Open calls in doctoral studies

 Admission is open for a 3-year full-time PhD student and Junior Research Fellow (Early Stage Researcher, ESR) position. Applications are invited from highly-motivated individuals wishing to carry out a PhD thesis on atmospheric research conducted at the CLOUD facility at CERN, with a particular focus on ion processes and their effects on aerosols and clouds.

Admitted student will work as junior research fellow at the University. The workload is 1.0. Doctoral studies and the employment contract is expected to start as soon as possible (by 4 September 2023 at the latest).


Further information regarding the study place

Link to the application form

You can apply to three specialities at the Institute of History and Archaeology (one ranking list will be formed).There are 4 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.

Online entrance interviews take place on 29 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

You can apply to two specialities at the Institute of Estonian and General Linguistics.

Admission has been announced as follows:

• admission to Finno-Ugric Studies and Linguistics - 5 study places (one ranking list will be formed). You can apply with your own topic.
• admission to a research topic in Linguistics: "Language, identity and space political choices of state gymnasia in Russian-dominant settings" (supervisors Kadri Koreinik, Kara D. Brown) - 1 study place. 
  Applicants must have master's degree in linguistics, education studies or social sciences or equivalent qualification and very good command of Estonian, English, and Russian. See further application information.
   

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.

Online entrance interviews take place on 28 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

At the Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics there is a separate competition for the speciality in Philosophy. There is 1 study place available. You can apply with your own topic.

Admitted student will work as junior research fellow at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.

Online entrance interviews take place on 22 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

At the Institute of Philosophy and Semiotics there is a separate competition for the speciality in Semiotics and Culture Studies. There are 4 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.

Online entrance interviews take place on 21 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

You can apply to five specialities at the Institute of Cultural Research (one ranking list will be formed).There are 6 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.

Online entrance interviews take place on 26 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

You can apply to eight specialities at the Institute of Foreign Language and Cultures (one ranking list will be formed).There are 5 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.

Online entrance interviews take place on 30 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

You can apply to two specialities at the School of Theology and Religious Studies (one ranking list will be formed).There are 3 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities.

Online entrance interviews take place on 20 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There is a set list of thesis topics, which applicants must choose from. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Admission has been announced as follows:

• admission to Educational Science - 5 study places
• admission to Science Education - 2 study places
   

Research topics open for admission in Educational Science:

1. Strategies of effective interactions with e-books in Estonian basic schools: a sequence analysis study in education (supervisors: Margus Pedaste, Leo Aleksander Siiman) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
2. The role of goal-setting in enhancing the self-regulated learning process in the digital learning environment within the context of higher education (supervisors: Katrin Saks, Natalia Edisherashvili) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
3. The impact of school practice on the development of L2 student teachers’ didactics and subject didactics competences (supervisor: Krista Uibu) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
4. Assessment of science competence in primary school through the model of inquiry-based learning (supervisors: Margus Pedaste, Gerli Silm) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
5. Identifying and supporting high ability learners in mathematics: developing the in-service courses for pre- and primary school teachers and testing the effectiveness of it (supervisors: Merle Taimalu, Karin Täht)

Research topics open for admission in Science Education:

1. From school to society: establishing learning progressions and interactive strategies involving wicked problems throughout school levels (supervisors: Miia Rannikmäe, Regina Soobard, Jari Lavonen) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
2. Promoting students’ awareness about climate change mitigation using GIS capabilities (supervisors: Regina Soobard, Birgit Viru) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language

Read more about all topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Educational Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place on 3 July 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

You can apply to two specialities in the School of Economics and Business Administration (one ranking list will be formed). There are 6 study places available.

You can choose the thesis topic from the list or apply with your own topic. If you choose to apply with your own topic, the topic should be related to the main research fields of the School of Economics and Business Administration. 

All applicants (including those who choose the topic from the list) should contact a prospective supervisor before submitting the application. Please note that the prospective supervisor is not in a position to provide extensive comments or help develop project descriptions at the application stage, given the large number of applicants. 

Research topics open for admission in Economics:

1. A system architecture perspective on digital government: the case of Estonia (supervisor Kadri Ukrainski)
2. Cultural differences and economic consequences of migration (supervisor Anneli Kaasa)
3. Intergovernmental coordination from local to European governance (supervisors Diana Eerma, Mariia Chebotareva)
4. Determinants of productivity gap between frontier firms and the rest (supervisor Priit Vahter)
5. Growing uncertainty and people’s economic and social resilience (supervisor Tiiu Paas)
6. Adjustment of people with labour markets’ developments in the conditions of increased uncertainty (supervisor Tiiu Paas)
7. Effects of technological changes on labour market (supervisor Jaan Masso)
8. Economic effects of population ageing (supervisor Eve Parts)
9. Are we ready for degrowth society - and how to reach there? (supervisor Eve Parts)
10. Public private partnership and other solutions to the green transition and other social challenges (supervisor Lenno Uusküla)
11. Essays in applied macroeconomics (supervisor Lenno Uusküla)
12. Your own topic. The topic should be related to the main research fields of the School of Economics and Business Administration. Additionally, some supervisors have provided general PhD thesis themes for applying. 

Read more about the topics in Economics

Research topics open for admission in Business Administration:

1. The sustainability of small, ageing, and non-English academic labour markets (supervisor Eneli Kindsiko)
2. Firms' internationalization and performance in the (non-) VUCA environment (supervisors Tiia Vissak, Oliver Lukason)
3. Career anchors and their role in the development of the gender wage gap (supervisors Maaja Vadi, Jaanika Meriküll) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
4. Areas of management and their theoretical development in Estonia (supervisors Maaja Vadi, Anne Reino) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
5. The change/dynamics of mandate of Estonian subsidiaries of MNCs in the process of restructuring of global value chains (supervisors Urmas Varblane, Maaja Vadi)
6. Innovative behaviour relation with collectivistic leadership and organizational effectiveness (supervisor Kurmet Kivipõld)
7. Cross-cultural differences in brand communication adaption - neuromarketing approach (supervisor Andres Kuusik)
8. Validating Science-based startups using creative destructions lab as an example (supervisor Andres Kuusik)
9. Transformative services in stimulating environmentally responsible behaviour in sports tourism destinations (supervisors Helen Poltimäe, Bianka Plüschke-Altof) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
10. Whistleblowing in organization (supervisor Anne Reino)
11. Individual antecedents for collective intelligence and group performance (supervisor Krista Jaakson)
12. Dialogical Turn of Accounting and Accountability. Linking Non-financial and Financial Sustainability in (Integrated) Reporting (supervisor Ülle Pärl)
13. Innovation in healthcare: barriers and approaches to overcome them (supervisors Liina Joller-Vahter, Urmas Varblane)
14. Your own topic. The topic should be related to the main research fields of the School of Economics and Business Administration. Additionally, some supervisors have provided general PhD thesis themes for applying. 

Read more about the topics in Business Administration

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Social Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place on 19 June and 21 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here

There are 4 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Social Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place on 26 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

It is not possible to apply for additional student places (without the employment contract) in this application round. 

Apply here

You can apply to two specialities in the Institute of Social Studies (one ranking list will be formed). There are 5 study places available.

You can choose the thesis topic from the list or apply with your own topic. If you choose to apply with your own topic, the topic should be related to the main research fields of the institute. Several topics in the list are interdisciplinary. When applying, you need to decide which speciality you will choose (Media and Communication or Sociology). The decision should be based on your previous experience in the field and your research interests. You can also ask advice from your prospective supervisor.

All applicants (including those who choose the topic from the list) should contact a prospective supervisor before submitting the application. Please note that the prospective supervisor is not in a position to provide extensive comments or help develop project descriptions at the application stage.

Research topics open for admission in Media and Communication:

1. Generations’ agency and relationships in the digitalising environment (potential supervisors: Signe Opermann, Veronika Kalmus, Andra Siibak)
2. Parents’ socialisation values in the mediatising society (potential supervisors: Veronika Kalmus, Tiia Tulviste)
3. Artificial Intelligence in public libraries (supervisor: Krista Lepik)
4. Lying as an everyday social phenomenon and/or practice: specific manifestations, people and contexts (supervisor: Kristjan Kikerpill)
5. AI technologies and manifestations of surveillance society (supervisors: Andra Siibak, Kristjan Kikerpill)
6. Explorations of children/young people's "dark" online practices (supervisor: Maria Murumaa-Mengel)
7. Anticipatory innovation in disaster risk reduction (potential supervisors: Kati Orru, Mihkel Solvak, Sten Hansson)
8. Communication-related factors of vulnerability and their mitigation in crisis management (potential supervisors: Sten Hansson ja Kati Orru)
9. Inclusion gap in disaster risk reduction and strategies for filling the gap (potential supervisors: Kati Orru ja Oliver Nahkur)
10. Approaches to handling social vulnerabilities to crises: the role of social care (potential supervisors: Kati Orru ja Marco Krüger (Univ. of Tübingeni))
11. Your own topic. The topic should be related to the main research fields of the Institute of Social Studies.

Research topics open for admission in Sociology:

1. Generations’ agency and relationships in the digitalising environment (potential supervisors: Signe Opermann, Veronika Kalmus, Andra Siibak)
2. Parents’ socialisation values in the mediatising society (potential supervisors: Veronika Kalmus, Tiia Tulviste)
3. Meta-analysis of studies on a certain subject. The subject will be selected jointly by the supervisor and the candidate (supervisor: Tarmo Strenze)
4. Lying as an everyday social phenomenon and/or practice: specific manifestations, people and contexts (supervisor: Kristjan Kikerpill)
5. AI technologies and manifestations of surveillance society (supervisors: Andra Siibak, Kristjan Kikerpill)
6. Functioning of children’s close relationships in extraordinary times from the perspective of children (potential supervisors: Oliver Nahkur, Dagmar Kutsar)
7. Anticipatory innovation in disaster risk reduction (potential supervisors: Kati Orru, Mihkel Solvak, Sten Hansson)
8. Communication-related factors of vulnerability and their mitigation in crisis management (potential supervisors: Sten Hansson ja Kati Orru)
9. Inclusion gap in disaster risk reduction and strategies for filling the gap (potential supervisors: Kati Orru ja Oliver Nahkur)
10. Approaches to handling social vulnerabilities to crises: the role of social care (potential supervisors: Kati Orru ja Marco Krüger (Univ. of Tübingeni))
11. Your own topic. The topic should be related to the main research fields of the Institute of Social Studies.

Read more about all topics
 

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Social Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place on 4 July 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 3 study places available.

You can choose the thesis topic from the list or apply with your own topic. If you choose to apply with your own topic, the topic must be related to the main research fields of the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies.

Please contact topic supervisor for an approval of your proposal ahead of the application deadline! Please note that the prospective supervisor is not in a position to provide extensive comments or help develop project descriptions at the application stage, given the large number of applicants.

Research topics open for admission:

1. Left-behind minorities in “frozen conflicts” (supervisor Eiki Berg)
2. Russia’s war on Ukraine: impact on European democracies (supervisor Piret Ehin)
3. Russian civil society in times of war and repression (supervisor Viacheslav Morozov)
4. Self-determination of peoples in historical perspective (supervisor Eva Piirimäe)
5. Contemporary challenges to the process of European integration and their political and institutional implications (supervisor Stefano Braghiroli)
6. Behavioural insights in policymaking. How to nudge people towards greater (financial) well-being? (supervisor Leonore Riitsalu)
7. Public sector institutional reforms in the EU’s Eastern neighborhood (supervisor Kristina Muhhina)
8. Co-production of public services and democracy (supervisor Kristina Muhhina)
9. Topic of own choosing (matching the supervision competences available)

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Social Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place on 26 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 3 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Social Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place on 26 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 2 study places available. There is a set list of thesis topics, which applicants must choose from. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research topics open for admission:

1. Longitudinal evaluation of an intervention program for physical education teachers to promote adolescent motivation and physical activity in leisure time (supervisors Henri Tilga, Andre Koka)
2. Drop-out in children´s and youth sport: training methods-related and  social aspects (supervisors Priit Kaasik, Kristjan Kais)

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Medicine and Sport.

Online entrance interviews take place on 21 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 21 study places available. You can apply with your own topic.

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Medicine and Sport.

Online entrance interviews take place on 20-21 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 3 study places available. There is a set list of thesis topics, which applicants must choose from. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research topics open for admission:

1. Transcriptional factors of hypothermia response (supervisor Kattri-Liis Eskla) - read more about the topic
2. Endocannabinoid system as a possible modulator of psychiatric effects of the adhesion molecule Negr1 (supervisors Este Leidmaa, Mari-Anne Philips) - read more about the topic
3. Effects of the Negr1 adhesion molecule on metabolic disorders (supervisors Mari-Anne Philips, Este Leidmaa) - read more about the topic

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Medicine and Sport.

Online entrance interviews take place on 22 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There is 1 study place available. You can apply with your own topic.

Admitted student will work as junior research fellow at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Medicine and Sport.

Online entrance interviews take place on 20-21 June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 16 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. Effects of increasing air humidity and soil moisture on trees’ and soil mycobiome (supervisors Arvo Tullus, Ahto Agan)

2. Plant population response to land use change: consequences for ecosystem functioning and resilience to drought (supervisor Marina Semtšenko)

3. Large-scale functional profiling of soil microbiome based on metagenomics (supervisors Vladimir Mikryukov, Mohammad Bahram)

4. Plant-pollinator interactions in agricultural landscapes: the role of landscape structure (supervisors Tsipe Aavik, Mari-Liis Viljur, Virve Sõber)

5. Genomic investigations of the cestode Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato species cluster (supervisors Teivi Laurimäe, Marion Wassermann (Univ. of Hohenheim), Liina Kinkar, Urmas Saarma)

6. The evolution of phenological patterns in insects: winter moths as an example (supervisor Toomas Tammaru)

7. Ecological Restoration of Urban Green Spaces: principles and methods (supervisors Aveliina Helm, Polina Degtjarenko)

8. Distribution and functioning of soil biodiversity in Estonian farming landscapes: applications for sustainable management (supervisors Inga Hiiesalu, Tanel Vahter, Maarja Öpik)

9. Dead wood decomposition rates in nature: major drivers and measurement techniques (supervisors Kadri Runnel, Mikk Espenberg)

10. Crowding effects in insect life histories: from phylogenetic meta-analyses to industrial applications (supervisors Tiit Teder, Toomas Esperk, Sille Holm (Trigon Carbon Negative Agriculture OÜ))

11. Mechanisms of carbon limitation of benthic primary production in temperate near coastal ecosystems (supervisors Georg Martin, Christopher Hepburn (Univ. of Otago))

12. Multi-trophic interactions in novel ecosystems (supervisors Kadri Koorem, Siim-Kaarel Sepp)

13. Accidental bycatch of birds and mammals in passive commercial fishing gear of Estonian coastal fishery (supervisor Lauri Saks)

14. Zoonotic parasites of public health importance disseminated by the red fox and raccoon dog (supervisors Urmas Saarma, Ants Tull, Harri Valdmann)

15. Diversity and host-specificity of leaf-associated fungi in Europe (supervisors Niloufar Hagh Doust, Leho Tedersoo) - the study place does not have a junior research fellow position

16. Substrate specialisation of fungal species in forest ecosystems (supervisor Leho Tedersoo) - the study place does not have a junior research fellow position

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University (topics 1-14). The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Life and Earth Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty. 

Apply here
 

Applications are invited for a doctoral researcher position in the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Root Phenotyping Integrated Educational Doctoral Network “ROOTED".

Research project:

1. Temporal observations of soil: root interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (supervisors Maarja Öpik, Saoirse Tracy, Ivika Ostonen-Märtin)

Admitted student will work as junior research fellow at the University. The workload is 1.0. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.
Project duration: 36 months paid (+ 12 months optional, with additional pay potentially available)

Please see further information and link to the application form.
General information about all positions available in the Doctoral Network "ROOTED".

There are 7 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. Redefining validation process of chromatographic methods (ValChrom) (supervisors Koit Herodes, Asko Laaniste, Ivo Leito)

2. Synthesis of homogeneously catalyst-doped
   microporous materials by carbonisation of metal-organic frameworks (supervisors Rasmus Palm, Enn Lust, Thomas Thomberg, Angélica María Baena Moncada (Peruu))

3. Removal of less known pharmaceuticals and
   nitrogen compounds in anaerobic ammonium oxidation biofilm and sequence batch reactor systems (supervisor Ivar Zekker)

4. Development of efficient electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction for lowtemperature fuel cells (supervisors Srinu Akula, Kaido Tammeveski)

5. Mapping brain energy metabolism via cytochrome c oxidase histochemistry in animal models: Neural networks of vulnerability and resilience in the
   development of psychiatric disorders (supervisors Margus Kanarik, Jaanus Harro)

6. Development of Highly Efficient Electrified CO2 Direct Air Capture Sorbents through Rational Design and Synthesis (supervisor Nadezda Kongi)

7. pKa values of carboxylic acids in nonaqueous solutions (supervisor Ivo Leito)

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Chemical and Physical Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 3 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. Single shot learning based object detection (supervisors Gholamreza Anbarjafari, Chagri Ozchinar)

2. Safe Human-Robot Interaction in Shared
   Autonomy through Reinforcement Learning based Control Design and Augmented Reality (supervisor Karl Kruusamäe)

3. A model-based approach in open source hardware for developing educational and research platforms in robotics (supervisors Karl Kruusamäe, Veiko Vunder)

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Engineering and Technology.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 23 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. A catalogue of genetic effects on gene expression in
   single cells (supervisor Kaur Alasoo)

2. Characterizing clinical event sequences on real-world health data (supervisor Raivo Kolde)

3. Uncertainty quantification for low-resource perception systems in machine learning (supervisor Meelis Kull)

4. Towards robust precision mental healthcare (supervisors Stefania Tomasiello, Radwa Mohamed El Emam El Shawi)

5. Towards Fairness in Computational Journalism (supervisors Roshni Chakraborty, Rajesh Sharma)

6. A digital data twin for the testing of services using the Estonian X-tee ecosystem (supervisors Dietmar Alfred Paul Kurt Pfahl, Faiz Ali Shah)

7. Minimizing the amount of manual labeling in medical imaging with incomplete labels (supervisor Dmytro Fishman)

8. Online Interpretable AutoML (supervisors Radwa Mohamed El Emam El Shawi, Stefania Tomasiello)

9. Business Process Optimization Under Complex
   Resource Behaviour (supervisor Marlon Gerardo Dumas Menjivar)

10. Generating feedback instructions for negative thought
    reframing using natural language processing methods (supervisors Kairit Sirts, Andero Uusberg)

11. The Walking Plants: Dynamic Placement of
    Indoor Smart Houseplants using Autonomous Ground Drones (supervisor Huber Raul Flores Macario)

12. AI-based infrastructure monitoring and inspection using micro-mobility vehicles as a sensor (supervisors Amnir Hadachi, Chaoru Lu)

13. Explainable Truthful Program Analysis (supervisor Vesal Vojdani)

14. Reliable fingerprinting and lineage tracing for carbon
    footprint estimation in IoT production chains (supervisor Pelle Jakovits)

15. Automatic identification of disease progression
    patterns (supervisor Sulev Reisberg)

16. Truly autonomous vehicle localization for level-5 vehicles (supervisor Naveed Muhammad)

17. Green Learning Meets Computer Vision: Rethinking Deep Learning Models for Perception in Intelligent Systems (supervisors Amnir Hadachi, Abdelaziz Bensrhair (INSA de Rouen), Paul Honeine (Univ of Rouen))

18. Drug target prioritisation via improved prediction of variant effects on splicing (supervisor Kaur Alasoo)

19. A method for conducting large-scale IT projects with substantial stakeholder involvement (supervisor Kuldar Taveter)

20. Developing blockchain-based intelligent infrastructure (supervisors Raimundas Matulevicius, Mubashar Iqbal)

21. Development of a self-learning algorithm for the routing and sorting of postal service periodicals and parcels to streamline workflows and optimize the parcel delivery routes (supervisors Eduard Ševtšenko, Ibrahim Oluwole Raji)

22. Formal verification of quantum cryptography (supervisor Dominique Unruh)

23. Studying misinformation propagation on online social media (supervisor Rajesh Sharma)

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Mathematics and Computer Science.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 3 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. The role of stomatal traits in wheat yield and disease resistance under future climate conditions (supervisors Hanna Hõrak, Ebe Merilo, Reine Koppel (METK))

2. The detection and analyses of hot spots and hot
   moments of greenhouse gas emissions from restored wetlands (supervisor Kuno Kasak)

3. Implications of peatland forest management and agriculture to freshwater ecosystems and enhancement of mitigation measures (supervisors Margit Kõiv-Vainik, Kuno Kasak)

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Engineering and Technology.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 8 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. Assessing the feasibility of using longitudinal microbiome sampling in microbiome based disease risk prediction (supervisors Elin Org, Oliver Aasmets, Vallo Tillmann (Faculty of Medicine))

2. Pharmacogenetic aspects of hormonal contraceptives (supervisors Triin Laisk, Lili Milani, Reedik Mägi)

3. Standing your ground or going with the flow: disentangling the evolutionary dynamics of natural selection and genetic admixture (supervisors Anders Eriksson, Liisa Loog)

4. Dissecting the mechanisms of cognitive symptoms across psychiatric and somatic diseases by triangulating genomic, metabolomic and health data (supervisor Kelli Lehto)

5. In depth genetic and phenotypic analysis of population specific rare genetic variants within Estonian biobank (supervisors Tõnu Esko, Erik Abner)

6. Sex and Ancestry Stratified Genetic Risk Prediction for Type 2 Diabetes and Gestational Diabetes (supervisors Reedik Mägi, Triin Laisk, Kristi Läll)

7. Systemic Endotoxemia as the driver of chronic inflammation (supervisors Ene Reimann, Reedik Mägi, Triin Laisk, Elin Org)

8. Regional patterns of genetic diversity in East Europe: dynamics of population processes during past two Millenia from the archaeogenetic perspective making use of haplotype-based analyses (supervisors Alena Kushniarevich, Kristiina Tambets, Georgi Hudjašov)

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Life and Earth Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 6 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. Sustainable transport planning in functional urban regions: a big data approach (supervisors Age Poom, Anto Aasa)

2. Sustainable management of wetland forest nutrient cycling considering microbiome and greenhouse gas fluxes (supervisors Mikk Espenberg, Ülo Mander)

3. Dendroecological quantification of meteorological events, climate change and anthropogenic impacts in peatland ecosystems (supervisors Ain Kull, Kristina Sohar)

4. Smartification of the double-excluded aging and rural localities – experimental strategy to smartificate through a learning intervention (supervisors Kadri Leetmaa, Kairi Kreegipuu (Institute of Psychology), Bianka Plüschke-Altof)

5. Dynamics of carbon and water fluxes in temperate and boreal forest ecosystems (supervisors Alisa Krasnova,
   Kaido Soosaar, Ülo Mander)

6. Identifying the feasible areas for placing and restoring wetlands and riparian buffer strips in the landscape to reduce agricultural pollution and increase carbon storage (supervisor Evelyn Uuemaa)

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Life and Earth Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 3 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. Iron-manganese concretions in bottom sediments of the Baltic Sea: genesis, proxy of Baltic Sea environmental conditions, and economic potential (supervisors Martin Liira, Kalle Kirsimäe, Aivo Lepland (Geological Survey of Norway))

2. Facies analysis and development of carbonate sedimentary environments in the Baltoscandian basin during the Ordovician and Silurian episodes of rapid climatic changes (supervisors Leho Ainsaar, Tõnu Meidla)

3. Reconstruction of the Holocene relative sea-level change and storminess in Eastern Baltic (supervisors Alar Rosentau, Tiit Hang)

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Life and Earth Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 3 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. Crystal chemistry and physics of superconductivity in A15 intermetallics, conducting oxide and hydride systems (supervisors Aleksandr Pištšev, Artjom Vargunin, Smagul Karazhanov (Norra))

2. Novel heterostructures of graphene and related materials for gas sensing (supervisors Raivo Jaaniso, Margus Kodu)

3. Sustainable methods for the recycling and valorization of waste cellulose (supervisor Tarmo Tamm)

 
Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Engineering and Technology.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 3 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. Many-fold Markov models (supervisor Jüri Lember)

2. Extending slicely countably determined Banach spaces to nonseparable spaces (supervisors Johann Langemets, Miguel Martin (Granada, Spain))

3. Computer-based assessment to measure mathematical knowledge and skills at upper secondary school level (supervisors Tiina Kraav, Evely Kirsiaed)

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Mathematics and Computer Science.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 2 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. Interactions between the extracellular matrix and macrophages in the pathology of Dupuytren's disease (supervisors Mariliis Klaas, Kristina Mäemets-Allas)

2. Regulation of viral IRES-mediated translation (supervisor Tiina Tamm)

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Life and Earth Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 5 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. Plasmid-on-Demand Platform for Antibiotic-Free Production of Recombinant Proteins (supervisors Marje Kasari, Villu Kasari)

2. Development of microfluidics-based formulation technology for the synthesis and scale up of biopolymer-based drug delivery systems and modified mRNA nanoformulations (supervisor Taavi Lehto)

3. Unravelling the dynamic protein phosphorylation mediated by cell cycle kinases Mps1, Cdc7 and Pho85 (supervisors Mart Loog, Ilona Faustova)

4. Studies of alphavirus replication and gene expression (supervisor Andres Merits)

5. Development of therapeutic antibodies for complex membrane proteins in immuno-oncology (supervisors Reet Kurg, Siret Tahk (Icosagen Cell Factory))

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Engineering and Technology.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 5 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. Computational imaging using vector optical beams generated from micro/nano optical devices (supervisors Vijayakumar Anand, Aile Tamm)

2. Quantum simulation with near term quantum devices (supervisors Veiko Palge, Dirk Oliver Theis (Inst of Computer Science), Juhan Matthias Kahk)

3. Molecular level neutron scattering
   study of adaptation mechanisms in photosynthesis (supervisor Jörg Pieper)

4. Electronic band structure engineering concept applied to materials with complex valence bands for development of ultrafast scintillators (supervisor Marco Kirm)

5. Experimental and theoretical studies of cation mixing and non-stoichiometry in AB2O4 spinel compounds (supervisors Mikhail Brik,
   Anatolijs Popovs (Uni of Latvia), Aleksandr Luštšik)

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Chemical and Physical Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

The speciality belongs to the PhD programme in Educational Sciences at the Faculty of Social Sciences.

There is a set list of thesis topics, which applicants must choose from. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. There are 2 study places open for applying.

Research topics open for admission:

1. From school to society: establishing learning progressions and interactive strategies involving wicked problems throughout school levels (supervisors Miia Rannikmäe, Regina Soobard, Jari Lavonen) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language
2. Promoting students’ awareness about climate change mitigation using GIS capabilities (supervisors Regina Soobard, Birgit Viru) - this topic requires proficiency in Estonian language

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Educational Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place on 3 July 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 6 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. Reference radiometer for the ocean color measurements (supervisors Riho Vendt, Viktor Vabson)

2. Astrobiological sensors for space missions (supervisor Mihkel Pajusalu)

3. Traces of accretion in the spectra of young hot stars (supervisors Anna Aret, Colin Peter Folsom, Mihkel Kama)

4. Evaporation of planets around hot stars (supervisors Mihkel Kama, Anna Aret, Luca Fossati (Space Research Institute, Austria))

5. Coping with non-equilibrium in the reconstruction of the Milky Way matter distribution (supervisors María Benito Castaño, Rain Kipper)

6. Semantic mapping of off-road and extra-terrestrial environments using machine learning and camera data fusion for autonomous rovers (supervisors Mihkel Pajusalu, Martin Valgur (Milrem Robotics))

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Chemical and Physical Sciences.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

There are 2 projects open for applying.

Applicants must choose from a set list of thesis projects. It is not possible to apply with your own topic during the application period. 

Research projects open for admission:

1. High entropy alloys deposited onto carbon supports for the oxygen electroreduction (supervisors Jaak Nerut, Enn Lust)

2. Fundamental investigation of catalytic energy storage and conversion processes using metal-organic framework-derived microporous carbon model materials (supervisors Rasmus Palm, Enn Lust, Jaak Nerut, Angélica María Baena Moncada (Peruu))

Read more about the topics

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The estimated workload is 1.0 and the estimated time period is four years. The final workload will be fixed after the student is admitted, during work contract negotiations. Studies are expected to start on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Engineering and Technology.

Online entrance interviews take place most probably in June 2023. Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

Apply here
 

The speciality belongs to the doctoral programme in Mathematics and Computer Science.

Research projects open for admission:

1. Methods and Tools for Developing Secure Intelligent Infrastructures (supervisor Raimundas Matulevicus).
   Studies begin during the spring semester 2022/2023.

2. Hybrid quantum-classical highperformance computing (supervisor Dirk Oliver Jim Theis). 
   Studies begin during the spring semester 2022/2023.

3. Formal verification of quantum cryptography (supervisor Dominique Unruh). 
   Studies begin on 4 September 2023.

Abstracts of the projects

Admitted students will work as junior research fellows at the University. The workload is 1.0 and the time period is four years.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Mathematics and Computer Science.

Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

The speciality belongs to the doctoral programme in Chemical and Physical Sciences.

Research project open for admission:

1. Atmospheric new particle and cloud formation in the cold region of the atmosphere (supervisors Heikki Junninen, Sander Mirme)

Abstracts of the projects

Admitted student will work as junior research fellow at the University. The workload is 1.0 and the time period is four years. Studies begin on 4 September 2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Chemical and Physical Sciences.

Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.

The speciality belongs to the doctoral programme in Humanities.

Research project open for admission:

1. Orthodox Archives in Estonia and Latvia 1918-1940 (supervisors Irina Paert, James White)

The study place does not have a junior research fellow position. Studies begin during the spring semester 2022/2023.

Candidates must submit an application with other requested documents. See further information on the programme website of Humanities. For further information about the research topic please contact the School of Theology and Religious Studies.

Applicants will be informed of their interview date and time by the respective faculty.