipts) for expenditure incurred in the course of moving to live in Estonia (moving expenses, lease expenses, the costs of health insurance and of obtaining a residence permit). Travel expenses will be reimbursed according to a fixed rate established in respect of the student’s home country

Similarly to the previous activity, Activity 4 is also intended to foster development in the priority areas specified in Estonia’s national RD&I strategy (information and communication technology, materials technology, environmental technology, biotechnology, power engineering and health). Eligible partners for DoRa Activity 4 are Estonian universities that are offering accredited PhD curricula in the aforementioned priority areas. Activity 4 complements and expands the existing scheme of funding for additional doctoral student places, which was initially launched as a pilot, and which will also continue to be operated.

ACTIVITY 4 Expanding the pool of specialists holding PhDs by supporting the enrolment of talented international students in doctoral programmes of Estonian universities

9

ACTIVITY 5 Facilitating international research cooperation by supporting short-term research projects of visiting doctoral students in EstoniaThe scheme supports short-term study and research visits to Estonia lasting from 1 to 10 months.

Applications for Activity 5 scholarships on behalf of international students must be submitted by a member of teaching or research staff of a partner university. Only applications for individual candidates who have already entered into an agreement with the host university regarding the proposed stay will be considered. Eligible candidates must reside in a country other than the Republic of Estonia, must not be enrolled in an Estonian higher education institution and must be enrolled in a doctoral programme in their country of residence. DoRa-supported visiting doctoral students will be paid a monthly

stipend, equal in amount to the stipend that regular Estonian doctoral students are entitled to by law. On the basis of expense receipts, the supported doctoral students will be reimbursed for moving expenses, lease expenses, the cost of health insurance and of the residence permit. Travel expenses will be reimbursed according to a fixed rate established in respect of the student’s home country.

Eligible partners for DoRa Activity 5 are Estonian universities that are offering accredited PhD curricula. Activity 5 complements and expands the funding scheme for short-term research projects of visiting doctoral students which was launched as a pilot in 2007.

10

ACTIVITY 6 Developing international cooperation networks by supporting the mobility of Estonian doctoral students

of the doctoral student’s work abroad must be such (e.g. working at a research laboratory, taking and completing a course in a particular subject, etc.) as to allow it to be taken into account towards completion of the student’s programme of studies. The amount of the scholarship will be calculated on the basis of the table of living and travel costs approved by a decree of the Minister for Education and Research. The scholarship may not be used in combination with other grants to support student mobility. The allocation of the scholarship will be decided by the Kristjan Jaak programme committee. Applications are invited in four rounds per year. On a significantly smaller scale, the activity has so far been supported from the national budget. Government-funded domestic support schemes will continue to be provided alongside the activity.

Activity 6 is intended to make it possible for Estonian doctoral

students who have made good progress in their studies to make

at least one study or research visit to a foreign university or

research institution during their period of studies in order

to facilitate knowledge exchange and to develop cooperation

networks with other universities. Doctoral students enrolled at

a doctoral school in Estonia may also apply for the scholarship,

provided the visit is not funded by the doctoral school.

Scholarships may be requested for a study/research visit abroad

lasting from 1 to 5 months. Applications may be submitted for

the entire visit, or for an initial period, for which the applicant

may then request an extension. Candidates should submit their

scholarship applications directly to the Foundation. The nature

11

In order to facilitate knowledge exchange and to develop cooperation networks with foreign universities, the DoRa programme also supports the mobility of Estonian Master’s students. Eligible candidates are Master’s students who have shown very good results in their studies and who have already selected the topic of their thesis.

On the basis of a resolution of the Council of the Kristjan Jaak Programme, each year a fixed number of scholarships is allocated to each partner who is offering accredited Master’s programmes. Applications for scholarships must be submitted by the student to the partner institution. Only applications for a single continuous period of study (i.e. a semester or trimester) not exceeding six months will be considered. Partner institutions will transmit the list of Master’s students they have selected to receive the scholarship to the Foundation and the Foundation

will conclude scholarship agreements with the students. Upon return to Estonia, the Master’s student must submit a report on the use of the scholarship, and attach a transcript of his or her academic record in the host university abroad. The amount of the student’s scholarship will be calculated on the basis of the table of living and travel costs approved by the Minister for Education and Research. The scholarship cannot be used in combination with other grants to support student mobility.

Eligible partners for DoRa Activity 7 are Estonian universities and higher vocational education institutions that offer at least one fully accredited Master’s programme. On a significantly smaller scale, an identical support scheme has already been funded from the national budget. Government-funded domestic support schemes will continue to be provided alongside the activity.

ACTIVITY 7 Strengthening the international dimension in higher education by supporting the mobility of Master’s students

12

ACTIVITY 8 Supporting the participation of young researchers in the international exchange of knowledgeIn order to facilitate the exchange of latest research results and experience, and cooperation with foreign universities, Activity 8 supports short-term visits of young researchers to international research conferences, seminars or courses taking place outside Estonia in the applicant’s specialty. At the same time, short-term study or research visits for a particular purpose (e.g. to use the library or laboratory of a foreign university, deliver a lecture, work with the supervisor of the student’s thesis, participate in field work, consult with foreign academics) may also be supported. Activity 8 is intended for Master’s students, doctoral students, medical residents, researchers and members of teaching staff who are up to 35 years of age and for those who are older, but have defended their PhD thesis within the preceding 5 years. As an exception, Bachelor’s students who meet the eligibility criteria may also be supported.

On the basis of a resolution of the Council of the Kristjan Jaak Programme, each year a fixed number of grants is allocated to each partner who is offering accredited Master’s programmes. Regardless of their size, each partner is entitled to be allocated

at least five grants per year. The partner institutions will

transmit the list of students they have selected to receive the

grant to the Foundation and the Foundation will conclude

grant agreements with the supported students. The amount of

the grant is determined on the basis of the rates fixed by the

Minister for Education and Research in respect of the country

that the student intends to visit and the duration of the visit.

The student may not receive any additional reimbursements

from other sources in relation to the conference or study or

research visit funded under Activity 8. Within the support

scheme established by Activity 8, one person may not be

allocated more than two grants per year.

Eligible partners for DoRa Activity 8 are Estonian universities

and higher vocational education institutions that offer at least

one fully accredited Master’s programme. Activity 8 complements

and expands an already existing government-funded national

mobility support scheme. Government-funded domestic schemes

will continue to be operated alongside the activity.

13

ACTIVITY 9. Supporting International Students’ Master’s Studies in EstoniaThe aim of the support scheme is to help Estonian higher education institutions recruit highly qualified and motivated Master’s students and to raise the attractiveness of Estonia as a higher education venue. Activity 9 is intended for international students enrolled in Master’s programmes taught in a foreign language.

For each academic year, the selection committee of the DoRa programme (convened by the Minister for Education and Research) approves an allocation of stipend quotas to partner institutions. The Master’s programmes and stipend recipients to be supported will be selected by the partner institutions. At least 50% of the stipend quota allocated for an academic year must go to first-year Master’s students. In order to qualify for the stipend in the second year of studies, the candidate must, during the first year, have successfully completed his or her coursework in programme subjects worth at least 54 ECTS credits.

The stipend covers the living costs of a supported Master’s

student for one academic year (10 months). The monthly

stipend is paid out at a fixed rate. During the period for which

the stipend is granted, supported Master’s students must

remain in Estonia, except for short visits to conferences or to

their home country. During their studies, supported Master’s

students are entitled to academic leave and the extension of

study period on the same basis as regular students of Estonian

higher education institutions.

Stipend funds are allocated to higher education institutions

who, in the previous academic year, enrolled at least three

international students to each of their Master’s programmes.

Stipends may be paid to such international students who, under

the terms of the Republic of Estonia Aliens Act, are eligible to

receive an Estonian residence permit.

14

Time schedule of the programme’s activities

Activity Period

1.Activity 1. Promoting Estonia as an excellent place

for study and work2008–2015

2.Activity 2. Improving the quality of higher education

by supporting the employment of international teaching staff2008–2015

3.Activity 3. Training doctoral students in cooperation

with businesses 2008–2015

4.Activity 4. Expanding the pool of specialists holding PhDs

by supporting the enrolment of talented international students in doctoral programmes of Estonian universities

2008–2015

5.Activity 5. Facilitating international research cooperation

by supporting short-term research projects of visiting doctoral students in Estonia

2008–2015

6.Activity 6. Developing international cooperation networks by supporting the mobility of Estonian doctoral students

2008–2012

7.Activity 7. Strengthening the international dimension in higher

education by supporting the mobility of Master’s students2009–2014

8.Activity 8. Supporting the participation of young researchers

in the international exchange of knowledge2008–2015

9. Activity 9. Supporting International Students’ Master’s Studies

in Estonia2010–2015

10. Programme management 2008–2015

The programme is administered by:

Centre for Higher Education DevelopmentFoundation Archimedes

www.archimedes.ee/doradora@archimedes.ee

Tallinn office:Koidula 13a

10125 Tallinn

Tartu office:Väike-Turu 851013 Tartu

Printed by environmentally friendly printinghouse Ecoprint