Info for doctoral candidates and supervisors

Doc­toral can­did­ates and Su­per­vi­sors

There are more than 170 supervisors and co supervisors who guide the scientific work.

Doctoral education in CVM includes national and international courses, congresses and work visits outside own working place. CVM has wide network of experts representing several fields in clinical veterinary medicine in the Universities, institutions, national organisations and industry. In addition, doctoral candidates’ own activities (Student council) and peer support helps in networking. Research expertise, other skills and career planning are followed in annual thesis committee meetings where outside scientific experts support the progress of doctoral candidates.

All doctors graduated from CVM are employed in expert positions in various fields in translational and clinical veterinary medicine in addition to animal welfare posts in academic, authority, clinical teacher, in clinical practice and industry as well as being independent entrepreneurs.

Fac­ulties and part­ners of CVM

University page: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/university/units-and-faculties

University of Helsinki:

– Faculty of Veterinary Medicine.
– Veterinary teaching hospital in Helsinki   (horses, small animals) and in Mäntsälä, Saari (production animals).
– Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry
– Faculty of Biological and Environmental sciences
– Faculty of Behavioural Sciences
– HiLIFE: Institute of Biotechnology, Neuroscience Center

University of Turku, University of Eastern Finland, Åbo Akademy University, Tampere University of Technology, University of Oulu

Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira

Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE)

Private sector, industry, authorities

NOVA (Nordic), BOVA (Baltic) networks

University guidelines on annual reporting, thesis committee meetings and thesis committee members.

CVM does not require compilation of thesis committee (=follow-up group) and annual meetings of those candidates who have registered to pursue doctoral degree before 1.1.2014. For others it is obligatory.

Each CVM doctoral candidate must have a thesis advisory committee that evaluates the candidate's progress and offers the candidate support throughout his/her doctoral studies.The first meeting must be arranged within four months (first semester) after being accepted to CVM after which the subsequent meetings must take place annually. Reports of the meetings must be submitted to CVM in a timely manner.

The thesis advisory committee’s tasks are to:

• ensure that the project is scientifically valid and suitable for a PhD project
• discuss the candidate’s research plan with him or her to ensure the plan is clear, feasible and relevant,
• give the candidate constructive feedback on the progress of his or her postgraduate studies and research,
• issue recommendations on studies supporting the candidate’s research work,
• evaluate the progress and future plans of the PhD project including overseeing the timely graduation of the student
• take up problems and/or issues that need to be addressed and notify the programme coordinator of them, and
• give the candidate constructive feedback on the progress of his or her postgraduate studies and research,
• help the candidate plan his or her post-dissertation career.

Com­mit­tee mem­bers

University of Helsinki instructions on thesis committee members.

There are no limitations as to where the committee members come from but it should be noted that neither CVM nor the Faculties can offer financial support for their travel expenses.

While the committee members may help the candidate in conceptual matters, and - should they and the candidate's research group so choose - even engage in scientific collaboration, it should be kept in mind that they are busy with students of their own and thus cannot be expected to contribute to data analysis etc.

Thesis advisory committee meetings

1. The first thesis committee meeting should be completed within 3-4 months (first semester) after beginning doctoral studies. The purpose of the first meeting is that the doctoral candidate introduces him/herself and the research plan to the committee.
2. Subsequent meetings with the thesis advisory committee must take place annually, although on mutual agreement they may take place more often than once a year.
3. The candidate is responsible for arranging the meeting and he/she should start scheduling it well in advance due to the hectic schedules of researchers. It is also good to book a room for the meeting early on.
4. Prior to the meeting the student prepares and sends the progress report to the Thesis Committee members.
   1. “Old” students who have not registered to Thessa yet: Link to theLink to annual report form. (Even though certain points in the instructions do not apply to a candidate that has only recently started his/her doctoral studies, the report should follow the listed points as closely as possible.)
   2. Students starting in Autumn 2018 or later: Thesis committee reporting should be made in Thessa (https://thessa.helsinki.fi/). See more about Thessa here.
5. Thesis Committee members are expected to familiarize themselves with the report in advance.
6. The Student, the Supervisor(s), and the Thesis Committee members must all participate in the TC Meeting. Participation can be organized e.g. over skype to reduce travelling.
7. After or during the meeting, a second form is filled and returned.
   1. “Old” students: Inform CVM planning officer (email to cvm-info@helsinki.fi).
   2. Students starting in Autumn 2018 or later: reporting of the meeting is made in Thessa.

Dur­ing the meeting

1. The student presents the current status and future plans of the PhD project.
2. Thesis Committee members evaluate the project and make suggestions for the project.
3. The student and the participants of the Thesis Committee Meeting check the acquired skills and courses taken by the student and plan the studies to guarantee adequate knowledge of and expertise in the field.
4. Part of the meeting has to be held in the absence of the supervisor to allow for possible confidential matters to be discussed between the TC members and the student.

Old instructions for students not in Thessa system:

Thessa (https://thessa.helsinki.fi/ ) is a new online tool for planning and follow-up of PhD studies, and it will become mandatory for new doctoral candidates, their supervisors and thesis committees starting from Autumn 2018.

There are three main parts in Thessa: Supervision agreements (mandatory for all doctoral candidates from August 2020 onwards), personal study plans and progress reports. Progress report can be used for annual reporting and be sent to thesis committee for thesis committee meetings.

Also “old” students are welcome to join Thessa right away! Please note that in order for you to start using THESSA, your supervisor will first need to log in to the system. After your account has been activated, you can invite the thesis committee members to join. Please see ThessaHELP document for detailed instructions. You can also forward it to your supervisor(s) & TC members.

More info: https://thessa.helsinki.fi/help
Thessa helpdesk: thessa-admin@helsinki.fi

Doctoral training related information are e-mailed by dpcvm-members@helsinki.fi email list for doctoral candidates and supervisors. To subscribe, send an e-mail from your helsinki.fi account to majordomo@helsinki.fi. Leave the subject-line empty and write in the message field: subscribe dpcvm-members

As a member of the dpcvm-members list, you are automatically added to the email-list of the Doctoral School in Health Sciences (dshealth-phd@helsinki.fi) that provides announcements of the courses in transferable skills and other useful information.

More than 90 supervisors from 14 institutions are currently affiliated to CVM.
CVM supervisors affiliated with University of Helsinki can be found in the TUHAT database, LINK.

TUHAT list is being updated during summer 2018. Meanwhile you can find the complete supervisor list below.

Faculty of veterinary medicine

Björkroth, Johanna
Fredriksson-Ahomaa, Maria
Heikinheimo, Annamari
Heinonen, Mari
Hepojoki, Jussi
Hielm-Björkman, Anna
Hänninen, Laura
Iivanainen, Antti
Karikoski, Ninja
Kukkonen, Jyrki (P)
Laakkonen, Juha
Lappalainen, Anu
Laukkanen-Ninios, Riikka
Lindström, Miia
Lohi, Hannes
Lundén, Janne
Maunula, Leena
Mykkänen, Anna
Nevas, Mari
Niku, Mikael
Näreaho, Anu
Oliviero, Claudio
Peltoniemi, Olli
Pohjanvirta, Raimo
Raekallio, Marja
Rajala-Schultz, Päivi Johanna
Rajamäki, Minna
Rantala, Merja
Rossi, Mirko
Ruohoniemi, Mirja
Salminen, Marjo
Satokari, Reetta
Sihvonen, Liisa
Sironen, Tarja
Soveri, Timo
Spillmann, Thomas
Sukura, Antti
Taira, Tomi
Taponen, Juhani
Taponen, Suvi
Tojkander, Sari
Vainio, Outi
Valros, Anna
Vapaavuori, Outi
Vapalahti, Olli
Wiberg, Maria
Virtala, Anna-Maija
Vos de, Willem Meindert

Faculty of Agriculture and forestry

Jukka Ahokas
Mikko Hautala
Matti Pastell
Pekka Uimari
Matti Näsi
Aila Vanhatalo
Jarmo Juga
Marita Ruusunen

Faculty of Law

Pekka Koskinen
Jukka Kekkonen

Faculty of Behavioural Sciences

Christina Krause

Faculty of Social Sciences

Kari Vesala

Laboratory Animal Centre, University of Helsinki

Tarja Kohila

Neuroscience Center, University of Helsinki

 
University of Eastern Finland (UEF)

Jaakko Mononen
Heli Lindeberg
Leena Ahola
Heikki Roininen
Petteri Nieminen
Pertti Rannikko
Rauno Sairinen
Pekka Jokinen
Hannu Räty
Matti Kuittinen
Matti Tolvanen
Jussi Silvonen

National Laboratory Animal Centre (Kuopio)

Satu Mering
Timo Nevalainen

Center for Horse Management (Hevostietokeskus) (Kuopio)

Minna-Liisa Heiskanen

Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)

Taru Peltola

University of Turku (UTU)

Olli Koistinen
Juha Räikkä
Markku Oksanen
Elisa Aaltola

Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU)

Markku Suksi

Tampere University of Technology (TUT)

Jari Hyttinen

University of Oulu (UO)

Jukka Pennanen

Laboratory Animal Centre, University of Oulu

Hanna-Marja Voipio

MTT Agrifood Research Finland (MTT)

Marketta Rinne
Hannu Korhonen
Satu Raussi
Jarmo Valaja
Ismo Strandén

Finnish Food Safety Authority (EVIRA)

Liisa Sihvonen
Kimmo Peltonen
Saara Raulo
Sinikka Pelkonen
Annamaria Eriksson-Kallio

Private Sector

Anssi Tast, Vethaus OY

Eija Helander, Suomen Rehu Oy

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Supervisors in other countries

French National Institute for Agricultural Research, France

Isabelle Veissier

Institut Superiéur d´Agriculture, France

Joop Lensik

Pacific Agri-Food Research Centre, Canada

Anne-Marie de Passillé
Jeff Rushen, PhD

University of Prince Edward Island, Canada

David Sims

University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Jan Ladewig
Björn Forkman
Dvoralai Wulfsohn
Peter Sandoe

Research Centre Foulum, University of Århus, Denmark

Lene Munksgaard

Technical University of Denmark

Henrik Madsen

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden

Bo Algers
Stefan Gunnarsson

Teagasc Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Ireland

Anne Maria Mullen

Klaipėda University, Lithuania

Marija Eidukeviciene

The Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Norway

Birgit Ranheim

Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium (M3-BIORES)

Daniel Berckmans
Jean-Marie Aerts

Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonia

Väino Poikalainen

Doctoral school in health sciences thesis series, instructions for publication: ‘Dissertationes Scholae Doctoralis Ad Sanitatem Investigandam Universitatis Helsinkiensis’.

The University of Helsinki PhD Students (HYVÄT) is an association for all doctoral candidates at the University of Helsinki. The goal is to advocate the interests of doctoral students and to function as a liaison between doctoral students and the University of Helsinki.

Use electronic invoices (intranet Flamma instructions: https://flamma.helsinki.fi/portal/home/fh?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=view&contentId=HY274454.

Preference is scanned paper bills, invoice: Laskulomake FI EN 05072017.doc including instructions. Send scanned paper bills via e-mail to: hy-laskut @ helsinki.fi (NOTE: only 1 pdf attachment/e-mail). Attach scanned receipts to the same file. If refreshments are provided: attach list of participants.

NOTE: insert always reference H921/WBS7921108, CVM, (course name and) who bills

Here are links to webpages about

• University-level instructions and information
• Faculties' requirements for PhD thesis
• Faculties' instructions on the pre-examination process
• Publishing your thesis in the DSHealth series