Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship programme writing camp 2025

Janika Leoste (digital transformation and learning innovations)

Dr. Janika Leoste is an Associate Professor of Educational Robotics. Her main research areas are educational robotics, STEAM education, educational innovation, hybrid and blended learning, telepresence robots and robot-assistants, human-robot interaction, IT didactics, AI in Education, Academia-industry collaboration and knowledge transfer in EdTech. She has published over 60 scholarly articles in renowned journals. She is currently supervising 7 PhD students and also supervises master's and bachelor's level students on a yearly basis.

With over 30 years of private-sector experience in software development, web-based games, and teaching robotics, Janika Leoste has successfully led multiple national and international research projects related to STEAM and digital learning, including EU-funded initiatives like Horizon Europe “EdTech Talents”.

She has received numerous awards, including the National Award for Popularizing Science and Technology (2018), Teacher of the Year (2019), and Educational Innovator (2020) and Estonian Research Council's nomination for AcademiaNet portal of Outstanding Women Academics and Scientists (2024).

Full CV

Kai Pata (lifelong learning for sustainable transitions)

Kai Pata is a Professor of Adult Education and Non-Formal Learning. Her main research areas are interdisciplinary, blending informal education, sustainability studies, citizen science, educational technology and digitized culture and innovative learning. Her research explores how to build sustainable capacities in the communities and academia using informal learning and technology technology with the interdisciplinary approaches.

She has contributed to international research projects under the Horizon Europe BioheadCitizen, iCamp, S-Team, IntelLEO, Learning-Layers, EduMap, e-Diploma and led Erasmus Programmes "INOS", "Design-IT", "Winnovators". Currently, she is the PI of “ERA Chair in Sustainable Futures” which is a 5 year project focusing on building a sustainable future. She has explored in the national projects conceptual coherence on environmental issues, developed the circular bioeconomy roadmapping methodology, and studied the communities in the cultural and social resilience settings. She is an expert of qualitative and quantitative approaches and design-based research.

With extensive experience supervising students and mentoring courses, she focuses on building competencies in interdisciplinary sustainability studies and educational innovation. Her work has been recognized with awards such as the Stockholm Channel Award, the Estonian Academy of Sciences Research Award, and the Tallinn University Medal (2021).

Full CV

Maire Tuul (early childhood education) 

Maire Tuul is an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education. Her main research areas are teachers’ teaching and learning concepts, curriculum development and mathematics, and STEAM education in Early Years.

She has been involved in over 40 national and international projects, focusing on supporting the transition to Estonian-language education through training and educational material development, enhancing teachers' digital skills, creating learning resources, developing a national e-assessment tool for children's development, updating the national curriculum, and
testing various educational technologies. She has also explored and researched innovative teaching methods in hybrid learning and international virtual courses, mentored at the "EdTech Hack" education innovation event, and helped implement the "VEPA" program to support children's social skills development.

Currently, she is supervising three doctoral students, 26 bachelor's students, and 10 master's students. Her students have received awards at the university’s and national level. Her research supervision has focused on topics such as STEAM education, two-way language immersion and the transition to Estonian-language instruction, teachers’ pedagogical approaches and project-based learning, children’s play, and teachers' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Full CV

Grete Arro (educational psychology)

Dr. Grete Arro is a Research Fellow and educational and environmental psychologist. In educational psychology, her focus topics are conceptual development or conceptual change, effective learning strategies, motivation to learn, and emotion regulation. She is part of the team that created the first Center for Educational Psychology in Estonia at the School of Educational Sciences at TLU.

She has contributed to several research projects and publications in the field of learning, general competencies, digital tools usage, climate and environmental education and environmental consciousness. In addition to her academic work, she has been active in societal initiatives. She has supervised over 30 dissertations.

In 2022, she was honored with the Estonian Science Communication Award as the best science and technology popularizer, recognizing her significant contributions to making scientific knowledge accessible to the public.

Full CV

Inge Timoštšuk (primary education)

Inge Timoštšuk is a Professor of Primary Education. She has worked as a primary teacher and teacher of extracurricular activities. She has been a lecturer at Tallinn University since 1999. During her time at the University, she has served on the boards of academic units and on assessment, defense, and admission committees. She has taught courses and supervised undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students.

Her research focuses on issues of the professional identity of student teachers in the context of communities of practice; learning and teaching in primary classrooms and open learning environments. She has published over 100 articles and won prizes in Estonian educational research competitions, and mentoring of young researchers has been recognized. In addition, in 2023 - the Estonian Research Council (ETAG) nominated her as a member of AcademiaNet (The Portal to Excellent Women Academics) and from there she has been involved in the evaluation of international projects (e.g. Marie Speyer Excellence Grant, University of Luxemburg).

She is leading a Horizon Europe funded project FEWL, which enhances scientific excellence and research potential in the field of research on integrating formal education and workplace learning for students in basic and secondary schools.

Full CV

Piret Soodla (inclusive and special education)

Piret Soodla is a Professor of Inclusive and Special Education. She teaches courses focused on supporting children with reading difficulties and enhancing graduate students’ research competencies. Her research explores the connections between students’ literacy development and teachers’ professional knowledge and skills, with an emphasis on reading difficulties and their assessment. To advance inclusive education, she prioritizes fostering collaboration skills among teachers and special educators. Using an evidence-based approach, she aims to guide students in becoming self-regulated and knowledgeable professionals. She has supervised a PhD student in Educational Science and 48 Master's students in Special Education, Psychology, Inclusive Education and Teacher Education. Currently, two PhD students and five Master's students are under supervision.

She is currently leading a project “Learning and teaching in inclusive classrooms” with the collaboration of the University of Tartu, which aims to understand the current situation with the implementation of inclusive practices in the first stage of Estonian schools (i.e., grades 1-3), support the development of teachers' and support specialists' competencies in applying inclusive practices to support all students and assess the impact of the professional development program on teaching and learning in inclusive classrooms. This study includes teachers, support specialists, and students. She is part of the team that created the first Center for Educational Psychology in Estonia at the School of Educational Sciences in TLU.

Full CV

Selected candidates will be notified by email by 7 April at the latest, and will have to confirm they will attend the writing camp within 3 working days. Candidates who are not selected will receive a notification by email.

After their confirmation, selected candidates will receive links to online content to get used to the MSCA PF programme and basic knowledge about proposal writing.

The writing camp will be held at Tallinn University from 12 to 16 May 2025. Candidates must attend physically. Accommodations and meals will be organised and paid by TLU. Support for travel will also be provided  (250 € for candidates living within the EU, and 500 € for candidates living outside the EU).

Selected candidates will provide TLU with bank details at the latest on 30 April to receive travel support. TLU will make a transfer on the basis of the proof of purchase of the flight tickets to Tallinn.

Before the writing camp, candidates will have opportunities to meet and start working with the supervisors they have chosen. 

After the writing camp, candidates will benefit from the TLU project support office for application reviews and support. 7 work days will be afforded to the candidate on the basis of an agreed proposal writing schedule.