Disseminating information about doctoral dissertations

University Communications is responsible for disseminating information about doctoral dissertations to the media and posting it on the University of Lapland website. Information about dissertations is also published in the University of Lapland Kide magazine. Four thousand copies of the magazine are to be printed in 2009; about 2,500 copies will be distributed outside the University.

As part of the preparations, candidates should send an approximately one-page draft press release about their dissertations to Communications no less than two weeks before the public examination of their doctoral dissertations. Communications then works with candidates to draft the final press release.

A press release starts with the most important item, i.e. the news, and backgrounds, research methods, the foci of the research etc. come at the end of the article. When preparing the draft press release, it should be borne in mind that not all research results can necessarily be published. It is sufficient to pick out the single or two most important results.

Besides research results, the formulation of questions and methodology, the draft press release should focus on important, interesting and newsworthy matters from the perspective of the research, practical applications and the general public. Write the article as if you were explaining your research results to someone who is unfamiliar with your discipline.

The draft press release should be accompanied by a brief biography of the candidate:

• year of matriculation examination and upper secondary school
• university degrees, graduation year and university
• the most important professional positions related to the research
• other important full-time positions
• the principal features of the research
• current position and starting date
• current title
• contact information (phone number, email address)

The draft press release should be emailed to Communications Officer Sari Väyrynen at sari.vayrynen(at)ulapland.fi. A photograph of the candidate should be emailed to graphic designer Niina Huuskonen at niina.huuskonen(at)ulapland.fi. Communications can also take a photograph.

Communications handles distribution of the press release to the media. Editorial staff decide on publishing the news. Basic distribution covers the media in Northern Finland and principal nationwide media. Communications also sends the information to the Väitöksiä (doctoral dissertations) column in the Helsingin Sanomat newspaper. The press release is also sent to the appropriate periodicals in the discipline, in accordance with the research theme, as well as to other interested parties. Candidates are responsible for informing international publication series in their disciplines. Communications agrees with candidates on the extent to which information is disseminated.

Press conference

A separate press conference can be arranged if the research results are of major newsworthy interest to the public. Communications handles the practical arrangements.

Communications helps and advises candidates to prepare for interviews with the press as well as with matters concerning other media. Candidates should be prepared for possible contacts from the press both before and after the public examination of their doctoral dissertations.

Display of dissertations and copies for the press

Communications places two copies of a new dissertation on public view ten days before the public examination of a doctoral dissertation: one copy is placed on the official notice board and the other in the lower lobby of the University’s main campus. Copies of new dissertations should also be put on display in prominent places in faculties and the University libraries. Ten copies of a dissertation should also be sent to Communications to be given to the press (University of Lapland Communications, Communications Secretary Leila Tauriainen, PO Box 122, 96101 ROVANIEMI; visiting address: University of Lapland main campus, E wing, 3rd floor, Yliopistonkatu 8, Rovaniemi). Communications sends complimentary copies of the dissertation to interested journalists.

Communications, contact information:

• Communications Officer Sari Väyrynen, tel. (016) 341 2217, 040 571 1960, sari.vayrynen(at)ulapland.fi
• Graphic designer Niina Huuskonen, tel. (016) 341 3247, 040 740 2237, niina.huuskonen(at)ulapland.fi
• Communications Manager Olli Tiuraniemi, tel. (016) 341 2230, 0400 695 418, olli.tiuraniemi(at)ulapland.fi
• tiedotus(at)ulapland.fi
• Fax: (016) 341 2207
• Visiting address: University of Lapland main campus, F wing, 2nd floor, Yliopistonkatu 8, Rovaniemi
• Postal address: University of Lapland/Communications, PO Box 122, 96101 ROVANIEMI