Record number of disputations in 2010
More doctors’ degrees were conferred at the University of Bergen in 2010, than ever before. 111 doctors were honoured in January.
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237 doctoral theses were presented at the University of Bergen during 2010 - 111 of them during the last half of 2010. This is a new record and 14 more than last year, when there were 223 doctorate candidates.
- This shows that our education programme for researchers has been successful, says Rector Sigmund Grønmo of the UiB to uib.no.
He points out that the programme for educating researchers and the university’s various research milieus are integrated with one another.
- The increase also shows that the decision to have a specific plan of action for educating researchers was a good one. It consolidates the collective responsibility and ensures that the doctor’s degree programme stays on course, says Grønmo.
Surveys show that UiB is the Norwegian university that has attained the best results, both for the number of completed doctorates and for the time taken.
With 237 doctor’s degree candidates in 2010, the UiB is not far from achieving its goal of 250 disputations per year.
- I hope we reach our goal next year, says Grønmo.
Medicine and Dentistry tops the list
93 candidates from the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry took their doctor’s degree in 2010. This was more than at the other faculties.
The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences had 77 doctorate candidates and the Faculty of Social Sciences had 21, while the Faculty of Psychology had 21. There were 19 at the Faculty of Humanities and 7 at the Faculty of Law.
Dean Nina Langeland of the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry is satisfied with the numbers, but is at the same time insistent that its not just about quantity.
- We must focus on quality, and mustn’t get growing pains. We are good at following-up candidates, and have even started to evaluate candidates, midway.
She thinks that researcher schools and research groups play an important roll in increasing the number of candidates.
- Being part of a research milieu helps candidates to stay the course.
Supervisor courses
It is important to hold courses for the people who will be supervising the candidates.
- We must ensure that both supervisors and candidates know what is expected of them.
61 of the 93 doctor’s degree candidates at the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry are women.
- We normally have an equal number of male and female candidates. It would seem that ability is evenly divided if the number of male and female candidates is the same. Then we have had the best candidates, says Langeland.
She looks forward to the ceremony in Håkon’s Hall on the 28th January.
- It’s an impressive and formal ceremony. I think that the candidates will feel very honoured by it all, she says.
