UniPID DocNet Goals and Objectives

The goal of UniPID DocNet is to support the interdisciplinary training and networking of development research doctoral researchers based in Finnish universities. Complementary UniPID DocNet training aims particularly to strengthen those theoretic-methodological skills of researchers which are specific to development research and research on or related to developing countries.

By bringing together both doctoral candidates and their supervisors, UniPID DocNet aims to facilitate peer support and the establishment of relevant academic contacts. This enables the exchange of information and experiences, and possible extra supervision, which in turn enhances the quality of training and facilitates the creation of new partnerships.

The more specific objectives of UniPID DocNet are:

• to pool information about the already existing support for doctoral researchers;
• to offer doctoral researchers development specific training to complement the training received at their home universities;
• to support doctoral researchers’ knowledge and skills to publish in development research journals;
• to offer a forum to discuss and understand the challenges and benefits involved in interdisciplinarity;
• to facilitate doctoral researchers’ peer support and networking;
• to facilitate doctoral researchers’ contacts and networking with supervisors across the different UniPID member universities;
• to offer doctoral researchers extra guidance;
• to facilitate doctoral researchers’ contacts with international academic visitors and experts; and
• to facilitate supervisors’ networking and peer support.

Photo credit: Andrew Ridley, 2016, on Unsplash