DP-FOBI launch event introduced a new doctoral programme for advancing the forest-based bioeconomy
The University of Eastern Finland has launched the Doctoral Programme for Advancing Forest-Based Bioeconomy, DP-FOBI, a new international doctoral training programme co-funded through the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions COFUND scheme.
The programme will recruit 15 doctoral researchers to four-year, fully funded positions at UEF. The application period opens on 11 June 2026 and closes on 10 August 2026, with selections planned for December 2026 and appointments by March 2027. DP-FOBI was introduced at a launch event held on 22 May 2026 at the Carelia building on UEF’s Joensuu campus, with the possibility to participate remotely.
The event presented the programme’s research themes, doctoral training model, recruitment process and collaboration opportunities. Guest speaker Saara Suurla, CEO of SpringDNA, also contributed to the event with a talk on moving from research to action.
Interdisciplinary research for sustainable forest-based solutions
DP-FOBI is designed to support doctoral research that addresses major sustainability challenges linked to forests, wood-based value chains, and the wider bioeconomy. The programme brings together expertise from across UEF, including forest sciences, chemistry, geography, law, public health and clinical nutrition, humanities and business studies.
The research themes reflect the broad and interconnected nature of the forest-based bioeconomy. They include forest inventory and ecosystem modelling, artificial intelligence and simulation-optimisation in forest management planning, laser scanning for tree structure and wood quality assessment, dead wood dynamics, forest plantations and ecosystem services, novel forest-based products, biomass-derived chemical fractions, enzymatic biomass conversion, forest-based food and functional resources, intellectual property rights, market behaviour, consumer choices, sustainability assessment and forest-related discourses.
Through this wide thematic scope, the programme aims to strengthen research-based solutions for resource-efficient and climate-smart wood-based value chains, non-extractive forest use, novel non-timber forest product innovations, and the commercialisation of new bioeconomy solutions.
Training future experts through research, mobility and collaboration
DP-FOBI is closely connected to the UEF Forests and Bioeconomy Research Community, providing doctoral researchers with an interdisciplinary research environment and opportunities to work with academic, public-sector and industry partners.
The FOBI Research Community connects forests, technology, and society to advance sustainable bioeconomy solutions.
The programme includes customised doctoral training that supports knowledge exchange between doctoral researchers, supervisors, mentors, companies and other stakeholders. Training activities will include biannual DP-FOBI workshops, summer schools on interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration, a forest-based bioeconomy hackathon, a stakeholder social lab, and a workshop on intellectual property rights and commercialisation.
Each doctoral research project will also include international mobility, such as secondments or short research visits to universities, research institutes or industry collaborators. These opportunities are intended to strengthen global career readiness and help doctoral researchers connect their scientific work with practical applications and societal needs.
A programme rooted in regional strengths and international networks
The launch event highlighted the role of UEF and eastern Finland as a strong environment for forest bioeconomy research and innovation. DP-FOBI builds on regional, national and international networks, including research institutes, innovation ecosystems, companies, policy actors and international research networks.
Read more about the DP-FOBI research themes and how to apply here.
Contact us
For further information, please contact:
- Jouni Pykäläinen, Professor (forest economics and forest policy), Director of the Forests and the Bioeconomy research community, Scientific Coordinator of the DP-FOBI project, University of Eastern Finland, jouni.pykalainen@uef.fi, tel. +358 50 382 6094
- Tommi Laukkanen, Professor (marketing and consumer behaviour), Director of the Marketing and Consumer Behaviour Research Group, Scientific Coordinator of the DP-FOBI project, University of Eastern Finland, tommi.laukkanen@uef.fi, tel. +358 50 438 7423
- Helen Reijonen, University Lecturer, Impact Manager of the DP-FOBI project, University of Eastern Finland, helen.reijonen@uef.fi, tel. +358 50 435 2408
Featured image: Matthew Henry / Burst