Daily Archives: Friday June 20th, 2014

Policies for future recruitment by Department of Clinical Sience

Roland JonssonThe Management of the institute has asked a working group consisting of Professor Øystein Bruserud (Chairman), Associate Professor Jørn Sagen, Professor Harald G. Wiker, Professor Lise Øvreås (vice-dean faculty of mathematics and natural sciences) and Chief Engineer Marianne Enger to prepare a report about the policies for future recruitment of scientific staff. Secretarial function was attended by head of administration, Synnøve Myhre. The basis for this is stated in the institute’s strategy document: “K2 will by the end of 2014 develop a long-term, structured plan for strategic recruitment and hiring of personnel in permanent faculty I and II positions.” Another important factor was that K2 in the next five years (2014-2018) will have a natural turnover of at least 12.1 FTEs (considering retirement at 70 years).

Some of the working group comments / conclusions are the following:

  • It is preferable that the department to a greater extent than previously should emphasize research and quality rather than traditional academic affiliation.
  • Calls of positions within a broader field will make the Department’s employment practices more flexible and may improve recruitment of women and external applicants.
  • The committee would like to have broader calls rather than limiting internal priorities before the announcement (this should also protect the strong academic groups‘ interests in that they can be expected to create stronger candidates who can compete better in such broader calls)
  • However, one must first ensure that the educational needs within a given subject is appropriate before broader calls are announced.
  • The committee recommend that the outlined guidelines should be followed for a period of 4-5 years and that there should be a reassessment and an evaluation completed during 2018.

In addition, it’s important that knowledge and expertise is transferred within the professions we represent without preventing recruitment. One can also suggest different distributions of the tasks which the University imposes the employees – research, teaching, communication and innovation. High standards for the basis of our function, i.e. teaching and research, is required. The full report can be read here and this week it has been discussed among the research group leaders, subject leaders, the Research Committee and the Institute Council at K2. A good tool for the future!

Happy summer from the research management

Roland

Organisational development project UoB

uiblogoThe Rectorate has as one of its goals for the election period to make sure the university’s organizational, administrative services and support at any time are appropriate and adapted to the university’s core activities. In the autumn of 2013 it was decided to initiate an organizational development project, aiming to develop the central administrative services so that they best support the university’s tasks in research, education and outreach.

A management committee has been appointed with responsibility for implementing the project, and a project group has been created to coordinate efforts. The first meeting of the management committee for the project is Friday 20 June. The management committee will decide which areas should be prioritized and approve a communication plan and a progress plan.

To keep all employees informed about the project, information about the organization and the framework of the work will be published on the project webpage (in Norwegian).The webpage is under development and will be continuously updated with status updates and project progress.

All units will be invited to an open information meeting in Egget August 27. During the autumn there will also be regular information meetings. Invitiation to these meetings will come later.

Publication of external work

UoB is working on the publication of external work. At the moment the following will be published:
– Name of employee
– Main category of external work – 4 categories; adjunct, secondary occupation, assignment, office
– Name of organisation/enterprise

It is important that these data are complete and correct. E-mail has been sent to employees where it has been reported missing data in these fields. The external work is believed to be underreported. The Personell- and organisation department has sent an e-mail asking the employees to again register their external work as soon as possible.
The publication of the external work is planned for week 34, and before that there will be a round of quality assurance.
Guidelines for registration of external work (in Norwegian).

Call from the Blix Family Fund

The Blix Family Fund gives support to medical research, especially in the fields cardiovascular disease and cancer, including diagnostics. The support will mostly go to operational cost of research projects that combine basic and clinical science, with special emphasis on applications from young researchers. No support is given to salary or
conferences.

The application must be sent by June 25. It must be written on a form which will be sent to you by inquiry by e-mail, and must be sent by post to the Fund board via attorney Erik Keiserus, Advokatfirmaet Hjort DA, postboks 471 Sentrum, 0105 Oslo.