11.05.2026
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Lisateave
Monika Tasa
Eesti doktorikooli projekti üldkoordinaator
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European Doctoral Day highlights the value of the doctoral degree

Tudengid
Author: Taavi Taivere

European Doctoral Day is held on 13 May to inspire students to pursue doctoral education, increase employers’ awareness of the value of doctoral degrees, and showcase the diverse career opportunities available to doctoral degree holders.

Currently, about 1% of the working-age population in Estonia holds a doctoral degree. Although the share of people with a doctoral degree has increased significantly in recent years, it still lags considerably behind that of the Nordic countries, which are characterised by knowledge- and innovation-intensive economies. Following the doctoral reform of 2022, doctoral researchers are now employed by universities as junior research fellows, with an employment contract that guarantees them the Estonian average salary and social security benefits.

In recent years, both the number of doctoral researchers and doctoral graduates has increased. Specialists holding doctoral degrees are increasingly employed in both the public and private sectors, and universities are cooperating more and more closely with employers. This is also reflected in the gradual increase in the number of intersectoral doctoral researchers.

According to Monika Tasa, general coordinator of the Estonian Doctoral School project, people with a doctoral degree are needed in all fields that require critical and creative thinking to solve complex problems. “Graduates of doctoral programmes generate new knowledge, collaborate at both local and international levels, and influence the development of research, business and the public sector. Experts who are capable of implementing change and explaining it to the wider public emerge specifically during doctoral studies,” said Tasa.

Social Media campaign

During the thematic week from 11 to 17 May, all doctoral researchers and holders of doctoral degrees are invited to share their experiences and reflect on the value of doctoral studies on social media. When posting on social media, use the hashtags #EuropeanDoctoralDay and #EuroopaDoktorantidePäev.

At the initiative of the Estonian Doctoral School, one video featuring a doctoral researcher from the Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tallinn University, Tallinn University of Technology, the Estonian Academy of Arts, the Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre, the Estonian Business School or the University of Tartu, will be posted on LinkedIn every day during the thematic week. In the videos, the doctoral researchers describe their experiences in research so far.

Facts about doctoral studies

  • The number of people admitted to doctoral studies and the number of doctoral graduates have increased over the past ten years. In 2015, 380 people were admitted; in 2024, 558. While 240 people defended their doctoral theses in 2015, the figure for 2024 was 292. In 2015, 5,221 people in Estonia held a doctoral degree; by 2024, the figure had risen to 7,370.
  • The share of people with a doctoral degree among the working‑age population has also grown. In 2015, there were 8.5 people with a doctoral degree per 1,000 employees in Estonia, compared with 10.3 in 2023. In Finland, Denmark and Norway, the corresponding figure is 14–15 per 1,000 employees.
  • In 2017, there were 2,473 people with a doctoral degree employed in the private sector, and in 2024, 3,031. The respective figures in the public sector were 2,516 and 2,997.

Source: The Estonian Research Council publication “Doktoriõppe trendid Eestis” (Trends in doctoral studies in Estonia)

You can find more information on the Estonian Doctoral School and the European Doctoral Students' Day webpage.

Check out a selection of social media posts about the European Doctoral Week.

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