Strategy 2030 states that UiO, through targeted recruitment and systematic career follow-up, will develop research talents for academia, the society and the business sector. The knowledge society places ever stronger demands on the university's role as a provider of top competence and capacity for research and innovation beyond the needs of academia alone. A comprehensive and systematic career support for researchers in an early career phase may also contribute to building more dynamic and open research environments, and increased collaboration across sectors.
The career support at UiO shall contribute to a common, cross-sectoral understanding of the competencies that can be expected of researchers at different levels. Career support measures must be defined based on the needs of the target group, and adapted to the scientific field's particularities and career opportunities. At the same time, PhD candidates, postdocs and other early career researchers at UiO must be able to have expectations to the university’s support in order for them to plan for and succeed in their further careers.
The following standards shall form the basis for career support efforts for researchers in an early career phase:
PhD level
The individual PhD candidate shall be ensured proper support to complete the research qualification and in understanding the role of the researcher. This takes place through
- academic supervision, individually and in groups, as part of the doctoral programme and through the common academic activities in the programme.
- adapted procedures for rapid onboarding and proper integration in the environment, including a defined affiliation with a research group.
The individual PhD candidate shall be supported in developing a general career awareness of different career paths, as well as insight into one’s own transferable skills. This takes place through
- opportunities for tuition and training in relevant transferable skills.
- access to group guidance in career opportunities, as well as an individual meeting about future plans and opportunities during the employment period.
- suitable online information and access to tools for self-assessment of skills.
All PhD candidates at the University of Oslo shall have access to:
i. Academic supervision during the doctoral work, as well as knowledge, skills and general competencies in accordance with the requirements set down in the national qualifications framework for PhD.
ii. Information about different career paths after a completed doctoral degree in the relevant field, adapted to the structure of the PhD programme in question.
iii. An introduction to career-promoting transferable skills, such as analytical thinking, academic writing and knowledge transfer/dissemination to a larger audience.
iv. Procedures for meetings and information to support a positive onboarding and conclusion of the employment period, with reference to future career opportunities.
Postdoctoral fellows and other early career researchers
The university shall ensure that those employed as post-doctoral research fellows (hereafter “postdocs”) have a real opportunity to qualify for work in senior academic posts. Such an obligation does not exist for the other researchers. In addition to this, both groups shall be offered support for career and competence development through
- the promotion of individual career planning and establishing an individual career plan. This shall be done through organised opportunities to raise awareness and exchange experiences in groups, as well as through individual meetings. Postdocs shall have the opportunity to acquire pedagogical competencies and teaching experience, and other tasks that allows them to earn merit beyond the research itself.
- the support of personal and focused career development with regard to different career paths. Transferable skills development should be provided also at this level, but in a narrower format than at the PhD level. Relevant topics for future careers both within and outside of academia could include external funding, interdisciplinary cooperation, leadership, innovation, and development of networks and partnerships.
- access to support for academic and research-specific development with an emphasis on developing independence, assessment of one’s research profile in relation to disciplinary development and quality assurance of one’s own research.
All postdocs and other early career researchers shall have access to:
i. Academic supervision/mentoring in the research work and support with the development of independence and academic competencies.
ii. Annual career development dialogues. This can be included as part of the one-to-one work dialogue or other follow-up. The career development interview should not be held with the nearest academic supervisor, but with someone who knows the academic environment and the external professional field and its job opportunities.
iii. A career plan that forms the basis for the career development dialogues. This shall include a plan for research and other qualifying work.
iv. Adapted routines for dialogue meetings and information that support positive onboarding and conclusion of the employment relationship with perspectives on future career opportunities.
In addition, all postdocs and other early career researchers should have the opportunity of:
v. Participation in organized programme activities, consisting of classes or a combination of classes and individual work. Topics should include career planning, work-leisure balance, leadership (self-management and group leadership), networking, application writing and science communication.
Organization, responsibility and division of tasks
The academic environment, where the early career researcher’s daily work takes place, is the main arena for the support to be provided, and also the training ground for the skills that the researcher acquires at other levels. This level is responsible for tasks related to integration, research qualifications, supervision and networking.
The department has a special responsibility for the structures that facilitate becoming integrated in the academic environments, as well as alumni activities and contact with and knowledge of the employment market (within and outside academia).
The faculty is responsible for organizing programme activities at the PhD and postdoctoral levels. This may be done independently or in collaboration with other faculties. The faculty decides the final division of tasks across its own units.
The institutional level has the system responsibility for the university's overall career support for researchers in an early career phase. This involves developing and maintaining an infrastructure for information about career support opportunities, training of employees with relevant responsibilities, and further development of systems and quality standards for the career support.