The Rectorate's policy statement 2009-2013

Professor Sigmund Grønmo is standing for re-election as Rector –with the current
Vice-Rector Professor Berit Rokne as his candidate for Deputy Rector.
They are part of a team that also includes two new Vice-Rector candidates:
Professor Kuvvet Atakan – Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs
Professor Astri Andresen – Vice-Rector for International Relations

During the period 2005 to 2009, the rector and vice-rectors have remained committed to the programme outlined in the 2005 election manifesto and to the mandate achieved in the last election. This has brought good results for the University of Bergen (UiB). These results have been achieved thanks to great efforts by the whole university community and to fruitful cooperation between academic and administrative leaders at all levels, between different academic environments and between various groups of staff and students.

In the period 2009 to 2013, we wish to continue along the broad policy lines drawn up by the current rector and vice-rectors. The renewal of academic activity will be based on the university’s distinctive character. A number of measures will be prioritised to boost the university’s primary activities in the areas of research, postgraduate education and research-based education, and to strengthen its relations with the community and business and industry, at both national and global levels. UiB shall continue to develop as a research university with a high international profile.

Development and renewal based on the distinctive character of the university

The university must constantly renew its academic activity to remain in line with changes in society as a whole. Such renewal must be based on the university’s fundamental attributes and functions as an institution:
•    Basic research and postgraduate programmes in all academic units
•    Development of  research topics and disciplines over a broad range
•    Research-based education
•    Free and critical thinking in all academic activities
•    Organisation and leadership firmly rooted in the academic units

These basic institutional attributes and functions are important hallmarks of a research university such as UiB. Preserving the University’s distinctive character is particularly important in light of the recommendation of the Stjernø Commission (Norwegian Government Commission for Higher Education) for the compulsory merging of universities and university colleges.

The fundamental attributes and functions of the institution mentioned above form a common set of core values for the whole university. We need to facilitate open, just and critical discussion on this basis, both within and between the academic units. However, we also need to understand and preserve the great diversity of academic cultures and traditions our university embodies. Institutional and financial frameworks must take account of the differences between the academic units, and these environments must be further developed and renewed in line with their own cultures and traditions.

Research in all academic units– strengthening the university’s research efforts

During the period 2005 to 2009, the rector and vice-rectors have given high priority to ensuring research and postgraduate education in all academic units, while also giving special priority to selected research areas. The principle that all academic staff shall spend equal amounts of time on research and education has been maintained and formalised. A plan has been drawn up to strengthen Natural Sciences and Technology (NST) subjects, and this has formed the basis for extraordinary allocations of a significant number of research fellowships and resources, including the granting of an extra NOK 12 million to these disciplines in 2007. There has been extensive discussion about how to organise research at UiB in order to improve the division of labour and facilitate cooperation.

Substantial resources have been allocated to the four centres of research excellence and other special priority areas in which our researchers are at the cutting-edge of science internationally. The university’s long-term focus on marine research and development-related research has been maintained and reinforced both financially and organisationally. A new topic of research has also been created that spans both these priority areas – at the intersection between climate, poverty and health. In central research areas, including marine research, extensive collaboration has been established with other institutions and with the business community through clusters. Production of peer-reviewed publications increased from 1,441 publication points in 2005 to 1,784 in 2008. There has been a clear increase in externally funded research – both within the university and for UiB, Unifob and CMR as a whole. Total external research funding increased from approximately NOK 826 million in 2005 to more than a billion in 2008.

In the period 2009 to 2013 we wish to continue this overall policy. The following measures are particularly important:
•    making more time available for research and ensuring good research opportunities in all our academic units
•    strengthening marine research, development research and other strategically prioritised investment areas, both ongoing and new
•    continuing to invest in centres of research excellence and working to ensure that their competence is also utilised after the centre of excellence period expires
•    promoting greater awareness of the importance of research universities, larger basic allocations, more recruitment positions and more resources for equipment and infrastructure
•    making efforts to achieve better funding opportunities for curiosity-driven basic science projects that fall outside the pre-defined research programmes. UiB should continue to use its own resources to support project applications of this type.
•    active participation in the development of new national research priorities in which UiB competence is central
•    strengthening UiB’s participation in major international research projects and infrastructure establishments
•    prioritising further increases in external funding for research and facilitating more capacity and greater flexibility in research administration
•    giving special emphasis to ensuring the necessary strengthening of NST subjects through dedicated measures
•    drawing up a long-term plan for the renewal and further development of scientific equipment and laboratories for experimental research disciplines
•    securing the recruitment of graduates in medicine to university positions and medical research
•    continued efforts for national prioritisation of legal research
•    supporting the development of the Research Council of Norway’s programme priorities and funding opportunities in the areas of humanities and social science research
•    laying the groundwork for further development of research in all academic units in the Faculty of Psychology
•    ensuring good conditions for museum research, with locations closer to the relevant departmental units
•    continuing the work to achieve optimum organisation of multidisciplinary research between different faculties, and reinforcing collaboration with Unifob, CMR and other research institutions
•    facilitating good publication opportunities that take account of the academic environments’ disparate publication traditions. Efforts to ensure publication through BORA (Bergen Open Research Archive) should be continued
•    ensuring good conditions for the university library and continuing the work on digitalisation
.

Postgraduate education integrated with research activity

The faculties’ PhD programmes have been given priority in the 2005-2009 period, with the emphasis on the integration of PhD education into the research that is carried out in the academic units, and with a view to developing good conditions for the PhD programmes. An action plan has been developed for the PhD education, involving a number of measures that are intended, among other things, to improve supervision and follow-up of PhD candidates. Since 2005, the number of new doctorates has increased significantly– from 158 in 2005 to 233 in 2008.

During the period 2009-2013, as a continuation of this policy, we will put particular emphasis on the following:
•    follow-up of the action plan for postgraduate education and prioritisation of good working conditions and career opportunities for PhD candidates
•    development of adequate schemes to allow PhD candidates to spend time abroad
•    efforts to ensure more PhD scholarships, full funding of research scholarships and resources for increased supervision capacity
•    considering four-year research scholarship periods with a built-in compulsory work component as the standard norm for all PhD candidates
•    support for research fellows’ wish to establish their own representative bodies at each faculty  
•    prioritising and increasing the number of post-doctoral positions, and considering tenure-track positions  – particularly in the academic units where such a measure would facilitate good career planning

Consolidation of research-based education – improving the quality of education

During the period 2005 to 2009, we have engaged in thorough assessments and discussions of the functioning of the national quality reform for higher education, with the emphasis on following up its best aspects. Our efforts in this area have attracted considerable attention nationally, and featured importantly in the White Paper on the Quality Reform. One vital consideration involves making sure that all teaching is research-based. The faculties must evaluate the scope and organisation of their teaching programs in order to ensure that continuous periods of time can be devoted to research. The main policy has been one of consolidation rather than expansion of programmes. An annual prize on learning environment was created.

During the period 2009 to 2013, we will emphasise the following challenges and measures in particular:
•    ensuring that university education continues to be research based, with the emphasis on knowledge, a holistic approach, critical reflection, culture and ethical awareness. Master’s degree students should be integrated as far as possible into research in the academic units
•    continuing efforts to secure sufficient resources to further improve curricula and study environments, with good supervision for the students
•    drawing up new measures for continuous assessment  and renewal of  curricula and learning environments, with the emphasis on active student participation
•    boosting recruitment to the Bachelor and Master’s programmes, particularly in NST subjects
•    making the entire study progression clear, from Bachelor level through to PhD, and facilitating the transition from Master’s degree to PhD
•    providing good information for business and industry and future employers about our candidates’ qualifications, and offering good study and career counselling to our students
•    promoting the further development and continuous updating of infrastructure and equipment for ICT-based education
•    strengthening the teacher training programme and improving courses on pedagogy for university staff members
•    setting up long-term measures in connection with the expected increase of new applications to the UiB as a result of the recent global financial crisis, with greater emphasis on knowledge and competence development. This is subject to available funds for full financing and allocation of sufficient resources for an expansion.

Measures and facilities offered for students

During the period 2005 to 2009, the university leadership has emphasised the importance of contact with the students and their representatives and leaders. This has resulted in better working conditions for the students, among other things by improving student workplaces and prioritising reading spaces at the university library. A dental health service and medical clinic have been set up for the students and nursery school capacity is being increased. The number of applicants remains twice as high as the number of students we can currently admit. The number of students has decreased, mainly due to the shorter length of study programmes and faster completion of studies. The new student centre and the renovation of the student cultural centre ‘Det Akademiske Kvarter’ are important investments for students.

The following challenges and measures will be particularly important in the 2009-2013 period:
•    efforts to provide students with a good learning environment, increased student workplaces, and adequate and sufficient funding of their studies in order to enable them to study full time
•    collaboration with the student welfare organisation (SiB) to secure exercise and health facilities and other welfare services for students
•    continued collaboration with the municipal authorities to make Bergen an attractive city for students
•    ensuring good opportunities for student politics, cultural activities and activities in student organisations and student media. The student’s parliament, student welfare organisation and ‘Det Akademiske Kvarter’ are central in this context
•    working to ensure equal rights to education and to prevent the introduction of tuition fees for university education

A research university with a high international profile – enhancing UiB’s international profile

During the period 2005 to 2009, UiB has enhanced its international profile as a research university. During this period UiB has climbed almost a hundred places on the Times Higher Education Supplement’s annual ranking. UiB is the first Norwegian university to have appointed a Vice-Rector for International Relations. An action plan for international relations has been prepared that aims to provide a guideline for the academic units’ own strategic decisions in internationalisation. The main goal is to integrate an internationalisation dimension into all university activities, at all levels. It should be noted that 1/3 of UiB’s PhD candidates are from abroad.

We intend to continue this process of internationalisation during the period 2009 to 2013 with particular emphasis on the following:
•    follow-up of the action plan for internationalisation, with the emphasis on collaboration with the best universities and research environments in different parts of the world and on commitment in relation to the major global challenges
•    emphasis on bilateral agreements with the best universities in different parts of the world and participation in international networks and organisations for inter-university collaboration. The Coimbra network, EUA, WUN and SANORD are of particular importance.
•    helping to ensure that educational collaboration and student exchanges are considered in the context of research collaboration and researcher exchanges
•    working for better funding opportunities for researcher and student exchanges and for periods of study abroad.
•    continued investment in the Bergen Summer Research School
•    setting up a reception service for foreign students, research fellows and guests
•    establishing a language centre – among other things for the translation and revision of manuscripts

The university as a part of the society – outreach, visibility and building relations

During the period 2005 to 2009, the rector and vice-rectors aimed to make the university more visible to the public. UiB recently launched a new public website that will make the university even more accessible. Bergen Museum has a steadily increasing number of visitors. University academics play an important role in developing the city’s knowledge centres and in public life. In order to strengthen collaboration with the public and with business and industry in Bergen and Western Norway, UiB is currently, as the first university in Norway, drawing up an action plan for the further development of its relations with the community. In setting up a network for universities and university colleges in Western Norway (UH-nett Vest) the university has taken the initiative for a commitment in collaboration with neighbouring university colleges on research, postgraduate education and public outreach.

The rector and vice-rectors have participated actively in public debate on the university’s core values and profile, on university activities and the resources situation, and on the university in relation to society at large and business and industry. In the debate on the Stjernø Commission’s recommendation, UiB received considerable support for its views from the Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions and the Ministry of Education and Research.

The following are prioritised challenges and measures for the 2009-2013 period:
•    improving communication and visibility, including among others through the new public website
•    highlighting the university’s distinctive character and activities through participation in public debate and other engagements in the public domain
•    follow-up of the new action plan for outreach and engagement
•    continuing and strengthening work to build clusters of collaboration between academic units and key organizations and individuals in the public and private sectors
•    collaboration with the Career Centre, ‘Springbrettet’(Springboard), other student organisations, business and industry and society at large on work-experience placements for students, career counselling and further and continuing education
•    work on developing contacts with UiB alumni
•    continuing efforts to strengthen the research environments around the university, including efforts for better basic public funding of research institutes in Bergen and more extensive collaboration between these institutes and university environments
•    continuing efforts to promote innovation and the commercialisation of research results, in collaboration with dedicated enterprises such as Bergen Teknologioverføring and the Sarsia companies
•    stronger collaboration with institutions within the Western Norway Regional Health Authority, in particular with Haukeland University Hospital’s Helse Bergen
•    continuing collaboration through UH-nett Vest
•    maintain the university’s responsibility to investigate and identify various negative ethical, social and environmental consequences of technological developments
•    continuing UiB’s long tradition of collaboration with institutions in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
•    utilising the expertise of the academic units to address global challenges such as health and environmental problems, poverty, democracy and governance problems
•    prioritising environmental issues in university leadership, activities and development, and continuing the Green University project

The university community – creative interaction between different groups of staff and students

During the period 2005 to 2009, the rector and vice-rectors have given priority to work on ensuring equality of opportunity in all areas. A new action plan has been drawn up, with the emphasis on improving the gender balance, especially in permanent academic positions. A large number of new measures have been introduced. The proportion of women among those receiving doctoral degrees increased from one third in 2005 to more than a half in 2008. UiB was awarded the Ministry of Education and Research’s equal opportunity prize for 2008. The proportion of women professors increased from 16 per cent in 2005 to 20 per cent in 2008. A committee has been set up to prepare the ground for a wider perspective on efforts aimed at equality, with a view to implementing measures against all forms of discrimination.

The following challenges and measures will be particularly important in the 2009-2013 period:
•    continued efforts to improve the gender balance and renewal of the action plan for  equal opportunity, with the emphasis on a broader conceptualization of equal opportunity and measures to counteract all forms of discrimination
•    development of a good personnel policy, a good working environment and a good learning environment, with the emphasis on the university as an open and inclusive institution for all groups
•    planning for and successful managing of the coming generation shift in different types of posts with the aim of achieving a good balance between stability and renewal
•    providing good career-development and career-planning opportunities for all groups of employees
•    strengthening cooperation between different groups of employees and between academic and administrative leaders at all levels

Development and renovation of the university buildings

During the period 2005 to 2009, a great deal of emphasis has been placed on improving the university’s infrastructure, including the maintenance of already existing buildings and new building projects. The new student centre has been completed, and funding has been granted for a new dentistry building. Renovation of ‘Det akademiske kvarter’ is scheduled for completion in 2009. The new law and development research buildings, collocated with the Christian Michelsen Institute for Development and Justice, will also be completed in 2009. The new biology building at Marineholmen will be ready for occupation in late autumn 2009. Plans are in the pipeline for a new technology building and for taking over the premises of the Grieg Academy. UiB was recently allocated NOK 30 million for renovation, upgrading and modification of the museum building. This enables us to expand and improve museum activities and further develop this monumental building.

During the period 2009 to 2013, we will in particular:
•    continue work on renovating the museum building to ensure its status as a monumental representative building, dedicated to the dissemination of knowledge and culture, serving the university, the city and the region
•    emphasise improvement of the university buildings in general
•    prioritise universal design and utilisation design as a main principle

University governance – rooted in the academic units and among staff and students

During the period 2005 to 2009, the rectorship has been expanded and strengthened. The deans are involved in the strategic leadership of the whole university. Leadership is firmly rooted in the academic units. Regular meetings are held with student leaders and liaison with employee organisations is good. The emphasis is on a broad, open decision-making processes, with committee work, utilisation of academic and administrative competence, dialogue with the faculties, academic units, staff and students, ensuring that all affected parties are given the opportunity to be heard.

There has been a thorough discussion of models of university governance at various levels. The rector and vice-rectors have supported continuing the practice of electing the rector, which is the main governance model provided for in the Norwegian Higher Education Act. At faculty and departmental levels, some freedom of choice between different models is advocated, in accordance with the conditions and needs of the different environments.

During the period 2009 to 2013, the plan is to promote further debate on governance at different levels. Our main views in this debate will be:
•    adherence to the main model at the institutional level, i.e. an elected rector as chair of the university board. The rector and vice-rectors should have a broad academic basis, with people from different academic environments and a wide-ranging interface both within the university community and with the community at large. Emphasis will be placed on good cooperation with the university director, based on the recommendation from the 2007 role committee appointed by the board.
•    the development of models at faculty and departmental level that take account of different needs in different academic units, with strong academic leadership and decision-making processes that are firmly rooted in collegial bodies, based on openness and involvement from all groups of staff and students
•    ensuring good contact between leaders in the different academic units and at different levels
•    budgetary allocations and other important decision-making processes should be open and transparent and based on insight into the diverse needs of different academic units, strategic prioritisations and taking into account the institution as a whole.

A research university with a high international profile
- renewal based on the university’s distinctive character

Professor Sigmund Grønmo is standing for re-election as Rector –with the current
Vice-Rector Professor Berit Rokne as his candidate for Deputy Rector.
They are part of a team that also includes two new Vice-Rector candidates:
Professor Kuvvet Atakan – Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs
Professor Astri Andresen – Vice-Rector for International Relations

During the period 2005 to 2009, the rector and vice-rectors have remained committed to the programme outlined in the 2005 election manifesto and to the mandate achieved in the last election. This has brought good results for the University of Bergen (UiB). These results have been achieved thanks to great efforts by the whole university community and to fruitful cooperation between academic and administrative leaders at all levels, between different academic environments and between various groups of staff and students.

In the period 2009 to 2013, we wish to continue along the broad policy lines drawn up by the current rector and vice-rectors. The renewal of academic activity will be based on the university’s distinctive character. A number of measures will be prioritised to boost the university’s primary activities in the areas of research, postgraduate education and research-based education, and to strengthen its relations with the community and business and industry, at both national and global levels. UiB shall continue to develop as a research university with a high international profile.

Development and renewal based on the distinctive character of the university

The university must constantly renew its academic activity to remain in line with changes in society as a whole. Such renewal must be based on the university’s fundamental attributes and functions as an institution:
•    Basic research and postgraduate programmes in all academic units
•    Development of  research topics and disciplines over a broad range
•    Research-based education
•    Free and critical thinking in all academic activities
•    Organisation and leadership firmly rooted in the academic units

These basic institutional attributes and functions are important hallmarks of a research university such as UiB. Preserving the University’s distinctive character is particularly important in light of the recommendation of the Stjernø Commission (Norwegian Government Commission for Higher Education) for the compulsory merging of universities and university colleges.

The fundamental attributes and functions of the institution mentioned above form a common set of core values for the whole university. We need to facilitate open, just and critical discussion on this basis, both within and between the academic units. However, we also need to understand and preserve the great diversity of academic cultures and traditions our university embodies. Institutional and financial frameworks must take account of the differences between the academic units, and these environments must be further developed and renewed in line with their own cultures and traditions.

Research in all academic units– strengthening the university’s research efforts

During the period 2005 to 2009, the rector and vice-rectors have given high priority to ensuring research and postgraduate education in all academic units, while also giving special priority to selected research areas. The principle that all academic staff shall spend equal amounts of time on research and education has been maintained and formalised. A plan has been drawn up to strengthen Natural Sciences and Technology (NST) subjects, and this has formed the basis for extraordinary allocations of a significant number of research fellowships and resources, including the granting of an extra NOK 12 million to these disciplines in 2007. There has been extensive discussion about how to organise research at UiB in order to improve the division of labour and facilitate cooperation.

Substantial resources have been allocated to the four centres of research excellence and other special priority areas in which our researchers are at the cutting-edge of science internationally. The university’s long-term focus on marine research and development-related research has been maintained and reinforced both financially and organisationally. A new topic of research has also been created that spans both these priority areas – at the intersection between climate, poverty and health. In central research areas, including marine research, extensive collaboration has been established with other institutions and with the business community through clusters. Production of peer-reviewed publications increased from 1,441 publication points in 2005 to 1,784 in 2008. There has been a clear increase in externally funded research – both within the university and for UiB, Unifob and CMR as a whole. Total external research funding increased from approximately NOK 826 million in 2005 to more than a billion in 2008.

In the period 2009 to 2013 we wish to continue this overall policy. The following measures are particularly important:
•    making more time available for research and ensuring good research opportunities in all our academic units
•    strengthening marine research, development research and other strategically prioritised investment areas, both ongoing and new
•    continuing to invest in centres of research excellence and working to ensure that their competence is also utilised after the centre of excellence period expires
•    promoting greater awareness of the importance of research universities, larger basic allocations, more recruitment positions and more resources for equipment and infrastructure
•    making efforts to achieve better funding opportunities for curiosity-driven basic science projects that fall outside the pre-defined research programmes. UiB should continue to use its own resources to support project applications of this type.
•    active participation in the development of new national research priorities in which UiB competence is central
•    strengthening UiB’s participation in major international research projects and infrastructure establishments
•    prioritising further increases in external funding for research and facilitating more capacity and greater flexibility in research administration
•    giving special emphasis to ensuring the necessary strengthening of NST subjects through dedicated measures
•    drawing up a long-term plan for the renewal and further development of scientific equipment and laboratories for experimental research disciplines
•    securing the recruitment of graduates in medicine to university positions and medical research
•    continued efforts for national prioritisation of legal research
•    supporting the development of the Research Council of Norway’s programme priorities and funding opportunities in the areas of humanities and social science research
•    laying the groundwork for further development of research in all academic units in the Faculty of Psychology
•    ensuring good conditions for museum research, with locations closer to the relevant departmental units
•    continuing the work to achieve optimum organisation of multidisciplinary research between different faculties, and reinforcing collaboration with Unifob, CMR and other research institutions
•    facilitating good publication opportunities that take account of the academic environments’ disparate publication traditions. Efforts to ensure publication through BORA (Bergen Open Research Archive) should be continued
•    ensuring good conditions for the university library and continuing the work on digitalisation
.

Postgraduate education integrated with research activity

The faculties’ PhD programmes have been given priority in the 2005-2009 period, with the emphasis on the integration of PhD education into the research that is carried out in the academic units, and with a view to developing good conditions for the PhD programmes. An action plan has been developed for the PhD education, involving a number of measures that are intended, among other things, to improve supervision and follow-up of PhD candidates. Since 2005, the number of new doctorates has increased significantly– from 158 in 2005 to 233 in 2008.

During the period 2009-2013, as a continuation of this policy, we will put particular emphasis on the following:
•    follow-up of the action plan for postgraduate education and prioritisation of good working conditions and career opportunities for PhD candidates
•    development of adequate schemes to allow PhD candidates to spend time abroad
•    efforts to ensure more PhD scholarships, full funding of research scholarships and resources for increased supervision capacity
•    considering four-year research scholarship periods with a built-in compulsory work component as the standard norm for all PhD candidates
•    support for research fellows’ wish to establish their own representative bodies at each faculty  
•    prioritising and increasing the number of post-doctoral positions, and considering tenure-track positions  – particularly in the academic units where such a measure would facilitate good career planning

Consolidation of research-based education – improving the quality of education

During the period 2005 to 2009, we have engaged in thorough assessments and discussions of the functioning of the national quality reform for higher education, with the emphasis on following up its best aspects. Our efforts in this area have attracted considerable attention nationally, and featured importantly in the White Paper on the Quality Reform. One vital consideration involves making sure that all teaching is research-based. The faculties must evaluate the scope and organisation of their teaching programs in order to ensure that continuous periods of time can be devoted to research. The main policy has been one of consolidation rather than expansion of programmes. An annual prize on learning environment was created.

During the period 2009 to 2013, we will emphasise the following challenges and measures in particular:
•    ensuring that university education continues to be research based, with the emphasis on knowledge, a holistic approach, critical reflection, culture and ethical awareness. Master’s degree students should be integrated as far as possible into research in the academic units
•    continuing efforts to secure sufficient resources to further improve curricula and study environments, with good supervision for the students
•    drawing up new measures for continuous assessment  and renewal of  curricula and learning environments, with the emphasis on active student participation
•    boosting recruitment to the Bachelor and Master’s programmes, particularly in NST subjects
•    making the entire study progression clear, from Bachelor level through to PhD, and facilitating the transition from Master’s degree to PhD
•    providing good information for business and industry and future employers about our candidates’ qualifications, and offering good study and career counselling to our students
•    promoting the further development and continuous updating of infrastructure and equipment for ICT-based education
•    strengthening the teacher training programme and improving courses on pedagogy for university staff members
•    setting up long-term measures in connection with the expected increase of new applications to the UiB as a result of the recent global financial crisis, with greater emphasis on knowledge and competence development. This is subject to available funds for full financing and allocation of sufficient resources for an expansion.

Measures and facilities offered for students

During the period 2005 to 2009, the university leadership has emphasised the importance of contact with the students and their representatives and leaders. This has resulted in better working conditions for the students, among other things by improving student workplaces and prioritising reading spaces at the university library. A dental health service and medical clinic have been set up for the students and nursery school capacity is being increased. The number of applicants remains twice as high as the number of students we can currently admit. The number of students has decreased, mainly due to the shorter length of study programmes and faster completion of studies. The new student centre and the renovation of the student cultural centre ‘Det Akademiske Kvarter’ are important investments for students.

The following challenges and measures will be particularly important in the 2009-2013 period:
•    efforts to provide students with a good learning environment, increased student workplaces, and adequate and sufficient funding of their studies in order to enable them to study full time
•    collaboration with the student welfare organisation (SiB) to secure exercise and health facilities and other welfare services for students
•    continued collaboration with the municipal authorities to make Bergen an attractive city for students
•    ensuring good opportunities for student politics, cultural activities and activities in student organisations and student media. The student’s parliament, student welfare organisation and ‘Det Akademiske Kvarter’ are central in this context
•    working to ensure equal rights to education and to prevent the introduction of tuition fees for university education

A research university with a high international profile – enhancing UiB’s international profile

During the period 2005 to 2009, UiB has enhanced its international profile as a research university. During this period UiB has climbed almost a hundred places on the Times Higher Education Supplement’s annual ranking. UiB is the first Norwegian university to have appointed a Vice-Rector for International Relations. An action plan for international relations has been prepared that aims to provide a guideline for the academic units’ own strategic decisions in internationalisation. The main goal is to integrate an internationalisation dimension into all university activities, at all levels. It should be noted that 1/3 of UiB’s PhD candidates are from abroad.

We intend to continue this process of internationalisation during the period 2009 to 2013 with particular emphasis on the following:
•    follow-up of the action plan for internationalisation, with the emphasis on collaboration with the best universities and research environments in different parts of the world and on commitment in relation to the major global challenges
•    emphasis on bilateral agreements with the best universities in different parts of the world and participation in international networks and organisations for inter-university collaboration. The Coimbra network, EUA, WUN and SANORD are of particular importance.
•    helping to ensure that educational collaboration and student exchanges are considered in the context of research collaboration and researcher exchanges
•    working for better funding opportunities for researcher and student exchanges and for periods of study abroad.
•    continued investment in the Bergen Summer Research School
•    setting up a reception service for foreign students, research fellows and guests
•    establishing a language centre – among other things for the translation and revision of manuscripts

The university as a part of the society – outreach, visibility and building relations

During the period 2005 to 2009, the rector and vice-rectors aimed to make the university more visible to the public. UiB recently launched a new public website that will make the university even more accessible. Bergen Museum has a steadily increasing number of visitors. University academics play an important role in developing the city’s knowledge centres and in public life. In order to strengthen collaboration with the public and with business and industry in Bergen and Western Norway, UiB is currently, as the first university in Norway, drawing up an action plan for the further development of its relations with the community. In setting up a network for universities and university colleges in Western Norway (UH-nett Vest) the university has taken the initiative for a commitment in collaboration with neighbouring university colleges on research, postgraduate education and public outreach.

The rector and vice-rectors have participated actively in public debate on the university’s core values and profile, on university activities and the resources situation, and on the university in relation to society at large and business and industry. In the debate on the Stjernø Commission’s recommendation, UiB received considerable support for its views from the Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions and the Ministry of Education and Research.

The following are prioritised challenges and measures for the 2009-2013 period:
•    improving communication and visibility, including among others through the new public website
•    highlighting the university’s distinctive character and activities through participation in public debate and other engagements in the public domain
•    follow-up of the new action plan for outreach and engagement
•    continuing and strengthening work to build clusters of collaboration between academic units and key organizations and individuals in the public and private sectors
•    collaboration with the Career Centre, ‘Springbrettet’(Springboard), other student organisations, business and industry and society at large on work-experience placements for students, career counselling and further and continuing education
•    work on developing contacts with UiB alumni
•    continuing efforts to strengthen the research environments around the university, including efforts for better basic public funding of research institutes in Bergen and more extensive collaboration between these institutes and university environments
•    continuing efforts to promote innovation and the commercialisation of research results, in collaboration with dedicated enterprises such as Bergen Teknologioverføring and the Sarsia companies
•    stronger collaboration with institutions within the Western Norway Regional Health Authority, in particular with Haukeland University Hospital’s Helse Bergen
•    continuing collaboration through UH-nett Vest
•    maintain the university’s responsibility to investigate and identify various negative ethical, social and environmental consequences of technological developments
•    continuing UiB’s long tradition of collaboration with institutions in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
•    utilising the expertise of the academic units to address global challenges such as health and environmental problems, poverty, democracy and governance problems
•    prioritising environmental issues in university leadership, activities and development, and continuing the Green University project

The university community – creative interaction between different groups of staff and students

During the period 2005 to 2009, the rector and vice-rectors have given priority to work on ensuring equality of opportunity in all areas. A new action plan has been drawn up, with the emphasis on improving the gender balance, especially in permanent academic positions. A large number of new measures have been introduced. The proportion of women among those receiving doctoral degrees increased from one third in 2005 to more than a half in 2008. UiB was awarded the Ministry of Education and Research’s equal opportunity prize for 2008. The proportion of women professors increased from 16 per cent in 2005 to 20 per cent in 2008. A committee has been set up to prepare the ground for a wider perspective on efforts aimed at equality, with a view to implementing measures against all forms of discrimination.

The following challenges and measures will be particularly important in the 2009-2013 period:
•    continued efforts to improve the gender balance and renewal of the action plan for  equal opportunity, with the emphasis on a broader conceptualization of equal opportunity and measures to counteract all forms of discrimination
•    development of a good personnel policy, a good working environment and a good learning environment, with the emphasis on the university as an open and inclusive institution for all groups
•    planning for and successful managing of the coming generation shift in different types of posts with the aim of achieving a good balance between stability and renewal
•    providing good career-development and career-planning opportunities for all groups of employees
•    strengthening cooperation between different groups of employees and between academic and administrative leaders at all levels

Development and renovation of the university buildings

During the period 2005 to 2009, a great deal of emphasis has been placed on improving the university’s infrastructure, including the maintenance of already existing buildings and new building projects. The new student centre has been completed, and funding has been granted for a new dentistry building. Renovation of ‘Det akademiske kvarter’ is scheduled for completion in 2009. The new law and development research buildings, collocated with the Christian Michelsen Institute for Development and Justice, will also be completed in 2009. The new biology building at Marineholmen will be ready for occupation in late autumn 2009. Plans are in the pipeline for a new technology building and for taking over the premises of the Grieg Academy. UiB was recently allocated NOK 30 million for renovation, upgrading and modification of the museum building. This enables us to expand and improve museum activities and further develop this monumental building.

During the period 2009 to 2013, we will in particular:
•    continue work on renovating the museum building to ensure its status as a monumental representative building, dedicated to the dissemination of knowledge and culture, serving the university, the city and the region
•    emphasise improvement of the university buildings in general
•    prioritise universal design and utilisation design as a main principle

University governance – rooted in the academic units and among staff and students

During the period 2005 to 2009, the rectorship has been expanded and strengthened. The deans are involved in the strategic leadership of the whole university. Leadership is firmly rooted in the academic units. Regular meetings are held with student leaders and liaison with employee organisations is good. The emphasis is on a broad, open decision-making processes, with committee work, utilisation of academic and administrative competence, dialogue with the faculties, academic units, staff and students, ensuring that all affected parties are given the opportunity to be heard.

There has been a thorough discussion of models of university governance at various levels. The rector and vice-rectors have supported continuing the practice of electing the rector, which is the main governance model provided for in the Norwegian Higher Education Act. At faculty and departmental levels, some freedom of choice between different models is advocated, in accordance with the conditions and needs of the different environments.

During the period 2009 to 2013, the plan is to promote further debate on governance at different levels. Our main views in this debate will be:
•    adherence to the main model at the institutional level, i.e. an elected rector as chair of the university board. The rector and vice-rectors should have a broad academic basis, with people from different academic environments and a wide-ranging interface both within the university community and with the community at large. Emphasis will be placed on good cooperation with the university director, based on the recommendation from the 2007 role committee appointed by the board.
•    the development of models at faculty and departmental level that take account of different needs in different academic units, with strong academic leadership and decision-making processes that are firmly rooted in collegial bodies, based on openness and involvement from all groups of staff and students
•    ensuring good contact between leaders in the different academic units and at different levels
•    budgetary allocations and other important decision-making processes should be open and transparent and based on insight into the diverse needs of different academic units, strategic prioritisations and taking into account the institution as a whole.