Suitability assessment at UiB
The suitability assessment aims to determine whether a student has the necessary prerequisites to practice a profession.
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Suitability assessment
The purpose of the suitability assessment is to determine if a student poses a potential risk to the life, physical and mental health, rights or safety of patients, users, kindergarten children, pupils, animals, clients, animal owners or others the student will come into contact with during practice of future professional practice.
The suitability assessment of students in health-related education progams, teacher education programs, speech therapy and special education is conducted continuously throughout the study period. This is called ongoing suitability assessment. As a student, you recieve guidance, but you also have a responsibility to seek out guidance yourself. Course teachers, program leaders, seminar leaders and practice supervisors have a special responsibility for guidance. If there is justified doubt regarding a student's suitability, a special suitability assessment will be conducted. This is based on a notification of doubt.
Suitability officer
The suitability officer is responsible for the managment of notifications of doubt befor a potential assessment by the Suitability Committee. The suitability officer must make sure that the case is as well documented as possible. The suitability officer can also obtain information about suitability cases from other institutions if it is necessary to clarify a case.
The University of Bergen's suitability officer is Associate Professor Hanne Rosendahl-Riise. Head of the Department of Education Kjersti Elisabet Lea is the deputy suitability officer.
Programmes subject to suitability assessment at UiB
The following programmes are subject to suitability assessment:
- Teacher (integrated Teacher Programme and Postgraduate Certificate in Education - PGCE)
- Special Education (Bachelor's programme in Special Education)
- Pharmacist (Master's programme in Pharmacy)
- Clinical nutritionist (Bachelor's programme and Master's programme in Clinical Nutrition)
- Doctor (Cand.med.-degree programme)
- Psychologist (Professional studies in Psychology)
- Dentist (Master of Dentistry)
- Dental Hygienist (Bachelor of dental hygiene)
- Speech therapist (Master's programme in health sciences - Logopedics)
- Qualification program for dentists with education from outside the EU/EEA area
- Postgraduate Certification in education in art, design, music and composition.
Exhaustive list of studies subject to suitability assessment can be found in the Regulations pursuant to the University and University Colleges Act § 7-1.
Notification of doubt
If there is doubt that a student is suitable for the profession they are training for, a notification of doubt can be sent to the suitability officer at the university. The person who submits a notification of doubt is not a party in the case, and does not have the right to be informed about the developments in the case. The student the notification is regarding, will recieve a copy of the notification.
Anyone can submit a notification of doubt. Notifications of doubt which are obviously without grounds will not be processed by the suitability officer.
Assessment interview
When the suitability officer recieves a notification of doubts, the student the notification is regarding will be called in for an assessment interview. The interview is ment to clafify the case and allow the student to present their side of the case. A possible outcome of an interview is that the student is offered extended follow-up and guidance. This does not apply if it is clear that such follow-up and guidance are not suitable to help.
A written report is made from the interview, which includes a description of the case, plans for extended follow-up and other relevant information that emerged from the interview.
Suitability Committee
The university has a suitability committee, who assess cases where the suitability officer believes there is reason to doubt whether a student is suitable for the profession they are training for. The committee is composed of representatives from faculties and departments that offer programs subject to suitability assessment, as well as external experts.
If the Suitability Committee concludes that you are not suited, it submits the case to the Central Appeals Committee with their recommendation. The Central Appeals Committee is the university's committee for student related matters, which is the first instance in suitability cases and has decision-making authority.
The Central Appeals Committee
The Central Appeals Committee at the university can decide to exclude students for up to five years, if it finds that a student is not suited for the profession they are training for. An exclusion will also deny students admittance to the same studies at other universities or university colleges. You can find more information about the appeals committee on the university's websites.
Assistant and Ombud for Students
If you are called in for an assessment interview you may bring a support person, but it is you the suitability officer wishes to speak to. Please inform in advance if you would like to bring someone to the interview.
If the suitability officer submits your case to the Suitability Committee, you have the right to legal assistance which will be covered by the university. You will recieve information about this if your case is submitted to the Suitability Committee. If you have questions about your case or your rights you can contact the committee's secretariat.
If you need advice or guidance, you can also contact the Ombud for Students. The Ombud is an indepentant assistance service tasked with safeguarding the legal rights of students at UiB. You can find contact information and more information about the Ombud for Students on the university's websites.
Information on the Ombud for Students.
