Conference Agenda

Doctoral experience provides both highs and lows that potentially further contribute to doctoral researcher’s wellbeing. In turn, experienced wellbeing impacts on study progress and odds for degree completion. Hence, it is no surprise that doctoral researcher’s’ wellbeing, particularly mental health issues, have gained prominence as a central concern among doctoral education policy makers, developers, and researchers. Also, effective remedies for mental health issues have been called after. Wellbeing of doctoral researchers is, however, more than the absence of negative symptoms. In fact, positive mental states provide a central resource for doctoral studies. This keynote will focus on addressing both positive and negative attributes of doctoral researcher’s wellbeing and means to promote wellbeing in the doctoral education. I will start with discussing the state of art in research on doctoral researchers’ wellbeing and impacts of wellbeing on doctoral experience. After this I will summarize evidence on effective means for promoting doctoral researcher’s wellbeing in the doctoral education. I will conclude my talk with discussing COVID-19 pandemic influences on doctoral researchers’ wellbeing and progress.