The Finnish Academy of Fine Arts admits new students to the Doctoral Studies Programme

Application period: 15 December 2012 – 28 February 2013. The admission results will be announced on 5 June 2013. The studies will commence in September 2013.

Further information on doctoral studies at the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts can be obtained from www.kuva.fi/en/research/doctoral-studies/

An application form and instructions for applying can be obtained from

www.kuva.fi/en/studies/applying/admission-for-doctoral-studies/

or from the Academy's information desk at Kaikukatu 4, 00530 Helsinki.


For further information, please contact
Professor Jan Kaila, Head of Doctoral Studies Programme
E-mail: firstname.lastname(a)kuva.fi

Henri Wegelius, Amanuensis
tel. +358 9 680 33 234 or +358 45 657 8656 (mobile)
E-mail: firstname.lastname(a)kuva.fi


The Finnish Academy of Fine Arts has an internationally acclaimed Doctoral Studies Programme, with pioneering work in artistic research. The degree of a Doctorate in Fine Arts was established in 1997. Doctoral studies in the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts are based on artistic research where high-quality artistic work intertwines with theoretical research. Doctoral students are experts in their own field, internationally renowned visual artists who apply research methods to their work.

The aim of the doctoral studies is to give the students a profound understanding of their own field and the ability to produce high-quality artistic work that demonstrates their artistic maturity as well as to engage the students in independent, innovative artistic research in the field of their choice. The primary results of artistic research are artistic productions and reflective and theoretical knowledge presented publicly.

The students admitted to this programme, leading to a Doctorate in Fine Arts, are required to complete the postgraduate studies and successfully defend their dissertation in public. The extent of the degree is 240 credits (ECTS).

There are no tuition fees but the students must be prepared to cover his/her expenses during the study period. Please note that the Academy can´t provide funding for your studies but we can assist in applying for it.

At the beginning of 2013 The Finnish Academy of Fine Arts, the Sibelius Academy and the Theatre Academy are merging to form a university of free arts that will be named University of Arts Helsinki.

Teaching staff

Head of the Programme: Professor in Artistic Research Jan Kaila, DFA
Henk Slager, PhD, Visiting professor in Theory and Artistic Research
Hito Steyerl, PhD, Visiting professor in Artistic Research

Hanna Johansson, PhD
philosopher Tuomas Nevanlinna
Anita Seppä, PhD
Jyrki Siukonen, DFA, post-doc researcher

Among others the following people have taught at the Doctoral Studies Programme of the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts:

John Aiken (UK), Manal Al-Dowayan, (Saudi-Arabia),Viktor Alimpiev (Russia), Tiong Ang (Netherlands), Rasheed Araeen (UK), Roy Ascott (UK), Vahap Avsar, (Turkey/USA), Mieke Bal (Netherlands), Anke Bangma, (The Netherlands), Barbara Bolt, (Australia), Kate Bush (UK), Magnus Bärtås, (Sweden), Daniel de Chenu (Ireland), Maeve Connolly (Ireland), Tony Conrad (USA), Tacita Dean (UK), Shawn Decker (USA), Ekaterina Degot (Russia), Florian Dombois (Germany), Inci Eviner (Turkey), Kathryn Findlay (UK), Catharina Gabrielsson (Sweden), Gerrit Gohlke (Germany), Dan Graham (USA), Boris Groys (Russia), Mika Hannula (Germany/FInland), Annika von Haussvolff (Sweden), Hannah Higgins (USA), Philip Hoffman (Canada), Timothy Emlyn Jones (Ireland), Kim Knowles (Great Britain), Friedl Kubelka (Austria), Peter Kubelka (Austria), Ray Langenbach (USA/Malaysia), Mats Leidestam (Sweden), Peeter Linnap (Estonia), Ronan MaCCrea (Ireland), Katrin von Maltzahn (Germany), Jenine Marchessault (Canada), Laura Marks (Canada), Robin Minard (Germany), Viktor Misiano (Russia), Tom Nicholson (Australia), Roger Palmer (UK), Anrey Parshikov, (Russia), Gail Pickering (Great Britain), Adrian Piper (USA), Dominic Redfern (Australia), Denise Robinson (UK), Freddie Rokem, (Israel), Gertrud Sanqvist (Sweden), Jan Svenungsson (Sweden), Wolfgang Tillmans (UK /Germany), Jalal Toufic, (Libanon), Sven-Olof Wallenstein (Sweden), Thomas Weski (Germany), Mick Wilson (Ireland).