Dear all of you!

In recent years, we have had great help from our research advisor Amra. Now she wants more challenges and has moved to the faculty, where for one year from 15/9 she will contribute even more to the research advisor team. Fortunately, this means that she can still be contacted! We thank Amra for her excellent contribution to K2, wish her the best of luck and welcome back!

And then we have been told by the HR section at the faculty that they have reduced staffing and that things will take some extra time in the future. At the same time, we can find some information ourselves on UiB’s website and may not always need to contact human resources:

• For questions regarding salary and the self-service portal, you can contact the payroll office via UiB-hjelp
• You can also find user guide to the self-service portal here: Self-service portal | Employee pages | UiB
• For questions about entry and exit/mobility, you can find a lot of useful information on the international centre’s website: International Centre | University of Bergen (uib.no)
• You can also find answers to many HR-related questions in the Employee Handbook: University of Bergen :: Employee Handbook (compendia.no)

And then it is often your immediate leader who can answer some of the questions. So feel free to ask your supervisor, research group leader or UGLE for advice.

Have a really good weekend!

Although this was already mentioned in last week’s K2nytt, it is worth repeating: We are very proud and congratulate Bjørn Tore Gjertsen on the King Olav Vs Cancer Research Prize. Well deserved!

Otherwise, many of you are probably busy teaching and writing applications – remember, among other things, the application deadline for Helse Vest research funding 15/9, promotion to professor 15/9 and deadline for applying for a research fellowship from MED 19/9. There have also been some changes to the guidelines: a person cannot be the main supervisor for more than four people in recruitment positions (PhD candidate and postdoc) funded from the faculty (https://www.uib.no/med/65433/ledige-stillinger)

Finally, a few words about the corona situation: many of us are now fully vaccinated, and we want to have as many people back on campus as possible. Employees who are dependent on public transport can work from home office where possible, but this must be agreed upon with your direct leader. We would rather not have more than 2 days of home office per week.

Have a really good weekend!

It is now possible to apply for funding for stays abroad, both for senior and younger researchers. The professors have the possibility to go on a sabbatical every 7^th year, which is a fantastic opportunity to establish new collaborations, build networks and have time to plan projects and write applications. New collaborations are not only useful for the professor him- or herself, it provides opportunities for others in the research group to go abroad. Several of the groups at the department have utilized this in an exemplary way, for example the endocrine, diabetes and lung research groups.

Now, professors, postdocs and PhD students can apply for such funding both from UiB (deadline 1 October,  and Helse-Vest (deadline 15 September.  Postdoctoral fellows are especially encouraged to apply (Helse-Vest) and UiB provides an extra year of salary if you use it for a stay abroad. Support can also be applied for from the Research Council and other funding bodies *. The application deadline for a sabbatical leave is 1 April to the department each year.

Many do not consider an extended stay abroad due to practical challenges with regard to work and studies for their partner, schooling for children and housing. An alternative could be a shorter stay, perhaps to a country in Europe that requires less practical preparation. Such stays can also be valuable in order to establish the networks that can lift your research.

Read the announcement and apply. Request to visit an institution abroad is rarely turned down when you come with your own salary.

Good weekend!

Eystein Husebye

*Other funding bodies

• http://www.uib.no/mofa/forskning/fond-oglegater#1medisinskforskning
• NFR/ EURAXESS sin stipendbase: http://www.euraxess.no/prognett-euraxess/stipendbasen/1232443083609
• Fullbright: http://www.fulbright.no/en/grants