At this time of the year the departments are preparing for their reports to the faculty – and I then particularly think about the PhD training and research reports. These are important documents that the faculty uses to inform and update the University centrally on their performance and long-term strategies. These reports therefore contribute to communicate the departments’ thoughts, desires and needs to UiB. Is there anything new to report or is this just the same litany as last year? Yes, there are actually new elements that have been added. For instance, what has the department accomplished when it comes to internationalization, career planning and publication? Although publications are always metioned, it will now be put more in focus. It will be especially important for Department of Clinical Science to focus on publishing, since we have had a decrease in the number of publications since 2013. But we’ve had a very good progress on external funding – not least the EU and NFR – which hopefully will result in increased publishing further on.

This is my last editor of “K2Nytt” since I after a 3-year appointment as Research Director / Deputy Head of Research at Department of Clinical Science is going to focus on other tasks. I will therefore take this opportunity to thank you all for three rewarding and exciting years – for good cooperation within the management team, the Research Committee, with the PhD coordinator and everyone I have been in contact with. Besides my responsibility as head of Broegelmann Research Laboratory and the research group for immunology and rheumatology, I have also been involved in several inspiring and stimulating working groups with direct relevance for PhD training and research. As I have previously mentioned in my editorials, I have participated in the OU-7 report on PhD training at UiB, the report on supervisor training at UiB (delivered to the university administration before Christmas), and I have also taken part of the UHR appointed national career group, and not least the ongoing international work carried out within ORPHEUS. So I will have enough to do also in the future.

Thank you,

Roland