GOV-Day 2025: The Credibility of Knowledge – Who Decides What’s True?

We are excited to invite you to GOV-Day 2025 on May 9th, a full day dedicated to governance, knowledge, and research. This event brings together students, researchers, and professionals to explore how knowledge is created, validated, and challenged in today’s world.

The day begins with master’s students sharing their thesis journey—not just their research findings, but also the ups and downs they faced along the way. From refining research questions to dealing with setbacks in data collection and unexpected results, they will offer a genuine look at the research process.

Next, we move into a panel discussion on the credibility of knowledge. In an era of misinformation and increasing skepticism toward expertise, we ask: Who decides what knowledge is credible? How does governance shape trust in knowledge? What role do institutions, media, and policymakers play in determining what is accepted as fact? Experts from different fields will offer their perspectives on these crucial questions.

After the panel, attendees can join an interactive speed-date session with research groups, where they can discuss ongoing projects, share ideas, and—if they are master’s students—potentially connect with a thesis supervisor.

The day concludes with the March/Olsen Honorary Lecture, delivered by Professor Thomas Schillemans from the University of Utrecht. His talk, “Struggling Out of the Garbage Can,” will explore the Garbage Can Model of decision-making in public policy and bureaucracy.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with key governance topics and connect with experts.

Programme

09:00 Welcome w/ Lise Rykkja & Johan Nguyen 

09:15 Master Thesis Presentations 

10:00 Break

10:15 Panel Discussion: "Knowledge in Crisis"
Panellists: Jens Kjeldsen (UiB) is a Danish-Norwegian media scholar and communications consultant. Kjeldsen works as a professor of rhetoric and visual communication at the Institutt for informasjons- og medievitenskap/Department of Information Science and Media Studies.

Bergit Svendseid (NRK) is a broadcast journalist and managing editor working at NRK Vestland in Bergen. Svendseid holds an academic background in International Relations and International Law from the University of Oslo (UiO) and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).

Hanne Kvilhaugsvik (UiB) is an Associate Professor at the Department of Government. In her research, Kvilhaugsvik focuses on public policy, administration, organization theory, and reforms, with a particular interest in education policy across higher education and early childhood education.

11:00 Speed-Dating with Research Groups

12:00 Break

12:15 March/Olsen Honorary Lecture by Professor Thomas Schillemans 

14:00 End of GOV-Day 2025