The University of Lapland will utilise the research period system to promote internalisation, expertise, and the renewal of research and teaching.

During the period, you are expected to prop up your research by acquiring competed funding and/or to augment your merits as a researcher. You are exempt from teaching and administrative duties during the period.

Who is eligible to apply?

• You have been employed by ULapland continuously for at least six years.
• You are a professor, research professor, associate professor, university researcher, or university lecturer.
• You are required to continue employment with ULapland for at least one year after the end of the research period.

For how long a period?

• The maximum length of the period is twelve months.
• You are to spend the period between 1 January 2024 and 31 July 2025.
• The university will use basic funding to pay your salary with benefits for 4–6 months.
• After the basic funding period, you are to secure your salary through external funding.

How to apply?

You apply for the period with a written application. The time to apply is between September – 25 October. Please deliver the application to the director of your faculty/unit.

What must the application contain?

• CV (max. 3 pages) and a list of publications from between 2018 and 2023
• The objectives of the research period and the core activities
• The start and end dates of the period and the proposed start and end dates of university funding
• A plan made with the faculty/unit management on organising your basic duties during the research period (teaching arrangements, supervision duties, transfer of administrative and specialist duties, and other substitutions)
• An estimate of travel, accommodation, and other costs and a plan on financing them

What is decision making based on?

The unit director assesses the objectives and activities, the timing, and the organisation of the basic duties during the period in relation to the university strategy, the unit’s development goals, and the unit’s resources. In addition, the unit director considers the following:

• The attainability of the objectives in view of your prior research activities and experience
• The length of your service and potential interruptions before the research period
• The realisation of equality and non-discrimination in the unit

The unit director writes a statement and submits a favouring or non-favouring proposal to the rector. The unit director delivers the proposals containing the applications and statements to the University Registry by 15 November
based on the proposals, the rector makes a decision on granting the research period and on the provision of university funding. The rector makes the decisions by 8 December.

What happens after an approving decision?

A contract is made for starting the research period. It is signed by you, the rector, and the unit director
the basic duty arrangements during the period are to be entered into the Expertise Allocation system (Kompassi).

As for salary covered by basic funding during the period, you must direct your working hours to the university’s joint cost centre in the Reportronic system. The contract involves a reporting obligation. You must therefore report the attainment of your objectives and the results of your research to the unit director latest two months after the end of the period.

Further information:

Satta Pia, Director of Human Resources

pia.satta(at)ulapland.fi, t. +358 40 726 3471.