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Full-time doctoral grants studies, Aalto University, Finland

Publish Date: Jul 22, 2015

The Helsinki Doctoral Education Network in Information and Communications Technology: HICT

The Helsinki Doctorate Education Network in Information and Communications Technology (HICT) is a combined doctoral education network hosted by Aalto University (https://www.aalto.fi/en) and the University of Helsinki (https://www.helsinki.fi/en), Finland's two top universities in this field. The HICT network's primary goal is to collaborate and network for doctoral students and supervisors at Aalto University and Helsinki, combining all essential subfields of computer science and information technology.

The roots of the HICT network are found in the National Doctorate Programmes of Computer Science funded by the Finnish Academy and the Ministry of Education and Culture. The purpose of these national programs was to improve doctoral education and networks. More importantly, they offered the possibility of doctors to focus entirely on obtaining a doctoral degree in a four-year funded research position. HICT continues the tradition of these programs, but the network itself does not award doctoral degrees. In addition, it does not directly fund the post of a doctor. HICT managers usually announce open vacancies in their research groups twice a year through consolidated HICT funding appeals. Thus, HICT is funded by partner universities. The HICT network is managed and funded by the Helsinki Institute of Information Technology (HIIT).

The HICT Network currently has more than 80 professors and nearly 300 Ph.D. students, and the participating units graduate from more than 40 new doctors each year. An essential activity of HICT is to provide training outside the official doctoral curriculum to support postgraduate students' growth and career goals. Another critical aspect of HICT activity (https://hict.fi/hict-activities-and-events) is networking. It is worthwhile to meet other graduate students outside your research bubble and learn from the various research topics within HICT. (https://hict.fi/research-areas/) 

The faculties of participating universities are as follows. 

  • Faculty of Computer Science, Faculty of Science, Aalto University (http://cs.aalto.fi/en/)

  • Department of Communication Network, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Aalto University (http://comnet.aalto.fi/en/)

  • Department of Signal Processing Acoustics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Aalto University (http://spa.aalto.fi/en/)

  • Faculty of Computer Science, University of Helsinki (http://www.cs.helsinki.fi/en/)

How are doctoral studies funded at HICT partner universities?

Both HICT institutions provide world-class research and instruction, yet education is still free because the Finnish university system has no tuition costs for Ph.D. students. The majority of Ph.D. students in the HICT network are hired as full-time employees for the duration of their computer science doctoral study. Some Ph.D. students pay for their education through grants or working in the industry while doing research. Doctoral studies take an average of four years to complete.

The HICT network does not precisely sponsor Ph.D. student positions. The collaborating universities provide funding for HICT doctorate student places.

Aalto University and University of Helsinki Doctoral studies 

Doctoral degrees are not directly granted by the HICT network. All Ph.D. students in the HICT network are either Aalto University or University of Helsinki postgraduate students. To enroll in doctoral studies in a Finnish university, one must first get a Master's degree. Below is a skimmed information on the eligibility requirements for Ph.D. study at Aalto University programs in Science (SCI) and Electrical Engineering (ELEC).

Science

The Doctoral Curriculum in Research is an interdisciplinary program that interestingly combines science, technology, and business. The research is held to high international standards, with the goal of training doctors in many scientific domains to address increasingly complex societal concerns in areas including energy, environment, health, and well-being. Collaboration and multidisciplinary research are highly valued inside and outside Aalto University.

A four-year Ph.D. program in physics, mathematics, biomedical engineering, computer science, or industrial engineering and management is available through the Doctoral Program. Doctors who complete this degree are prepared for rigorous academic research and teaching jobs and expert, development, and management positions in the information society.

Required documents 

The document forms can be found following the link. (https://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/How+to+apply)

  • Application for a doctoral study right

  • Preliminary study plan

  • Supervision plan

  • Research plan (https://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/Study+plan)

  • Confirmation of study plan

  • Transfer of credits from other universities

  • Study attainment certificate (for registering individual studies)

  • Scholarship forms (https://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralsci/Licentiate)

  • Examination of the licentiate thesis

  • Approval of licentiate thesis and licentiate degree

  • Application for pre-examination and permission for public defense of the doctoral thesis

  • Appointing the opponent

  • Approval of doctoral thesis and doctoral degree

Eligibility of applicants

The Universities Act and the Aalto University Student Admissions Standards for 2022 outline the overall eligibility criteria for higher education. Eligible applicants for the Doctoral Programme in Electrical Engineering must have completed one of the following:

  • a relevant master's degree granted by a university; 

  • a relevant master's degree granted by a university of applied sciences;

  • a relevant study program overseas that provides eligibility for the corresponding higher education level in the awarding nation.

Electrical Engineering 

Electrical Engineering is a multidisciplinary Ph.D. program that prepares graduates to work in various sectors, from classical electrical engineering and the energy sector to biomedical engineering, robots, nanotechnology, and communications engineering. The program is flexible, with solid mathematics and a natural scientific foundation. It allows each Ph.D. candidate to combine courses and research based on their interests. The curriculum encompasses all of the School of Electrical Engineering's areas and enables cross-disciplinary collaboration within Aalto University.

On January 1, 2011, the Aalto Doctoral Programme in Electrical Engineering was created. It consists of 13 study areas: The Electronics and Nanoengineering (ELE), Signal Processing and Acoustics (SPA), Electrical Engineering and Automation (EEA), and Communications and Networking (TLV) Departments, as well as the Metsähovi Radio Observatory and Micronova - the Research Centre for Micro- and Nanotechnology, collaborated on the program.

The degree

The Doctor of Science (Tech) degree consists of 40 ECTS credits of theoretical study and a dissertation thesis, which takes four years to complete full-time. The Licentiate of Science (Tech) is a two-year program consisting of 40 ECTS credits of theoretical studies and a licentiate thesis. The academic study and research efforts that make up the licentiate and doctorate degrees are extensive. The emphasis here is on research. A complete explanation of the degree can be found via this link. (https://into.aalto.fi/display/endoctoralelec/Degree+structure+and+coursework)

Research fields in Doctoral Programme in Electrical Engineering

You need to choose a research field when you apply for the program:

  • Acoustics and Speech Technology

  • Automation and Control Engineering

  • Biosensing and Bioelectronics

  • Communications Engineering and Networking Technology

  • Electrical Power and Energy Engineering

  • Electronic and Digital Systems

  • Electronics

  • Interactive Systems

  • Photonics and Nanotechnology

  • Radio Science and Engineering

  • Robotics and Autonomous Systems

  • Signal Processing and Data Analytics

  • Space Science and Technology

Final thoughts 

This is a great opportunity for tech and computer enthusiasts. It encompasses a lot of fields combined, giving the candidates a profound and solid understanding of their fields and much more. The network creates a welcoming and comfortable environment to encourage academics. 
For further information please click the "LINK TO ORIGINAL" button below. 

Further Official Information

Link to Original

Similar Opportunities


Disciplines

Communication Studies

Computer Sciences

Engineering

Study Levels

Doctoral

Opportunity Types

Grants

Eligible Countries

International

Host Countries

Finland