I hope everyone had a great holiday. Most people have probably vacationed here in Norway and perhaps seen with new eyes how beautiful and exciting our country is?

Corona virus
As you know, there is currently an increased spread of coronavirus and the government is now slowing down the reopening of our society. Dean Per Bakke has recently sent an email what this means for employees at the Faculty of Medicine. The use of home office is delegated to the department level (K2).

• Who can have a home office?
  The main rule is that all employees must go to work. This especially applies to the laboratories.

Home office may be relevant for those who are in risk groups or to relieve public transport. This must be agreed with your closest leader (Research Group Leader or Julie Stavnes for administrative staff). It is assumed that the work tasks can actually be performed at home.
Risk groups: Elderly employees over the age of 65 years, employees with underlying chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, drug-induced immune deficiency, or chronic lung, liver, or kidney disease (https://www.fhi.no/en/id/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/).

• How to behave when traveling in from abroad?
  Since we work in a hospital environment, we must follow Helse Bergen’s guidelines.

Red countries: You must be quarantined but testing for SARS-CoV-2 is not required. The exception is if special circumstances indicate that you must start work before the expiry of the quarantine period (then two negative tests are required at least 48 hours apart and the last test at least five days after income).

Yellow countries: If you have been in a yellow country for the last 10 days, you must test yourself. As a general rule, you should not go to work until a negative test result is obtained. If your closest leader still deems it necessary, you can – if you are healthy – go to work with a facemask until the test result is ready.

In both cases, you should inform your closest leader before returning to work.

• Where can I test myself?
  Those who also have a position in Helse Bergen should test themselves in the parking garage at Haukeland hotel (open 08.30-11, tel. 55976160).

Those who only have a UiB affiliation are recommended using your GP (fastlege), the local emergency room (legevakt,) or contact Head of Administration Julie Savnes for information about UiB’s system (https://www.uib.no/en/ir/137267/testing-covid-19-employees-uib-coming-abroad).

The Olav Thon Foundation’s prizes and project funds in science and medicine 2021
The Olav Thon Foundation has announced up to three awards for outstanding teaching and a support scheme for student-active research projects in science and medicine for 2021

• Award for excellent teaching
  The prize for outstanding teaching can be awarded to academic staff who teach at universities and colleges in Norway in combined positions. Persons with adjunct positions (bistilling) can also be proposed. The price is personal, and amounts to NOK 500,000. There is a requirement for student affiliation in the nomination.
• Financial support for student-active research projects
  Support can be given to research projects in medicine and / or science that are actively brought into the education as an element in «student-active research. Amounts that can be awarded are up to NOK 830,000 per year for a maximum of three years.

Further information can be found in the appendix Thonpriser_undervisning_2020. Nominations must be sent to K2 by 19 August (mette.vesterhus@uib.no). We will pass on the nominations to the Faculty.