The team
Svein St?len, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, is Professor of Chemistry and has served as Rector of the University of Oslo during the period 2017-2021. He is running for reelection with his new team, St?len & Gornitzka.
?se Gornitzka, Faculty of Social Sciences, is Professor of Political Science. She has served as Vice-Rector for Research and Internationalisation during the period 2017-2021 and is running for election as Pro-Rector with the same areas of responsibility.
Bj?rn Stensaker, Faculty of Educational Sciences, is Professor of Pedagogy/Educational Sciences and Head of LINK – Centre for Learning, Innovation and Academic Development. He will be appointed Vice-Rector for Education.
Per Morten Sandset, Faculty of Medicine, is Professor of Medicine and has served as Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation during the period 2017-2020. He will continue in the same position in the new team.
Mette Halskov Hansen, Faculty of the Humanities, is Professor of China Studies and will be appointed Vice-Rector for Climate & the Environment and Cross-Disciplinarity.
Transparency, Participation, Simplification
UiO's strategy leading up to 2030 is subtitled – not without reason – "for a sustainable world". UiO must and will contribute with knowledge, with scholars, staff and students who will take part in shaping and developing our society – regionally, nationally and globally. The climate and environmental crisis is at the forefront of the fundamental societal challenges we are facing, and St?len & Gornitzka will strengthen efforts in this area.
Running for election in 2021 is an unusual process, as we continue to live in the shadow of COVID-19. We all wish to see the end of the pandemic and leave it behind us. Yet we also realise that the crisis has opened up possibilities for changing how we work and study in the future. For UiO, the coronavirus pandemic is an important reminder that our ability to adjust and move forward is totally dependent on the efforts of staff and students; and everyone should have an opportunity to contribute and participate in shaping changes in education, research and the ways in which we foster the adoption and application of knowledge.
We are convinced that UiO's success in its mission and role in society – to educate highly qualified graduates, conduct fundamental research and contribute to the adoption and application of knowledge – will best be realised through a high degree of transparency, broader engagement and the further simplification of our everyday university life. Our platform reflects that conviction: the further development of UiO in the years to come will be dependent on how we make our everyday academic lives better, more educational and more fun for those who study and work here and for for those we cooperate with.
Our goal is to advance the development of UiO by means of transparency, participation and simplification. We will defend academic freedom and autonomy, and strengthen and foster the university's role and position in academia and society. We will engage the university community in key conversations, such as the implications of digitalisation, societal responsibility and fair access to scientific knowledge and higher education. UiO is and should be a university that assumes its societal responsibility. In order to succeed, we also must work to reclaim time for academic core activities, and to promote collaboration, co-determination and interaction within UiO. In brief, we want to make it simpler to explore and exploit academic opportunities.
Intensity of work on climate/environment and sustainability
Universities around the world are stepping up their efforts to counteract the causes and to mitigate the many negative consequences of climate change, the depletion of resources and loss of biological diversity. UiO has adopted a strategy that emphasises the climate, the environment and sustainability, and we already conduct extensive research and teaching in the field.
Highlights from 2017-2021:
- the establishment of a climate account for UiO from 2018, as well as action plans for climate cuts
- the implementation of specific measures with regard to buildings and properties, including energy solutions, purchasing and recycling, food services and catering, travel and meetings, and the management of our portfolio on the stock market
- a holistic Climate and Environmental strategy that covers research, education, dissemination, innovation and operations will be finished by 2021
- the establishment of an interdisciplinary MA honours certificate in Environmental Humanities and Sciences, as well as several MA programmes in the area of climate and environmental studies
- the opening of the Climate House – the first exhibition building in the Nordic countries dealing with climate and environmental change
We want to intensify this work and experiment with different ways of strengthening socially relevant research and education in the area of climate and environmental protection, as well as increasing the contribution to the dissemination of knowledge and dialogue with society on these topics.
Looking ahead, we will:
- draw on global alliances to support the introduction of new international study programmes in the area of climate/environment and sustainability, as well as strengthening our cooperation with other Norwegian institutions
- start pilot projects on selected subjects to see how climate/environment and sustainability can be integrated into existing study programmes and disciplines, for example with the provision of new interdisciplinary subjects and subject groups
- consider the establishment of the "Oslo Global Sustainability Centre" at Nedre Blindern for interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research, collaboration with external partners, and studies and programmes for lifelong learning related to climate/environment and sustainability
- ensure genuine implementation and participation in the adopted goal of a "Green UiO"
- strengthen interdisciplinary cooperation in climate and environmental protection to better leverage UiO's potential to attract funding from Horizon Europe (and other major funding sources)
- experiment with a new form of interactive visualisation of UiO's research and studies concerning climate and environmental protection
More options in studies
UiO has one of the country's broadest and most attractive educational portfolios, and has worked over the last four years to further improve the quality of its educational provision.
Highlights from 2017-2021:
- students are working harder, and more students are completing their studies at UiO – in the midst of a digital transformation
- a Centre for Learning, Innovation and Academic Development (LINK) has been established, in order to support faculties, educators and education leaders
- UiO tops the competition for national Centres for Excellence in Education (SFU), and works systematically on the development of innovative educational initiatives
- Circle U. – a long-term, international and interdisciplinary European education alliance – started under UiO's leadership in 2020
- teaching qualifications matter more in appointments and promotions to faculty positions, and a separate Educational Academy has been established as part of a new merit system for educators
- Norway's first honours programme for BA students has been established
UiO's education initiative is on the right track, but we need to remove obstacles and unravel unduly complicated structures, and make it easier to introduce new ways of developing our study programmes and our teaching.
Looking ahead, we will:
- provide students with more choice in the composition and organisation of educational programmes, so that students' skills can be better adapted to the societal challenges they wish to work on
- create more honours programmes that reflect UiO's professional breadth and strength, not least in cooperation with the Circle U. alliance
- strengthen the student experience through a stronger focus on the academic learning environment and on how students can be better integrated into and feel they belong to a social and academic community through the better linkage of digital, physical and social arenas
- work to ensure that is possible to established shared positions across faculties, and to increase opportunities for teaching across academic and faculty boundaries
- strengthen practical cooperation between administrative and academic staff in planning, organising and conducting teaching
- facilitate more links to supervised professional training and working life in studies, through improved working life relevance, and intensify the focus on student innovation
Improved research quality – disciplinary and interdisciplinary
UiO is an active participant and attractive partner in the global research community. High quality in research and close international cooperation with UiO's academic communities is a prerequisite for this, and we will continue to work to strengthen the opportunities of individual researchers and research groups and UiO's position as a research-intensive comprehensive university.
Highlights from 2017-2021:
- systematic work on the most important national and European instruments for research has resulted in significant success in the Research Council and in Horizon 2020, including ERC, where UiO is Norway's leading university
- increased influence in European research and education policy through The Guild of European Research-Intensive Universities, which is also a platform for promoting a global orientation in research policies, such as EU-Africa partnership
- the establishment of UiO's first roadmap for research infrastructure
- the establishment of a policy for externally funded centres at UiO, as well as a resource group for Centres of Excellence (SFF) and Centres for Research-Based Innovation (SFI)
- the securing of the Life Science Building, which was threatened by major cuts
- arguing both nationally and internationally for the importance of comprehensive universities, and followed this up internally with economic instruments
UiO will work to ensure high quality in disciplinary basic research that is essential for academic development and dynamics. At the same time, we will better facilitate interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary cooperation and use our breadth to secure UiO's role as an internationally leading research university, thereby also contribute global sustainability.
Looking ahead, we will:
- ensure that UiO is committed to long-term high-quality basic research while improving our efforts to utilise new opportunities for funding from Horizon Europe, NFR and other sources
- work to ensure the further development of interdisciplinary research, for instance within the established strategic research areas, UiO:Nordic/Democracy, UiO:Energy, and UiO: Life Sciences, and develop climate and environmental protection into a new strategic area
- support international research cooperation in a rapidly changing global knowledge system, with a balance between cooperation in Europe and the world at large, including with East-Asia and with low-income countries in general
- intensify our work on research ethics and research integrity through the systematic training of students and staff and continuous consciousness-raising
- increase our influence on European research policy/knowledge policy by being a leading/active participant in The Guild, as well as having a clear voice in Norwegian research policy
- be an agenda-setter in the further development of a policy for open research, and contribute to researcher-focused implementation
UiO as an attractive place of work
Motivated, confident and knowledgeable staff and students are the university's most important resource, and UiO must continuously work towards a personnel policy that safeguards recruitment, skills and career development, and a good collective working and learning environment.
Highlights from 2017-2021:
- the number of people in temporary faculty positions has been reduced by 9 percentage points in three years, and is currently at 16.4%
- efforts against harassment have been bolstered through new guidelines and courses, which have been completed by over 300 people in various leadership positions from throughout UiO
- the recruitment of an academic ombudsman; the role has been established and is up and running
- postdoctoral fellows are assured of the right to gain teaching experience through the Career Policy Action Plan: Standards for career guidance and support
- diversity has been included in UiO's new action plan for gender equality – a plan that may have contributed to 6 out of 8 Deans being women, as well as 11 out of the 23 "new" ERC fellows, while 67% of the preliminary SFF proposals submitted last autumn were headed by women
- a new merit scheme for educators has been established, and teaching qualifications are given greater importance as an assessment criterion in appointments and promotions
Society is changing rapidly, and many of the changes we face represent a challenge to the university. This requires us to better facilitate each employee's individual development and participation in the organisation, and recognise their contribution to the UiO community. We must ensure competence among our leaders, improve internal dialogue and communication, and ensure more open, efficient but also thorough processes where individuals are challenged to contribute and experience becoming involved.
Looking ahead, we will:
- establish a pilot project for better internal dialogue and communication across the entire organisation, as well as starting an online academic newsletter from the Rectorate to all employees and students
- establish a forum for academic policy debates on issues of importance to employees and/or students
- further develop forums and courses for developing skills, not least in digitalisation-related topics for the full range of university employees
- develop a more efficient and interactive organisation
- intensify efforts to promote diversity, equal opportunity and inclusion, and to combat harassment and discrimination among employees and students
- establish a systematic training programme for new leaders, where human resource policy and practice, as well as the principles for working with unions/interest organisations, are high on the agenda. By doing so we aim to improve the support that employees receive throughout their careers
Energising UiO's interaction with society
UiO will be both a globally oriented university and a strong local, regional and national force. For the past three years, UiO has developed stronger ties with the City of Oslo and with other local and regional actors, and, through its employees, has had a clear presence in the community.
Highlights from 2017-2021:
- actively participated in the social debate, and established University Square as a digital meeting place and dissemination arena
- developed interaction arenas with the City of Oslo and many other actors through Oslo Peace Days, City Studio Oslo, University Schools and Oslo Pride
- been a driving force in the work on Norway's first innovation district – Oslo Science City
- developed a clearer innovation policy with a range of instruments (IPR policy, the TTO function, social innovation, etc.) that will help to better facilitate and motivate such activities
- worked to ensure visibility and better understanding of the importance of the university's museums, for example through the position memorandum for the University Museums that anchors further work clearly in UiO's board
Our society relies on trust in research, research-based knowledge and expertise. We will continue our efforts to strengthen communication and dialogue with society, as well as contributing to knowledge-backed decisions and innovation.
Looking ahead, we will:
- develop physical and digital arenas that contribute to knowledge-based conversations and opinion formation, and be present where important discussions take place
- develop organisational instruments that make it possible to offer lifelong learning in a flexible way with a clear and attractive UiO profile, including new offers at the Master's and PhD levels
- work actively on campus development to make Oslo as a university city more lively and attractive to students and staff and Oslo's residents, and, as part of this, intensify work on "UiO i Sentrum" as a knowledge dissemination and cultural district around Tullinl?kka
- strengthen the university museums' collaboration across and with the faculties
- use our position as a capital city university to further develop cooperation with public administration through arenas such as Partnerforum
- help ensure that researchers, students, labour marked, government and public institutions and investors can more closely interact and contribute to broadly defined innovation and entrepreneurship