Contents
Preparing for the next career steps
Before arrival
We have made an overview of all the different task and roles involved when receiving a scholar at UiO (in Norwegian). Below we will describe in more detail what the host unit at UiO will do itself.
Assessing the candidate
The work starts when the institutional contact asks if you can host a SAR researcher. The SAR committee at UiO (in Norwegian) has already prioritized this researcher among others based on their academic background and threat situation. The host unit must assess whether you can welcome this researcher in a good way. In this assessment, you can use the information in the personal profile from SAR or SRF, and it is recommended to conduct an interview with the candidate. In the interview, you will find out about joint academic interests and get an impression of the scholar's English language level. The institutional contact can help with setting up an interview on Zoom and can attend the meeting. It is good to be generous about academic level (publications etc.), but you should be sure that you have a potential academic mentor with some joint academic interests.
Security and processing of personal data
The SAR researchers may have additional needs for the protection of their personal data, and they should also fill in contact details for relatives in UiO's employee portal DF?.
Communication about the candidate is considered red data. Information can be communicated between UiO e-mail addresses, but not to external e-mail addresses. Do not share information about the researcher's affiliation with SAR with more than those who need it, without obtaining consent from the researcher. The researcher should also be asked if they want a personal profile on uio.no before it is created. Read more about the processing of SAR personal data (In Norwegian, requires login)
Offer of Employment
When you can accept the candidate, the next step is to confirm this to the institutional contact and tto fill in and sign UDI's Offer of Employment form. This is normally done by the head of office and is enough for the candidate to apply for a work and residence permit. In parallel with this, you can start the process of creating an employment contract. The researcher is given a normal temporary employment contract. You can use the State Employees Act §9.a) (in Norwegian) on work of a temporary nature. The unit determines the salary level based on competence. The salary level should not be excessively low or extremely high, but the SAR committee at UiO recommends adjusting it slightly upwards for SAR/SRF researchers with an accompanying partner and children. They normally must support the family on one income.
We normally try to have a start date around the 7-12. day of the month, so that they can get straight into the research accommodation, which is available around the seventh day, and can quickly get a cash card (see below) which can be filled around 10-12. day of the month. There are often delays in relation to the agreed start date due to various complications in the home country etc.
Residence permit and housing
The International Staff Mobility Office (ISMO) and SAR institutional contact assist with applying for a residence and work permit. SAR researchers who come directly from abroad are prioritized for UiO's research housing. This is normally followed up by the ISMO and SAR institutional contact.
Order a cash card
Many SAR researchers arrive with little money and no credit cards. For employees who come to Norway without a debit or credit card they can use in Norway, it is possible to order a krone card (cash card), where UiO can deposit their first salaries, and which can be used in shops and ATMs. It is the personnel consultant who orders the card in ePhorte from the payroll section. The card cannot be filled with money before the first salary payment date after the researcher is employed at UiO. Also remember to send the tax card to the payroll section as soon as possible, so that 50 per cent tax is not deducted more than the first month. The cash card must be ordered well in advance of arrival.
During the stay
The SAR researchers are employed in the same way as other temporary employees. The host unit has personnel responsibility for the researcher throughout the year and is responsible for administrative follow-up, IT equipment, etc. It is important to ensure that the researcher is included in relevant e-mail lists, meetings, social activities, etc.
The researcher must have an academic mentor at the unit (see more in the next section). Some institutes have also organized a social buddy that focuses on social inclusion.
The researcher comes without a specific task to complete, but it is important to think about how the researcher can be included in activities that can contribute to skills development and preparation for further career development. If the department or faculty has relevant career development measures for researchers in the early phase, it would be nice if the SAR/SRF researcher could be offered to participate. Connection to a research group and/or a research project can also be very useful.
All SAR researchers are offered Norwegian and/or English courses. This is coordinated by the SAR institutional contact centrally at UiO.
The SAR researchers come from a situation of threats or conflict, and many have experienced traumatic events or great pressure. Some may find it difficult to concentrate on work at times due to the mental situation or has a great need to follow up with their family. If the researcher has physical or mental health challenges, they should normally discuss this with their GP. UiO's employees also have access to a low-threshold service in the Occupational Health Service, which can be used to get help with psychological challenges in the work situation or to get an overview of relevant public health services and NAV.
For the academic mentor
The SAR stay at UiO provides a safe working situation for one or two years, but it is important to use the time to make the researcher better prepared to continue their career in Norway, their home country or another country, within or outside academia. The SAR researchers have very different backgrounds, but the vast majority have a PhD degree. In many of the countries SAR researchers come from, the focus is mostly on teaching after PhD and not so much on research. Some of them therefore have little experience with independent research and publishing.
The academic mentor is not as involved as a PhD supervisor, but most SAR researchers need a good deal of follow-up.
Areas that require follow-up:
1. Get to know the professional environment at UiO and in Norway, understand how things work here.
2. Discuss the possibility of further development and/or publication of material they have brought from their home country.
3. Create a research/professional plan for the stay. It can include further research based on previous work, inclusion in research projects or applications for external funding with others, teaching, how to develop competence, e.g. through courses.
4. Discuss long-term goals for the researcher and how they can prepare for the next career step.
It is important to remember that, due to threats, the researcher may need to be discreet with their identity, while at the same time networking is important for career development. This is a topic to be discussed several times along the way, as most people feel safer after a period in Norway.
Regarding courses, the following can be mentioned:
1. Most faculties allow the SAR researchers to participate in courses at PhD level if there is a need to fill gaps or further develop knowledge and competence.
2. Most faculties have various career development offers for researchers early in their career. This can be useful for the SAR researchers, although the courses are often aimed at PhD candidates or postdocs.
3.There are separate programs for women, e.g. the mentoring program for female postdoctoral fellows.
4. If the SAR researcher is to teach, it can be combined with taking UiO's course in university pedagogy. (Teaching and learning in Higher Education)
Resources for academic mentors for SAR researchers:
Brief information for new academic mentors of researchers at risk (PDF, UiO, 2 pages)
Cara Mentoring Scheme Handbook for mentors and mentees, (PDF, CARA, 9 pages)
Preparing for the next career steps of researchers at risk; A practical guide for researchers and hosts (PDF, 29 p, requires login)
Preparing for the next career steps
SAR/SRF researchers can be employed with SAR funds at UiO for up to two years. After that, they have to find another solution. This could be returning to their home country or finding a new job within or outside academia, in Norway or in another country. Often, the researchers receive support for a new SAR stay at another institution for up to two years, but then they have to fend for themselves. In some cases, it is also relevant to apply for asylum in Norway in addition. In any case, it is wise to think about the next steps already during the stay at UiO, so that the researcher acquires useful competence and experience to take with them further.
Preparation for the next career steps takes place in collaboration between the SAR researcher, the mentor and the institutional contact.
The Inspireurope project has created a guide to the next career steps: Preparing for the next career steps of researchers at risk; A practical guide for researchers and hosts (PDF, 29 p, requires login)
In case of crisis
Basically, the same procedures will apply to SAR researchers as to other employees. The researcher is registered as an employee at their host unit.
If urgent incidents/attacks occur, the researcher or other helpers must contact the police on 112. In case of problems with hacking of accounts etc. you can contact UiO-Cert, which is the group for IT security. PST can be involved if the researcher experiences surveillance or pressure from foreign threat actors.
SAR's institutional contact should also be informed of any security-related challenges.
Addressing security-related challenges should be done in consultation with the SAR researcher, and you may need to assure the researcher that the police and other Norwegian authorities are reliable.
The researcher has full access to healthcare in Norway.
If a crisis or illness occurs for a family member abroad, the researcher can get help to assess whether it is appropriate to travel there or not.