2014 has been a demanding and tight budget year. However, we still managed to close the budget in balance, which was important in order to visualize the good financial management of K2. We have not increased our debts in 2014, but we still have to tackle our old debt of 3.2 million from 2013. Thus, we must outline how we intend to reduce the deficit in the coming years.

The 2015 budget must be in balance despite the extra “burden” of a very good result of the local salary negotiations for K2 employees. The negotiations ended with a 5 % salary increase which increased the annual salary costs at K2 with 2.6 million per year. We will obtain a 3 % salary- and price compensation, but an overall 1.6 % cut by UiB’s central administration brings the overall compensation down to 1,4%. Thus, in order to achieve a balanced budget we have to continue with technician payment of 50 000 per year per technician. We will receive a total of 4 million in operating funds for PhD and Postdocs. Of these, 2.8 million will be spent on the 25 public defenses planned for 2015, and approximately 500.000 will be used to cover the deficits. The remaining 650.000 will be earmarked PhD-Candidates and Postdocs. To compensate, the annual Small Operating Funds of 760.000 will be allocated to PhD-Candidates and Postdocs; candidates from “poor” research groups will have priority (announcement will come in February). As for external funding, it is great to register that there has been a 46 % increase in BOA-funding since the establishment of K2 in 2013.

K2 thus has many “rich” groups, but the department itself has very little room to maneuver. As a result it is almost given how we have to distribute our funding to come deliver a budget in balance.

The budget will be on the agenda at the Institute Council on February 5.
Click here for the budget.

Best regards

Eystein Husebye                                                        Synnøve Myhre

Head of Department                                                  Head of Administration