In recent years, K2 has had a relatively good economy. This has given us the opportunity to various strategic initiatives, e.g. in bioinformatics, public health studies, nutrition and genomics. The budget for 2020 that the University of Bergen will give to the Faculty of Medicine means a tighter economy for K2. An increase of 8 million NOK is provided as profit growth and a 3% increase as compensation for the price and wage increase. The downside is that UiB deducts 1% in a so-called strategy cut. These funds will be used by UiB to build up a fund that they wish to use for strategic initiatives. 0.5% is also deducted in a efficiency cut. But what really affects the economy is that the rent for our spaces increases by 5.1%. Furthermore, the Faculty loses 7 recruitment positions.
The Faculty is unable to cover all these cuts, so the departments must take some of these, including K2. The employees had a solid increase in salaries in 2019, but UiB’s compensation for the price and wage increases only covers approx. 1/3 of this. K2 must in 2020 therefore financially be more cautious. We have decided that K2 will in 2020 not repeat the K2 Retreat for everyone, but rather focus on a Strategy Seminar for the research group leaders, platform leaders and education leaders as well as an HMS Day for all employees as before. We must also freeze some positions. K2 aims to be in budget balance to have a healthy economy and not be in arrears. It gives us a momentum even if the economy gets tighter.
K2 is the faculty’s largest department and one of the largest at UiB. We perform research, teaching, innovation and communication at the very top of the university sector in Norway. We have reason to be proud of ourselves and what we do!
Have a great weekend!
