FILIORUM's vision is High quality in diverse Early Childhood Education and Care settings. The centre conducts excellent and practice-oriented early childhood education research at a high international level and is a key contributor to the ECEC sector.
High quality in diverse Early Childhood Education and Care settings. Photo: Getty Images.
FILIORUM’s strategy is based on the appendix to the contract with The Research Council of Norway, which outlines the success criteria for the centre (project 275576), and the mid-term evaluation conducted by an expert group in the fall of 2022. In addition, partners, the board, the Scientific Advisory Board, the faculty leadership team, and FILIORUM’s researchers have provided valuable input for the revision of the strategy. The strategy document forms the basis for FILIORUM's action plans.
Vision: High quality in diverse Early Childhood Education and Care settings
FILIORUM carries out outstanding research, engages in knowledge development and innovation, and is an attractive partner and policy provider for the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) sector.
Values
FILIORUM is a co-creative and innovative national research centre that is at the forefront of international research. In line with University of Stavanger’s societal mission, researchers at FILIORUM challenge the well-known and explore the unknown. The centre operates according to the university's values: independent, inclusive, and creative. FILIORUM contributes to realizing the strategic focus area "Learning for Life" through research and activities related to sustainable societal development.
The values provide direction for how FILIORUM's vision will be realized:
Research
• FILIORUM establishes itself internationally as a recognized research environment by:
• FILIORUM’s researchers conduct innovative and practice-oriented research at a high international level in collaboration with other national and international research environments, the field of practice, and early childhood teacher education programs.
• FILIORUM strengthens and further develops its position as a Nordic hub for early childhood education research and contribute to unite small and fragmented research environments both locally and nationally.
• FILIORUM supports research groups in developing research designs that include interdisciplinary and multi-methodological approaches.
• FILIORUM contributes to the integration of research, professional education, and continuing education within the early childhood field at the University of Stavanger.
• FILIORUM works towards having one or two interdisciplinary research groups secure funding for research projects through Horizon Europe 2021-2027.
• By 2028, at least one research group within FILIORUM will be in a position to apply for a Centre of Excellence (SFF) or equivalent externally funded centre.
• FILIORUM is working strategically to strengthen and develop sustainable structures for early childhood education research at the University of Stavanger, providing a foundation for research beyond the conclusion of FILIORUM in 2028.
Application of the research
• FILIORUM contributes to new research being known and applied in the Early Childhood Education and Care sector and in the ECEC teacher educations.
• FILIORUM carries out active research communication and distribution.
• FILIORUM’s researchers contribute to the public debate.
• FILIORUM ensures that the research activity is relevant through active and equitable collaboration with the early childhood education sector.
• FILIORUM brings attention to and actively works to ensure that early childhood education research at the University of Stavanger has an impact on policymaking in the field.
Internationalisation
• FILIORUM’s researchers actively collaborate with outstanding international researchers and research environments relevant to early childhood education research.
• FILIORUM attracts international research fellows and researchers for research collaboration.
• FILIORUM enables research fellows and researchers to collaborate with, and undertake visiting positions, at international research institutions.
Education for researchers and recruitment
• FILIORUM collaborates with the departments to recruit highly qualified personnel for all positions.
• FILIORUM help ensure that research fellows gain a large professional network and actively participate in ongoing research projects.
• FILIORUM offers relevant doctoral courses and gatherings and actively contributes to the national research school for early childhood education research, NORBARN.
• FILIORUM develops a recruitment base for doctoral education by involving master's students in research projects and gatherings.
• FILIORUM is working towards making University of Stavanger an attractive place for undergraduate, master's, and PhD education.
• FILIORUM advocates diversity in the hiring process by promoting equality and equal opportunities regardless of gender, disability, ethnicity, culture, social background, language, religion, and belief system in the ECEC research.
Organisation
• FILIORUM's leadership team has significant academic and administrative autonomy.
• The leadership team consists of senior researchers from the units at the Faculty of Arts and Education at the University of Stavanger who work with early childhood education research.
• FILIORUM works towards close collaboration among all involved partners at the University of Stavanger.
• FILIORUM's board is responsible for ensuring that the centre’s intentions and plans are followed and realized within approved time and cost frames.
• FILIORUM collaborates with an international Scientific Advisory Board that contributes to ensuring that the research is innovative and at the forefront of research.
Partners and financing
• FILIORUM and researchers within FILIORUM maintain and initiate collaborations with national and international partners for joint research activities.
• Collaborations and synergies within FILIORUM position researchers to lead and participate in new externally funded research projects, financed by entities such as the EU and the Research Council of Norway.
• FILIORUM is a preferred partner for research and development within the field of early childhood education.
• FILIORUM collaborates with the research centre BARNKunne (HVL) on joint activities aligned with the centres’ objectives.
• FILIORUM receives funding from the Research Council of Norway and funds from external projects, as well as through allocated recruitment positions and researchers' work resources at the University of Stavanger.