Organization
Gustav Kristensen
Director
Introduction
VI. Initial Projects
The Board
The Supervisory Board (further – Board) is the highest authority of the Fund that supervises the Director’s work in the framework of the statutes.
The Board consists of 11 members that are delegated for a 2 years term from the below institutions in accordance with their statutes with such representation quotas:
University of Latvia – 2 members
Vice- Rector Juris Krūmiņš
e-mail: juris.krumins@lu.lv
Professor Nils Muižnieks
e-mail: Nils.Muiznieks@lu.lv
University of Vilnius – 2 members
Professor Juozas Vaitkus,
Vice-Rector for Research, University of Vilnius
tel: +3705 -2687015
e-mail: juozas.vaitkus@ff.vu.lt
Lithuania
Dr. Raimondas Kuodis
Member of the Board, Bank of Lithuania
Head of Monetary Policy DepartamentOffice tel.: +370 5 2680100
Fax: +370 5 2124423
e-mail: rkuodis@lb.ltOffice address:
Lietuvos bankas
Totorio 4, LT-01121, Vilnius,
LITHUANIA
University of Tartu – 2 members
- To be appointed (Vice-rector ?)
Urmas Varblane, Ph. D., Professor
Chair of International Business
University of Tartu
Narva 4-A226
51009 Tartu, Estonia,
ph. (372) 7376361
fax (372) 7376312
e-mail: urmas.varblane@mtk.ut.ee
University of Southern Denmark
Professor Nis Jul Klausen
e-mail: njc@sam.sdu.dk
University of Oslo
Professor Knut Heidar, Institutt for Statsvitenskap, Universitetet i Oslo, Postboks 1097 Blindern, 0317 Oslo. Mail: knut.heidar@stv.uio.no, Telefon: +47 22 85 51 67.
University of Helsinki- 1 member
Timo Hellenberg
Head of the EU Affairs
Aleksanteri Institute
Tel. +358 9 191 28 606
Fax. +358 9 191 28 616
Email. office@hellenberg.org
Wilhelms Westfaliches University Munster - 1 members
Professor Ingo Saenger
Münster University
Ingo.saenger@gmx.net
University of Twente – 1 member
Prof. dr. Nico S. GroenendijkJean Monnet Chair of European Economic GovernanceCo-director, Centre of European Studies (CES),Senior fellow Institute for Governance Studies (IGS) University of Twente, Netherlands Tel.: +31(0)534894106 • Fax: +31(0)534894734E-mail: n.s.groenendijk@utwente.nl
Suggested (future) administration
Director Gustav Kristensen
e-mail: guk@eurofaculty.lv
Vice director Tartu:
Urmas Varblane
e-mail: urmas.varblane@mtk.ut.ee
Vice director Riga:Biruta Sloka
e-mail: biruta@eurofaculty.lv
Vice director Vilnius:
Linas Cekanavicius
linas.cekanavicius@ef.vu.lt
The word “centre” has a geographical meaning as: the “Riga Centre”, the Tartu Centre”, and the “Vilnius Centre” which indicates that the PhD students in each geographical area meet daily cross disciplinary and exchange experience.
As virtual centres are established within each discipline the “centres” in a discipline meaning are the virtual centres established cross border in Economics, Law and Political Science.
The organization to manage those two aspects of the Centres of Excellence has three levels:
The Directorate which works cross disciplinary and cross border.
The Local Centres which works locally on the administrative level.
The Research Units which concentrate on full time research in well specified areas.
The idea of this construction is to obtain the greatest flexibility and the highest synergy effect of the Research Units in a professional environment.
The daily leadership and monitoring of the EuroBaltic Centre of Excellence project is based on the (present) EuroFaculty Directorate.
The directorate personal is:
Director
Vice-director Tartu
Vice-director Riga
Vice-director Vilnius
Executive Officer
Accounting Officer
Computer specialist
Coordinator of Economic Research and Advanced Courses in Economics
Coordinator of Political Science/Public Administration Research and Advanced Courses in PS/PA
Coordinator of Law Research and Advanced Law Courses
Team of international evaluators
The salaries (for all three Baltic States) are supposed to be based on the present EuroFaculty contract in unchanged form for the director and for vice directors and other personnel adapted to the 2006 level.
FUNCTIONS
General
International management of the project. Fundraising, budgeting and accounting of the all-Baltic project. Quality surveillance of the project and its progress towards the creation of international competitive research centres in Social Science in the Baltic states.
The specific jobs of the directorate are the administration of:
1. Advanced master and PhD courses in cooperation with the national centres
2. Scientific conferences
3. Formation of International Evaluation Committees
Foreign Guest Researchers
Young Baltic Research Fellows
Senior Baltic Research fellows
Baltic Guest Researchers
5. Monitoring the quality development through semi-annual progress reports in cooperation with local and international experts.
7. Information centre on:
Baltic PhD students
Baltic PhD projects
International PhD courses relevant for Baltic PhD students
On national plan the project is organized in two levels:
The Tartu/Riga/Vilnius University centre
The individual centres have the responsibility of the daily contact with the host university under the restrictions of the EuroFaculty cooperation.
The tasks of the local administrative centres are:
1. Cooperation with local university on:
Office space
Computer facilities
Library facilities
Investments
Assist the research units with the announcement of SRA positions
2. Advanced master and PhD courses in cooperation with the directorate
3. Accounting responsible
4. Reporting on scientific progress
5. Publication on national language
6. Homepage
The Research Units:
The tasks of the research units are:
1. Research according to the research profile
2. Scientific conferences
3. Occasional advice to ministries
4. Student Research Grants
5. Teaching duties
EuroFaculty will in principle distribute the positions for Baltic researchers equally between the centres.
However, the employment of scientists at the centres will be dependent on the number of qualified applicants ranked by the internationally evaluation committees.
In case of low number of applicants the centre therefore will have to wait for the maturity of the master students, or PhD students returning from abroad.
To each research unit should be allocated as a minimum one foreign researcher and 15 student research assistants, selected from young talents on the master studies.
The probability of failures in this system is that the local people violate their research obligations for duties to the university.
The salaries are based on the EuroFaculty salary level as anticipated for 2006.
1. Student Research Assistants
The basis for recruitment of qualified candidates for PhD studies is especially in Latvia very tiny. The reason is that the master students mostly have full time job side by side their studies.
Tartu University has successfully together with EuroFaculty managed to create a pool of young talents around the Departments. This pool is the basis for the success in the scientific development of Social Science in Estonia.
As in Latvia the basis for recruitment of qualified candidates for PhD studies is in Lithuania very tiny.
A centre of excellence program should include to each centre a pool of up to15 high-qualified students with a morally - but not a legally commitment to go for a PhD.
The budget (salaries, travel, insurance, books, etc.) given by EuroFaculty for this type of students is Euro 300-2000 pr semester. The salaries imply smaller jobs relevant for the scientific development of the students, which is practical research training.
The annual budget for a Research Unit will thus be Euro 11*3,000 = Euro 33,000.
The (long run) success indicator will be the number of students who annually pass this arrangement and the share of this group who continue as a PhD student and finally continue in research and teaching in higher education.
The probability of failures in this system is small. The system is highly flexible as the students are employed on a six-month basis with an outlook for prolongation up to three years at good performance.
2. PhD students
EuroFaculty has an international network of university contacts highly suited as platform for Baltic PhD students connected to a Western European country.
The basic ideas behind EuroFaculty PhD grants is to secure sustainability of the curricula reforms and stimulate research-based teaching in the Baltic States.
Supported economically by EuroFaculty and connected to the EuroFaculty (Centres of Excellence) research environment
Connected to an adviser in the EuroFaculty Western European network.
Six month stay in a Western European country
Enrolled as a PhD student at the local university
Teaching obligations in the host country
Is not allowed to take any other job without a written permission from the Director of EuroFaculty
The frame remuneration for PhD students will be
Monthly salary Euro 1,000
Extra salary when abroad per month Euro 1,000
Travelling and books budget per year Euro 3,000
A three-year grant (6 month abroad) is thus anticipated to be Euro 51,000
Or costs per year Euro 17,000
Monthly salary could for “last year” students be Euro 1 500. International evaluation committees settled by EuroFaculty identify “last year” students.
A newly educated PhD could be connected to the centre by a “last year” grant.
An alternative could be increasing salary after annual successful development.
The success indicator will be the number of PhD students connected to the centre as well as the number of thesis defended.
The probability of failures is connected to the lack of ability to attract full time PhD students due to low salaries and poor carrier outlook in relation to the investment.
3. Local research fellow
University lecturer with more than 5 years experience should have the possibility to step out of teaching and administration in order to be full time researcher for 6 or 12 month. Incl. travel and stay abroad.
The success indicator is the arrangements ability to attract Baltic students from abroad, and to engage local teachers for full time research in a limited time period.
The probability of failures is the university systems lack of ability to set local lecturers free for research due to heavy teaching commitments of the institution.
Because there is only one Research Unit covering all Baltic researchers with interest in a given Research Unit in other Baltic states have to go there regularly. Baltic university research fellows shall therefore be invited to do research in other Baltic states Centres of Excellence in order to encourage regional cooperation and mobility. Baltic guests have the same conditions as local Baltic researchers.
The arrangement could be formulated as a “permanent guest” arrangement which imply that the contract starts at the arrival of the guest and finish at the departure of the guest.
International (outside Baltic) scientists who plays a leading role in the scientific development by giving lectures and inspire the Research Unit in its research, and publication activities for a period of at least one semester.
Together with two local research fellows and one young scholar the foreign researcher supervise 6 PhD students and 11 Student Research Assistants combined with Master thesis supervision for possible candidates to be member of the Centres of Excellence as PhD students. The foreign researchers will teach advanced courses.
In some cases, however, it will be necessary as an alternative to “bye” courses from established research groups abroad.
Annual salaries as anticipated for 2006 (travel and insurance)
Total
Senior professor 82,000 6,000 88,000
Junior professor 67,500 6,000 73,500
Associate professor 60,000 6,000 66,000
Assistant professor 50,000 4,000 54,000
The success indicator is the fulfilment of the goals of EB-CoE within the resear-chers’ area.
The probability of failures is the lack of ability to attract foreign researchers especially if the financial planning period becomes short.
International (outside Baltic) scientists who give lectures and inspire the Research Units.
The leader of the Research Unit is given a function grant. The functions are the following:
- Follow, encourage, and inspire the researchers in their scientific development
- Organize internal seminars, and member participation in external scientific meetings
- Advise the director on possible improvements in the research libraries
- Form evaluation committees for selecting Student Research Assistants after competition
- Control that the members do not have jobs beyond what is permitted by the director
- Organize the teaching duties of the PhD students
-
Operation Description |
Indicators |
Source Verification |
Assumptions |
Overall Objective
To develop the Baltic human resources in social science, and develop a Baltic research environment which is international competitive |
International standards versus Baltic standards
PhD’s in public administration
Decrease in brain drain |
International comparisons with respect to PhD production and articled published in refereed journalsPeriodically made by the directorate |
Foreign researchers can be attracted to the programmeForeign universities can receive the Baltic students |
Purpose
To create 3 Research Units in each Baltic state and promote research based university teaching |
More research hours for university teachersHigher quality of university teaching More international research cooperation |
Semester reports made by the leaders of the Research Units, collected and controlled by the Vice-director of the Centre approved by the Director |
Cooperation with the Baltic universities to reduce local lecturers teaching burdensThe research time must be secured and controlled |
Results
PhD degrees of international standard Research trained university students Scientific publications |
Annually:30 advanced courses taken25 conference participations 5-7 PhD degrees from 4th year 50 advanced courses taken 45 seminar participations with paper 45 student papers y 15 articles published in refereed journals from 4th year 2 journal issues 2-4 books published 25 working papers |
Semester reports made by the leaders of the Research Units, collected and controlled by the Vice-director of the Centre approved by the Director |
Competitive grants and salariesAdequate financial planning periods |
Activities – Establishment of Research Units, national centres and international network at the involved Baltic universities |
Grants must be available for a period not less than 3 years |
The present budget shown in Tables 1. and 2. is an average or standard budget for 2005-2010. At the start of the project there will be three short projects (see section V) financed by “savings” from the standard budget.
Student assistants: Euro 11*3,000 = Euro 33,000
PhD students: Euro 6*17,000 = Euro 102,000
Young scholar: Euro 1*23,000 = Euro 23,000
Local research fellows: Euro 2*30,000 = Euro 68,000
Directorate (at 9 Baltic Research Units) Euro 40,000
Sum Euro 80,000
Grand total Euro 439,000
Centres Euro 3,591,000
Directorate Euro 360,000
Total Euro 3,951,000
Co-financing15%……………………………………………. Euro 592,650
per country Euro 197,550
Rounded per country:
Total cost Euro 1,317,000
EU-financed Euro 1,117,000
TABLE 3. The Baltic states Contribution to EuroFaculty
Baltic contribution in 2002 2003 Proposal
Estonia Gov 67,050 67,050 100,000
Uni 100,000 200,000
Latvia Gov 102,400 72,396 100,000
Uni 100,000 200,000
Lithuania Gov 72,400 72,400 100,000
Uni 100,000 200,000
Objectives Outcome Smart
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time bound
Milestones
AD. 1. Advanced master and PhD courses
Advanced master and PhD courses will be organized in cooperation with European scientific organizations and the national Centres of Excellence.
For each centre (Tartu, Riga, Vilnius) there will as a minimum be one mandatory course for each main discipline (Economics, Political Science, Law). The thus minimum 9 mandatory courses, 3 within each main discipline, can be followed by all Baltic PhD students cross- country, as well as by international students.
Likewise Baltic students will be supported in participation in advanced courses abroard.
AD. 2. Scientific conferences
b. Support and encourage young scientists to publish in the Baltic scientific journals (see point 5), as well as in other international journals.
2. Ad hoc Conferences in cooperation with the Centres of Excellence.
EuroFaculty has in the latest years organized: Conferences on Law Study Programmes Reforms in Riga (2002) and Vilnius (2003) Faculties of Law in order to support and create debate on Baltic Law study reforms.
EuroFaculty has organised theme conferences on:
“Congress of European Study Centres (2002)” – conference book published.
EuroFaculty has annually organized cross Baltic conferences on economic studies.
“Tax policy in EU candidate Countries (2003)” – conference book published.
AD. 3. Formation of International Evaluation Committees
In order to secure a cross Baltic transparency as well as international standards in employing scientists the EuroFaculty organise international evaluation committees.
International evaluation committees have been used by EuroFaculty in selecting:
Foreign Guest Researchers
Young Baltic Research Fellows
and will in the future likewise be used in selecting
Senior Baltic Research fellows
Baltic Guest Researchers
Likewise international evaluation committees was used by EuroFaculty in selecting and development of the proposals for Centres of Excellence.
VI. Initial Projects
At the start of the project that is the first year three initial projects are needed.
1. The Research Library Project
Due to delays in the recruitment process it is expected that there will be “saved money” in the start. That money is devoted to the building up of strong research libraries in the Baltic states.
Project description:
A one day study tour to each of the other Baltic libraries as a preparation to:
One week study tour to each of the four partner universities: Oslo, Odense, Helsinki, and Munster university libraries.
Purpose:
1. To know the partnership libraries in order to support students from the Baltics in using them.
2. To locate the possible shortcomings in the Baltic universities in being at highest international standard.
Time for the study tours: 1 October - 15 December 2005.
Outcome:
Advisory report to coming Baltic guest students in the partner universities
Practical advice
Advise on scientific strength of the respective libraries
Leader: Allan Sikk
Library study groups:
1-2 librarians from each Baltic university
2 student members of Centres of Excellence
Tartu
Riga
Vilnius
2. The EuroClass Continuation Project
The development of the virtual centres started by EuroClass should continue for a year in order to make virtual meetings routine.
3. Investment in Infrastructure in the Universities
Especially at the University of Vilnius the office conditions (Sauletekio) for the PhD students are very bad. Investments are strongly needed the first year.
4. Research Summer School
Political Science Professor Richard Rose, Scotland, research course in Data use in political science.
APPENDIX 1. Draft proposal on SRA project
Professor Jørgen Drud Hansen, EuroFaculty
The EconWatch project:
Proposal for organization of a research activity at ‘The Baltic Center for Macroeconomic Policy Studies’, Vilnius.
For several years EuroFaculty at Vilnius Centre has organized research activities under the so-called EconWatch project. The main idea of the project was to invite students to take part in small research activities under supervision of senior researchers. The students were paid a small grant per semester (300 euro) for taking part in research activities. The students were selected among the most qualified after application and typically 5 – 10 students participated in the activity. The research topics dealt with were all related to policy relevant economic micro economic or macro economic issues for the Baltic countries, specifically for Lithuania. Output of the research was papers presented at the annual EuroFaculty meetings.
The activity has been successful as research results were generated and potential researchers among the students got the possibility to be involve in research.
Based on the good experiences from this activity the following proposal outline a more ambitious revised EconWatch project for the future. The overall aim is:
· To establish a research environment with an ongoing day-to-day activity among researchers anchored at Vilnius University
· To produce research output in a form which should be journals and books of international interest
· To offer attractive positions for qualified master students to be involved in research.
· To stimulate students to continue with doctoral studies.
To secure a concerted research effort the senior researchers outline one or two themes of research projects, which should be concentrated on. Before finally approved by the center the outline of the project should be turned into a detailed description about the theoretical foundation of the research, the questions which the project aims to answer, the data available for empirical estimations, a time plan for the activity and considerations about how to publish the research output.
The research assistants are recruited among the students and for two reasons priority will be given to master students. Firstly, master students are expected to be more experienced in science than bachelor students. Secondly, a main objective of the project is to promote a smooth process for students from the master study to doctoral studies and hence, it is crucial important that potential PhD students are geared for scientific research activities during their master study.
The student research assistants should be paid a salary for their activities in accordance to a contract. The students are not allowed to take other work positions outside the university and the salary should be of a size, which makes such a commitment reasonable.
It is expected that on average 10 students be employed in the project each semester.
The students are employed at maximum for four semesters. The salary is differentiated so the students get less salary for the first introductory semester of employment.
It is expected that EconWatch unit to some extent participates in conferences, workshops, seminars, summer schools and other relevant research visits, nationally as well as internationally. The senior researchers are responsible for organizing those activities.
Salary to10 student research assistants in two semesters
5 one semester-introductory contracts, 800 euro each 4000
15 one semester contracts, 1200 euro each 18.000 22.000
Cost for short term research stays abroad for 10 students and
two senior researchers, 1500 euro per year per person 18.000
Cost for buying data and statistical publications and relevant
literature for the project 5000
Publication of working papers 3000
Overheads 2000
Total costs per year 50.000
APPENDIX 2. The ideal doctoral studies
Bruno Zuga
1. A monthly payment I would like to have is 500 - 700 Ls.
2. Interaction with different top level teams in different countries in the area of study even mobility possibility to study for some time abroad, short seminars all across the Europe.
3. In the ideal centre of doctoral studies I'd want to have high-level experts in the area, I can learn not the strategies for doing research, but also strategies of academic world in general (more how to succeed in these so called academic societies).
4. Leaders in true sense (not just research persons who sometimes are not very good leaders and communicators) I expect these leaders will be able to "set up the game" (the metaphor here could be a Bowling where you throw the ball against the pins) The leaders I think should be able to point out there to those "pins" to do research on and to keep team spirit and to keep people excited and to achieve the goals set by leaders. I imagine also that those leaders could be the ones seeing entire picture and able to get externally funded research projects that fits topics of their research team.
On the other hand I see the problem if the team spirit is not kept high in the sense that ... we are working in best possible team today and therefore getting the best possible skills making best investment in our future ..... people may try to go somewhere else or have extra jobs at the side.
I guess people need a motivation and reminding that they are striving for the best in their lives.
5. There should be enough time to write the thesis
6. I should have a possibility to give a couple of lectures on the topic of my research, it could be even in other university and if the research is valuable many can benefit from it.
7. I need access to literature required in my research for example: If I see some good book published on the subject I should have possibility to either purchase it for local library or for myself.
8. Access to relevant electronic libraries containing newest research articles.
9. Possibility to purchase research software if necessary.
10. PC and good internet connection.
11. Some social and health security might be useful, discounts on weekly
sports activities.
12. And finally I need to have some vision how I can grow and contribute
in a meaningful way into the university after my studies are over.
Otherwise I may stay until these conditions are favourable and then
having received good education I may leave for other jobs. After all we
are humans and at some time begin to think for families etc, etc .....
other ways to provide for kids, family ..... and as a result look for
better conditions.
october, 19th 2005