Career development and further education

One of the university’s strategic objectives is to be an open, user-oriented and learning organisation known for its good work and learning environment and a culture of cooperation characterised by innovation, engagement and mutual respect. We are aiming for further development of the quality within our organisation by means of good skills development schemes.

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The university offers its employees various skills development measures.
Besides internal courses on offer, employees have the opportunity to undergo individual skills development in the form of courses and further education. A schedule for this is established in the annual appraisals with line managers, which are the most important tool in systematic skills development. Skills development is part of the work schedule for academic staff in that R&D time is allocated. There is an educational-pedagogical merit scheme for academic staff. Work is also in progress on developing a holistic career plan for academic staff.

Management development

The University of Stavanger offers support to managers by means of a management forum, manager training and management development.

Hender og tablets

The management forum is the rector’s meeting of managers. This meeting provides an arena for discussion and knowledge exchange across the organisation in respect of strategic objectives. The management forum also provides an arena for creation of collective understanding of strategic institution-wide objectives, and also in order to assist with problem resolution, discussion and awareness throughout the institution. The management forum provides an opportunity to endorse decisions and acts as a listening post for the rector and the strategic department management. The management forum is normally held two or three times per semester.

The aim of management training is to provide training on the role of employer, business management, an understanding of the organisation, acts and regulations, and procedures of significance to day-to-day management at the University of Stavanger.

Management training at University of Stavanger is divided into two elements: one management training course aimed at new managers, and one aimed at collective department management.

Every autumn, new managers are invited to attend weekly half-day themed meetings for an introduction into practice at that University of Stavanger and the university’s strategic objective.

Training for collective department management will involve current course offerings advertised on the intranet.

One important strategic objective with management development is to create a collective understanding of what characterises good, professional strategic management at the University of Stavanger. With management development, we focus on both the development of individual managers and the development of department management. Management development comprises two main elements; management development focusing on individuals, and department management development. Individual manager supervision is also offered.

Management development focusing on individuals: “Myself as a manager”
Here, we will work on awareness and development of the management skills needed for good, professional management. Who am I as a manager? What are my strengths, and what areas could I develop? How can I persuade the staff for whom I bear responsibility to work well together, and how do I make the most of their skills so that we deliver good research, teaching and knowledge transfer? In the context of the University of Stavanger, strategic management can be viewed as a three-part arrangement – research management, education management and personnel management – with primary emphasis on relations-oriented management. One example of good management involves managers having to define priorities and implement general objectives within the University of Stavanger’s strategic core areas by creating support and enthusiasm in respect of these choices among both internal and external stakeholders.

Individual management development will comprise 3 modules, structured as follows: (A) Education management, (B) Research, development and innovation management, and (C) Personnel management. Major emphasis will be placed on sharing experience between participants and network building in order to benefit from the management skills available throughout the organisation. Varied working methods will be planned, with major emphasis on participation and individual initiatives between and during the meetings. Each meeting will have a title which will examine and clarify the responsibilities, scope for action and challenges of the management role in connection with a selected issue.

Department management development
This offering is provided primarily to the department management for directors/deans, the rector’s extended department management with deans and museum directors. The aim of department management development is to work with the department management’s ability to define strategic targets and make good decisions, communication and interaction between participants, group dynamics and group development orientation.

Individual manager supervision
Managers can receive individual supervision and assistance from a legal advisor and psychologist regarding difficult personnel matters and conflict management. Managers can also receive supervision over a limited time with a view to achieving personal development in the management role. New managers may be assigned a mentor during the first phase of their management period. This mentor will be an experienced manager at the same level.

The University of Stavanger offers all study programme managers module-based meetings at regular intervals, focusing on both strategic and personal challenges in the study programme management role. The aim of these meetings is also to develop networks and cooperation across academic disciplines and academic environments, and to bring about skills transfer and the opportunity to share good experiences with colleagues in the same role.

The University of Stavanger offers a course on research management to research managers who are not responsible for personnel. This course runs for two semesters and involves four two-day meetings which will also involve assignment of tasks for participants to work on in pairs or in groups between the meetings. This is an important strategic focus area as these research managers are extremely important to the development of robust, effective and excellent research environments at the University of Stavanger, while also falling outside the regular management development programme as they are not responsible for personnel.

Women to the top

Supervision for promotion to professor.

Kvinne
Foto: Michael Dam

15 to 20 women in associate professor positions are being offered the opportunity to participate in a promotion programme providing mentoring in the skills development process until they are promoted to professor. The aim of this is to increase the percentage of women holding professorships. Participants in the programme undergo a trial evaluation similar to an actual evaluation for a professorship. The aim of the programme is to register what candidates may be lacking in order to achieve professorial skills, and to provide motivation and support in the process until candidates achieve promotion to professor.

The Career Development Program

- For early-stage researchers

Brad West
Foto: Brad West

The Career Development Program is a collaboration between the Research Department, HR and researchers. The Research Department admits applications to the program in March. The program is for researchers who plan to apply for external funds in a few years. In order to qualify as an early-stage researcher you must hold a position at UiS and in the first 7 years of your approved doctorate. The program offers skills development in career planning, internationalisation, communication and project development. The program is in english. Please contact Birgitte Dambo for any questions.

The Supervisory Qualification Programme

- For scientific staff who is supervising og planning to supervise PhD candidate.

Sola

This popular supervisory programme consists of three two-day learning modules at Sola Strand hotel. Admissions in November. The programme is a collaboration between the Research Department and experienced supervisors. Your leader at Department is responsible for signing you up. Please contact your leader, or Marit Fosse or from the Research Department for any questions.

Merit scheme

Academic staff can apply for qualified teacher status. Qualified teacher status is advertised annually, and the deadline for applications is 1 November.

Books - Photo by Kari Shea
Photo: Kari Shea

Anyone who achieves qualified teacher status is accepted to the University Board in the March of the following year. Qualified teachers receive an annual pay increase of NOK 50,000 gross.

This scheme includes the categories of professor and associate professor. The criteria for qualification are the same for all positions, but they are assessed in the light of the educational context and position category. You must document progression and scope of activities linked with teaching and supervision.

NyTi

NyTi is a one-year compulsory academic supervision programme for all new employees who will be teaching. To participate in this programme, you have to be employed in at least a 50 per cent position for at least 12 months.

Photo: Andrik Langfield

NyTi does not just involve teaching-related supervision, but is also an integration programme for new employees in order to familiarise them quickly with the institution and practice at the University of Stavanger as regards issues related to teaching and everything on which teaching is based. NyTi provides the opportunity to get to know other academic staff and develop academic networks.

There are two NyTi admission procedures a year, with deadlines on 1 September and 1 February. Commencing September/October and February/March.

The UniPed group, which is responsible for implementation of the programme, appoints a supervisor for new employees. This supervisor must be employed in an academic position at the university and have completed studies in professional supervision.

Basic course - educational-pedagogical competence

The university places emphasis on good teaching quality and requires employees in permanent teaching and research positions to be able to document pedagogical and didactic skills linked with higher education.

Photo: Sharon McCutcheon

If you fail to meet the skills requirement, you must complete a course in university pedagogy within two years of appointment. This course is offered by the university

and is a 150-hour course. Relevant topics on the course to date have included planning, implementation and assessment of courses and teaching, student-active learning methods and how to prepare lectures, assessments and examinations. Colleague learning and the use of colleagues as “critical friends” is another important area.

Mentor programme

…for women in recruitment positions in technical-natural science disciplines.

Women in postdoctoral and PhD positions are offered the opportunity to participate in a special mental programme encouraging a career in research at the University of Stavanger. The aim of this is to increase the percentage of women in academic positions in technical-natural science disciplines. Anyone participating in the programme will be mentored by a professor at the university.

Following lectures at the university

Employees can follow lectures at the university for up to four hours a week.

Photo: Edwin Andrade

It is assumed that the disciplines will be relevant to your duties at the university, and a written agreement with your line manager must be entered into beforehand.  Any such agreement assumes that your participation in lectures does not significantly affect technical operations at the unit. You are entitled to reading days and time off on examination day, and your semester fee charges will be refunded when you pass the examination.

Internal courses

A number of units at the university offer courses for staff.

IT ikon

A number of these are listed here:

  • The IT department regularly offers various courses for staff on the use of various tools.
  • The university library offers courses on academic writing, searching for reference literature and the use of various digital tools when writing, among other things.
  • The Department of Research Policy and Coordination offers courses on research supervision and writing applications.
  • The HR department offers meetings on ergonomics and various management development courses, among other things

ECIU

The University of Stavanger is a proud member of the European Consortium of Innovative Universities (ECIU), a network of innovative European universities.

The launch of ECIU University was remarked with a special event at the magnificent Casa Convalescència in Barcelona on 7 November 2019. Rector Margarita Arboix at the Autonomous University of Barcelona hosted the event. Photo: UAB - Juanma Peláez

ECIU universities are working together across national borders in order to develop teaching methods and educational quality to the highest level. This involves greater focus on challenge-based learning, research and innovation, as well as exchange opportunities for students and employees.

The network’s flagship is ECIU University, which is part of the EU’s prestigious focus on European Universities. The initiative received four more years of funding by the EU in 2022.

International mobility thanks to Erasmus +

Erasmus+ allows us to offer employees various skills development support schemes:

Erasmus+ logo

  • The main objective with Erasmus+ employee mobility is to support skills development for employees at higher education institutions and reinforce individual employees’ capacity to work at international knowledge-based companies. Employees at the University of Stavanger can apply for backing from Erasmus+. Grants can be used for attending courses as a guest student, courses and training activities at either a partner institution or another organisation/company abroad.
  • The main objective with ERASMUS+ teaching stays is to help with internationalisation of the education offering in Europe, enhance language skills and cultural awareness and understanding and forge closer ties between education and working life. Academic staff at the University of Stavanger can apply for backing from Erasmus+. Grants can be used for teaching assignments abroad at one of the university’s partner universities, or to invite guest lecturers from companies/organisations abroad to the University of Stavanger for teaching purposes.  The purpose of this is to reinforce the links between education and working life.
  • The Erasmus programme’s ground can also be used to cover travel and subsistence expenses in connection with language courses, regardless of whether this involves improving the general level of language or attending specialised courses.

The European Association for International Education (EAIE) offers workshops for higher education employees who need skills in respect of internationalisation, strategy and management, networking, languages, supervision of international students, etc. These are arranged as independent courses or at EAIE Academy, a weekly offering involving intensive course activities.

The ECIU network  and the ECIU Staff Mobility Programme give employees the opportunity to acquire skills and experience by means of exchange schemes with other universities in the network.

Employees can also travel on exchange trips to Nordic countries via the NORDPLUS programme’s mobility schemes.

Difi-course

The Norwegian Digitalisation Agency (Difi) offers a range of e-learning courses and other learning initiatives in which employees may participate.

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