Doctoral programme in ‘Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Sustainability in Society’ will be led by senior university lecturer Mar Cabeza and she will be accompanied by senior adviser Mia Vehkaoja. Doctoral programme in ‘Molecular and Cellular Systems of Life’ will be led by research director Marja Mikkola and she will be accompanied by senior adviser Katri Wegelius.
Both newly appointed directors Mar Cabeza and Marja Mikkola want to emphasise that the new programmes are not just structural mergers. They want to call them shared academic homes for both doctoral researchers and supervisors.
“We’re building on strong disciplinary and interdisciplinary legacies, and both will continue to thrive. I’m proud of the proactivity and engagement already shown by our doctoral researchers; their energy is shaping EEESY from the ground up,” says Mar Cabeza.
“Well-being and efficient PhD progress will remain key priorities, but our deeper goal is to foster a vibrant community where people feel connected, heard, and empowered. We will keep successful practices from the previous programmes and co-designing new ones. EEESY will grow through collaboration — and it will be shaped by those who live it,” Cabeza says.
Marja Mikkola ponders what makes a doctoral journey a success. “High-quality supervision, fair treatment of PhD researchers, and adequate support for career planning are the key elements. Everyone in our university – from top leadership to individual supervisors – should work together to achieve these goals.”
She also highlights curriculum design as another important aspect of successful planning. “The development of discipline-specific courses will build on the successes of current doctoral programmes, in close collaboration with our PhD researchers.”
Vice-dean for doctoral education Ville Hietakangas is happy about the appointments. “I am delighted that we have such a committed and experienced team of directors and senior advisers during this important transition phase in doctoral education. Both Mar and Marja have shown strong commitment to promoting high quality education, transparent and fair processes, an inclusive and active community as well as well-being of doctoral researchers, which will be the core objectives of the new programmes.”
According to Hietakangas the doctoral programme reform is progressing as planned towards the starting date on 1 January 2026. The next step is to recruit the new boards for both of the doctoral programmes; the call for the board members is ongoing until November 10th. You can indicate your interest in becoming programme steering group member by
The Doctoral Programme in Ecosystems, Evolution and Environmental Sustainability of Society (EEESY) builds on the strengths of two established doctoral tracks—one rooted in world-leading ecological and evolutionary research, the other in advancing interdisciplinary approaches to environmental challenges. EEESY will offer advanced training to support projects that range from focused disciplinary studies in ecology and evolution to integrative research on socio-ecological systems and sustainability transitions. The programme welcomes doctoral researchers from multiple faculties and fosters collaboration across disciplines to explore the complex interplay between ecosystems and society—how ecological processes shape human well-being, and how societal actions, values, and institutions influence biodiversity. EEESY welcomes those driven by scientific curiosity and a desire to find solutions to environmental challenges through fundamental and applied research.
The Doctoral Programme in Molecular and Cellular Systems of Life (MaCS) offers advanced scientific training at a globally competitive level. MaCS fosters an inclusive environment for a broad spectrum of interconnected fields within molecular and cellular life sciences, including plant biology and neuroscience. The research projects of doctoral researchers in the MaCS programme range from in-depth analyses on molecular mechanisms controlling biological processes to systems-level investigations. While research in MaCS is often curiosity-driven and fundamental in nature, many projects also encompass societally relevant applications, such as those in biotechnology or human health.