The Faculty of Science states in its target programme that it specialises in varied, internationally acclaimed top quality research and high quality teaching based thereon. Applicants for a docentship will be informed of the Faculty’s quality requirements.
The Faculty requests that prospective applicants for a docentship first consult with a relevant department head or discipline coordinator before submitting an application. In addition to other issues related to the application of a docentship (the field of the docentship, scientific qualifications), there will also be a preliminary consideration of the applicant’s teaching qualifications at this point. If the applicant’s teaching qualifications appear insufficient, he or she can contact the Faculty’s teaching support services for instructions.
The department’s position on the field of the docentship will be clarified in the consultations. If the field of the title of docent is new (the Faculty has no docents in the field), the department must provide the Faculty with a statement describing the docentship and its purpose. After the consultation with the applicant, the department can prepare its proposal to the Faculty on the assessors to evaluate the applicant’s qualifications.
The docentship applicant’s scientific qualifications and teaching skills will be assessed simultaneously. This ensures that the Faculty representatives consider the applicant’s qualifications sufficient in all aspects so that the assessment process can begin.
The application must be submitted to the Faculty of Science by e-mail as a pdf document to the address hr-kumpula@helsinki.fi.
The application must be accompanied by a curriculum vitae, a list of publications and other research work according to the classification of the University of Helsinki Reference Database of Publications, as well as a report of the applicant’s teaching qualifications. The Faculty requests that applicants draft an academic portfolio (pdf) incorporating all the above documents to accompany their applications. For the assessment of the applicant’s teaching skills, the applicant must also indicate the topic of his or her demonstration of teaching skills (demonstration lecture) when submitting the application.
Copies of certificates attesting to the applicant’s skills in the Finnish and Swedish languages must accompany the application. The required language skills are typically incorporated into the applicant’s studies and are indicated in the degree diploma. Official certificates of language proficiency are also considered proof of language skills. If an applicant from outside Finland is not an employee at the University of Helsinki, he or she must also present copies of his/her passport and doctoral diploma, certified by two people.
The applicant may choose to submit publications directly to the assessors appointed by the Faculty Council instead of sending them to the Faculty Office. Publications can normally be submitted to the assessors electronically.
The Dean of the Faculty will confirm the composition of the Committee for the Assessment of Teaching Skills to evaluate the applicant’s teaching skills. The department will organise the teaching demonstrations, which are open to the public and advertise the event sufficiently so that all interested parties may attend. Applications for the title of docent are usually discussed by the Faculty Council in two separate meetings. In the first meeting, the application is brought to the attention of the Council, and assessors are appointed. Assessors are not appointed from the Faculty of Science, but must nevertheless hold an academic title of docent or higher.
After receiving statements from the assessors and the Committee for the Assessment of Teaching Skills, the Faculty Council will decide in the second meeting whether the applicant meets the requirements for the title of docent and whether a proposal of appointment will be made to the Chancellor.