14 new doctoral researchers will begin their studies in the shared doctoral researcher position system of the UEF in 2023.
The University of Eastern Finland has selected 14 new doctoral researchers for its shared doctoral researcher position system. They will begin their doctoral research this year.
The selected persons work simultaneously for the University of Eastern Finland and another employer. The University has appointed them to part-time positions as doctoral researchers, and their main task is to conduct doctoral research in the University's doctoral programmes.
Cloneria Jatileni and Malakia Jatileni will begin their doctoral research in the Doctoral Programme in Educational Studies. With the help of the shared doctoral researcher position system, they will produce researched information for the use of the Namibia education system. Their second employer is the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture in Namibia.
Cloneria Jatileni and Malakia Jatileni have completed their master's degrees at the University of Eastern Finland and are now continuing their doctoral research in the School of Applied Educational Science and Teacher Education. Cloneria, who is a teacher and does project work, gets an opportunity to fund her doctoral studies through the shared doctoral researcher position system. Malakia, who works as a school principal, can also use the system for their doctoral dissertation.
Mobile devices to help mathematics teaching and learning in Namibia
Cloneria Jatileni's research focuses on using mobile devices and applications in teaching and learning.
– The key question is how we can improve mathematics teaching and learning through mobile devices and applications. The aim is to integrate research into Namibia's education system and produce scientific research that can also be utilised globally, says Cloneria Jatileni.
In Namibia, children do not use personal mobile devices at school, even if they would like to study mathematics using mobile devices. Cloneria Jatileni has identified this problem after teaching information communication technology, information communication and mathematics.
– Mathematics is a very important subject in schools. How can we change the current practice and make better use of mobile devices and applications is an important question in my doctoral dissertation, says Cloneria Jatileni.
– In Namibia, children are already using mobile devices, and as teachers, we should teach children how they can use mobile devices to benefit their learning. Namibia is a developing economy and some schools have only one computer. However, families have devices that children could bring to school. When curricula are renewed every five years, a lot of money is spent on paper textbooks, says Malakia Jatileni.
Malakia Jatileni's doctoral dissertation produces special pedagogy models that support learning from different starting points to benefit the Namibia education system.
– Finland has one of the best education systems in the world, and we want to share these learning approaches with Namibia. In my own research, I focus on special pedagogy, there is a lot to learn and a lot to do, says Malakia Jatileni.
In the shared doctoral researcher position system, I can combine work and research in a practical way, and the knowledge gained during the dissertation will go into use.
Joona Sorjonen
Doctoral researcher
Natural research co-operation between pharmaceutical companies and the university
Joona Sorjonen will also begin as a doctoral researcher through the shared doctoral researcher position system of the University of Eastern Finland. He conducts research in the Doctoral Programme in Drug Research. Sorjonen graduated with a Master's Degree in Pharmacy from the University of Eastern Finland in 2021 and have since worked for Orion.
– The field of pharmacy is research intensive, and pharmaceutical companies and universities traditionally co-operate. I am doing my doctoral dissertation with AstraZeneca. I did my master's thesis for AstraZeneca as well. Postgraduate studies were in my thoughts in the master’s degree stage, and now it has become possible. The doctoral dissertation is a continuation, Sorjonen says.
Sorjonen's doctoral dissertation focuses on ways to predict and improve tablet integrity. He is prepared to conduct his doctoral dissertation for four years and found his supervisors both at the University of Eastern Finland and in AstraZeneca.
– Field of research and development has been an interesting area for me. In the shared doctoral researcher position system, I can combine work and research in a practical way, and the knowledge gained during the dissertation will go into use, Sorjonen says.
