Administration and organisation

Department administration

The department is headed by department head Steinar Bøyum, who holds this office for the years fall 2019-fall 2027. Administrative leader is Steinar Thunestvedt.

In addition to the head of department and the head of administration, the administration consists of the heads of the Committee for Research and Dissemination, Committee for Philosophy Studies and Committee for Examen Philosophicum.

For the period fall 2019 - fall 2023, the department’s administration consists of the following persons:

Head of Department:
Steinar Bøyum
Tel. +47 55 58 25 51
Email: Steinar.Boyum@uib.no

Head of administration:
Steinar Thunestvedt
Tel. +47 55 58 23 84
Email:steinar.thunestvedt@uib.no

Committee for Research and Dissemination:
Torfinn Huvenes (leader)
Tel. +47 55 58 89 05
Email: torfinn.huvenes@uib.no

Committee for Philosophy Studies:
Jesse Tomalty (leader)
Tel. +47 55 58 28 24
Email: jesse.tomalty@uib.no

Committee for Examen Philosophicum:
Vibeke Tellmann (leader)
Tel. +47 55 58 88 20
Email: vibeke.tellmann@uib.no

Department Council

The Department Council is the department's supreme governing body, and has the authority of decision in a number of matters.

It is headed by department head Steinar Bøyum. The Council shall consider, make decisions on behalf of the department and make recommendations to the faculty or other senior body in matters concerning:

• Research reports, researcher education reports, educational reports and other strategies and result documents prepared by the department
• Any transition and reorganisation plans
• Budget proposal, annual budget and annual accounts
• Significant changes in the department's study offer, in particular related to study programs, curriculum, teaching, exams and course and program evaluations.

In other cases, the department is an advisory information and contact body between the head of department, all employees and the students. Representatives from both the academic staff, the administration and the students are members of the council.

In the current period, the council is composed as follows:  

Permanent scientific staff: Eivind Kolflaath, Vibeke Andrea Tellmann, Hans Marius Hansteen, Gunnar Karlsen, Julie Zahle

Temporary scientific staff: Marilù Papandreou 

Administrative staff: Kirsten Bang 

Students: Frøya Lothe, Fredrik Johansen, Johan Wilhelm Holmström Ulla

Representatives of temporary academic staff and students are elected for a year at a time.

The head of administration is the council’s secretary.

Protocols from the councils's meetings can be downloaded in PDF format from the links below.

Protocols/reports (in Norwegian):

2019 - : Instituttrådet ved Institutt for filosofi og førstesemesterstudier

2018: 11. januar, 8. mars, 

2017: 8. februar, 9. mars, 6. april, 7. september, 12. oktober, 9. november

2016: 21. januar, 3. mars, 28. april, 26. mai, 8. september, 13. oktober, 8. desember,

2015: 22. januar, 5. mars, 16. april , 28. mai, 27. august, 14. oktober

2014: 23. januar, 27. februar, 15. mai, 4. september, 16. oktober

2013 (høst): 12. september, 10. oktober, 21. november

2013 (vår): 24. januar, 14. februar, 14. mars, 18. april, 21. juni

2012: 19. januar, 23. februar, 26. april, 7. juni, 6. september, 11. oktober, 6. desember

2011: 10. februar, 10. mars, 7. april, 26. mai, 25. august, 29. september, 27. oktober, 24. november

2010: 25. januar. 22. februar, 22. mars, 26. april, 31. mai, 26. august, 9. september, 7. oktober, 4. november, 9. desember

2009: 25. januar, 7. september, 28. september, 19. oktober, 14. desember

Committee for research and dissemination 

The committee for research and disseminiation has a multitude of tasks: Among other things, it shall facilitate and supervise the department's research education, identify and stimulate worthwhile research projects, coordinate the department's various research groups, arrange department seminars and stimulate dissemination activities. It also provides input to the annual research report and the researcher education report.

Research coordinator Torfinn Huvenes is head of the committee, which, in addition, consists of Professor Espen Gamlund, Associate Professor Julie Zahle and PhD Candidate André Eilertsen. Adviser Ståle Melve is secretary.

Committee for philosophy studies

The committee for philosophy studies is the department's advisory body in matters concerning teaching and internationalisation of the study of philosophy and history of ideas.

The committee's work areas include matters such as:

• changes in syllabus
• composition of examination committees (master level)
• ongoing subject / program evaluation
• appointment of supervisors for master's students
• agreements on student and teacher exchange
• plans for the education courses in the coming semester
• Report on Educational Attainments
• prepare (for the departmental council) issues relating to creation, termination or changes in study and programme descriptions 
• other issues that the head of department or the department council ask the committee to prepare.

The committee for philosophy studies is led by Associate Professor Jesse Tomalty, and otherwise consists of Professor Franz Knappik, Associate Professor Torfinn Huvenes, and student representative Edvard Haugland. Adviser Ståle Melve is the committee’s secretary.

Committee for examen philosophicum

The committee's mandate as formulated in the department regulations is:

The committee is the head of departmental advisory body in academic and educational matters related to Examen philosophicum. In particular, the committee shall work for quality, integration, continuity and renewal of the Examen philosophicum in consultation with the coordinator, the teaching staff and the respective faculties.

The committee consists of all course coordinators and subject coordinator for Examen philosophicum. Administrative coordinator for examen philosophicum is the secretary.

Associate Professor Vibeke Tellmann is the current chair of the committee. Other members are Gunnar Karlsen, Trygve Lavik, Espen Gamlund, Julie Zahle, David C. Vogt og Eivind Kolflaath.

HSE Committee

The department's HSE committee deals with and gives management advice on issues related to health, safety and environment. It consists of a safety delegate, a deputy safety delegate and a head of department.

The HSE committee has meetings 2-3 times per semester and is headed by the head of department. The administrative consultant is the secretary of the committee.

For 2020 and 2021, Hans Marius Hanssteen is elected as safety delegate, and Kirsten Bang is a deputy representative.

The main page for UiB's health, environmental and safety section can be found here: https://www.uib.no/en/hms-portalen

Students' committee

The students’ committee for philosophy is a student organisation that has as its goals to arrange social-academical events and represent the students in the institute council and education committee. In the academic year 2022-2023, the chair of the committee is Johan Wilhelm Holmström Ulla and the deputy chair is Fredrik Johansen.

Johan Wilhelm Holmström Ulla leder og Fredrik Johansen er nestleder. Edvard Haugland is responsible for the reading room.

Teams calendar

Social media: Instagram; Facebook

You get in touch with the committee at fagutvalg@fof.uib.no