Welcome to the new semester!

Then it’s on again! Hope everyone had a nice holiday and recharged their batteries.

At the time of writing, the students have already started, and many K2 employees are busy again with teaching. It is often in a hurry to get started after the holidays. Transitioning from holiday to hectic university life can be a bit brutal and takes time. New cohorts of students entail additional work at the start. Research never takes a vacation. Although many have picked their e-mails and got rid of the most urgent, for most it has piled up with tasks that now have to be sorted out.

This autumn, K2 must focus on finances. As previously mentioned, for various reasons we now have a large deficit – a development that we must reverse. If we stand together, we will be able to get through this, hopefully even stronger. It is often in adversity that one becomes innovative and completely new ideas are created. So I repeat the call before the summer: Help us figure out how we can manage with slightly fewer areas, slightly fewer people and slightly less funds via K2, and how we can create more income that shows up in K2’s budgets.

Good luck with a new term!

HAVE A NICE SUMMER!

As of this writing, we are submitting a draft budget for 2023. This year, too, there is an ambitious budget given the framework and which takes into account the challenges we see in the coming year when it comes to finances. The main focus in the last six months has been the economy due to the Ministry of Education’s proposals for cuts in the basic allocation to all universities related to pensions, efficiency, travel, and more. Reference is made to Dean Per Bakke’s e-mail today. The Faculty of Medicine has drawn up a budget for 2022 with a deficit of NOK 30 million, while K2 has a deficit of NOK 12 million. This makes our operations difficult. But as Per Bakke says, if we stand together in this, we will be able to get through this period. My goal is that we will even emerge stronger from it. It is often in adversity that one becomes innovative and completely new ideas are created. So here’s a challenge for all of you: Help us figure out how we can manage with a little less space, a little less people and a little less funds via K2, and how we can create more income that are visible in K2’s budgets. This can help us to remove the current requirements from the Faculty, that we are not allowed to advertise new positions for the time being and with some exceptions. It’s a bad situation we have to get out of as fast as possible!

After a cold and wet June, today we have finally got to taste the heat. We are now preparing for the summer holidays. For most, spring has been a busy time with applications, OSCE and all the endings at the end of the semester. So it will be good to get a few weeks off to do completely different things. It is important to charge the batteries so that we can start the autumn with new energy and a desire to work. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their great efforts this semester.

Have a really good summer vacation!

Pål

Teaching prize and summer thoughts
The annual Teaching Day was successfully conducted on May 18^th in collaboration between K2 and K1, with good attendance. I want to thanlk all of you who contributed to making this into a great day!

The K2 Teaching Prize was awarded to professor Jone Trovik. She was awarded the prize for developing an elective course in gynecological ultrasound for medical students.

Do you need basic training in teaching? Summer is low season for teaching – perhaps it should be high season for booking courses in teaching or documenting your teaching skills and experience.

Perhaps you have creative ideas regarding teaching or the organization of teaching and learning? The recent UGLE meeting discussed how we should start thinking through what we should or could teach, and how we teach, when student numbers increase.

Good luck with your last efforts before end-of-term and summer vacation!

Mette Vesterhus
Head of Teaching

As of this writing, the OSKE12 exam is just finished. I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your great efforts in planning and implementing this. Many have been involved, and I would especially like to highlight all administrative staff who have participated in time-consuming preparations and implementation of the day. As in previous years, I participated as an examiner in pediatrics. In addition to the fact that it is exciting to see how the students solve the assignments, it is inspiring to learn that they like this form of exam. Furthermore, it is fun to be part of such an event. You also get to meet staff at the faculty across departments and employment relationships in an exciting setting. Lunch and plenty of coffee help to keep the conversation going and the atmosphere is nice. However, it is a resource-intensive form of examination and with the challenges we now have financially, I doubt that we can spend more resources on this form of examination.

Summer holidays are approaching, and I would like to remind you that everyone must register their holiday wishes in the self-service portal. The deadline was May 1 and there are still many who have not registered the holidays for 2022. In addition to the fact that this is something we as an employer should have an overview of, there is another reason why we stress this. If you do not register the holiday, it will affect our finances. Unfinished vacation will be a debt to the employees at the turn of the year and increase the deficit in our budget. This may mean that we must freeze positions or something else in order to achieve budget balance. SO RUN AND REGISTER YOUR HOLIDAY NOW !!!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Pål
Head of Department

Dear all of you!

These are difficult economic times, and the political game around the Research Council is worrying. We have to look for alternatives when it comes to research funding, and it was therefore very nice to see that K2 was well represented at the workshops on “Horizon Europe and Beyond” organized by the FIA. We received many practical tips on how to proceed, and worked a little with a tool created by Hiwa Målen from the FIA that makes it easier for researchers to find suitable calls for proposals. Do not hesitate to contact our research advisor Susanna Pakkasmaa if you need help.

At K2 we also have several good examples of successful external research funding from alternative channels: Eva Gerdts and her Centre for Research on Heart Disease in Women  recently received support from Godvik Sanitetsforeningen, Bjørn Tore Gjertsen was awarded funding for CD37 CAR T cell therapy from the regional health enterprise program KLINBEFORSK, and Nina Langeland sitt Vestnorsk research centre for antibiotic resistance (CAMRIA – Combatting Anti-Microbial Resistance with Interdisciplinary Approaches) supported by the Trond Mohn Foundation had a grand opening this week with the Health Minister Ingvild Kjerkol present, where Randi Bertelsen is one of the PI that receives support (https://mohnfoundation.no/vestnorsk-samling-om-forskning-pa-antibiotikaresistens/). Congratulations to everyone involved!

And last but not least: we at K2 are actually very good at educating the next generation of researchers with a total of 21 public defences in the first half of 2022! There is some research funding aimed at younger researchers, so just contact Susanna if you need advice.

Have a nice Pentecost!

Research for the students

The students at the faculty want to have more contact with researchers and academic life. A portal where students can get in touch with us researchers at the departments is therefore being established at the faculty. It is important that more researchers, from PhD-level up to professor, sign up for this portal so that we can reach out to many students. I encourage everyone to participate, see more details about this here.

Enjoy the weekend!

Pål R. Njølstad

We have previously written that the Faculty and the departments must cut costs. Now it’s The Research Council’s turn. In Khrono (khrono.no), Nobel Prize winners Moser and Moser warn for the effects of funding cuts. They are shocked and they are not alone. Khrono writes: In order to save NOK 842 million this year and next year, it is proposed, among other things, to reduce the allocations this year by 20 per cent, not to announce funds for ground breaking research (Fripro) next year and postpone the start of new Centers of excellence”. In addition, there are proposals to postpone the funding of research infrastructure.

How should we handle this as a department? I think it is important to apply for funding from the Research Council even if the “eye of the needle” is even narrower than before. Furthermore, we must look for alternative sources of funding. Here, Horizon Europe stands out as a great opportunity. While Norway cuts research funding, the EU will invest 95.5 billion Euros in Horizon Europe (2021-2027)!

The research department arranged an information day on 13 May where the application possibilities were explained, and they are many and organized in 3 pillars

1. Excellent science (ERC scholarship, Marie Sklodowska-Curie mobility program)
2. Global Challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness, where, among other things, Health is one of the programs
3. Innovative Europe

Horizon Europe has a special focus on adaptation to climate change, cancer, climate-neutral smart cities, healthy seas and lakes, soil health and food

Here are opportunities to apply that we pursue. The Research Department at UiB and our research advisers are ready to help.

I’ll make Nike’s slogan my own: just do it!

Eystein Husebye

Vice Head, K2

Dear all of you!

I will use this week’s leader to remind you of two things: RETTE and the teaching day.

I am responsible to follow-up projects at K2 in RETTE, therefore I just have to ask everyone to check that all the necessary information has been transferred from REK (and as of today there are some projects that require change in RETTE). When you log in to the system (https://rette.app.uib.no/), you will have the opportunity to fill in more information about the project and answer some questions and then confirm the project. It is the project managers who are responsible for doing this.

RETTE was established by UiB to comply with GDPR and to ensure that key legislation is followed. UiB shall have an overview and control of all research projects and student assignments that process personal data. Medical/health research projects need approval from REK. Some projects have a consulting duty with the data protection officer, and NSD (Norwegian Centre for Research Data) can help to assess privacy. After assessment or approval, information from NSD and REK is transferred to RETTE.

Finally, I want to remind all of you of The Teaching Day 18 May at 12-15:15 which I hope many will attend. The program for the day can be found in K2nytt today. Remember to sign up:

UNDERVISNINGSDAG FOR K1 OG K2 18 MAI 2022 /TEACHING DAY FOR K1 AND K2 18 MAY (uib.no)

Have a nice weekend!

Susanna Pakkasmaa, our new research advisor is in place and ready to assist, as is our team of economists. Do not hesitate to get in touch, have a chat, or invite Susanna to group meeting.

The Norwegian Cancer Society’s call for researcher projects is open with an application deadline on Tuesday 31 May at 1 pm. Read more https://nettsoknad.kreftforeningen.no/#home. If you plan to apply, contact Linn Iversen (finance) and Susanna Pakkasmaa (research advise)

For cancer researchers, there are also new announcements within the EU’s Mission Cancer, which opens on 24 May. EU Missions address some of the greatest challenges facing our society. The European Commission has identified five Missions that they want concrete and ambitious solutions to by 2030. One of these is cancer, another is soil health and food that may be of relevance to nutritionists and others. Read more about missions on the Research Council’s website https://www.forskningsradet.no/eus-rammeprogram/horisont-europa/missions/ (in Norwegian) and

European Commission website https://ec.europa.eu/info/research-and-innovation/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe/eu-missions-horizon-europe/cancer_en

It is K2’s clear ambition to strengthen the portfolio of EU projects. Therefore, see if you can prioritize UiB’s workshop on Horizon Europe, which will be held on 13 May at Scandic Ørnen. This all-day event is for all UiB researchers. More information Horizon Europe Inspiration Workshop | Research and Innovation Department | UiB

It is also possible to influence the research profile of Horizon Europe by participating in one of the Research Council’s reference groups that are now recruiting new members. There are 10 reference groups, including health, research infrastructure and digitization. The members should have a good knowledge of the framework program, and competence to provide relevant professional input. They are not representatives of the institution, but must have a good dialogue with institutions and companies in their respective areas. This is a great opportunity to influence and gain insider insight into Horizon Europe. The nomination deadline is 6 May and we must receive the proposals by Monday 2 May at 12 o’clock. Read more here:

https://www.forskningsradet.no/nyheter/2022/vi-soker-nye-medlemmer-til-referansegruppene-for-horisont-europa/ (in Norwegian)

Regards,

Susanna Pakkasmaa                                                      Eystein Husebye

Research adviser                                                            Acting head of department

At K2, we take pride in providing excellent education. The teaching and learning activities that we contribute to are important for the educational programmes for Medicine, Pharmacy, Odontology, Nutrition and some others. In order to enable continuation of the excellence in education for which we are known, we need good teachers with up-to-date knowledge within their field – but also within the field of teaching and learning. Therefore, we wish to see as many as possible of you at the Teaching Day on Wednesday May 18^th at Auditorium AHH (half-day from lunch). Register and meet up for lunch with good colleagues, inspirational talks and discussion about teaching and learning – and meet the winner of the K2 Teaching Award!

It is time for rotation of the UGLE positions. All teaching groups should propose their UGLE and vice UGLE by the UGLE meeting Tuesday May 3^rd at 08-09 am. UGLEs will be invited by email.

UiB will support projects intended to strengthen research and education associated with digitalization by 1 million NOK. Project proposals must be signed by Eystein Husebye and delivered to MED by April 27^th.

Dear K2 employee

This week I took over as head of department after Pål, but only for a short period – Pål has a short leave until 10 May and I will try to provide the same good service as him in the meantime. Now that it is time for Easter, it is appropriate to thank all K2 employees for their efforts so far this year. Research and teaching are taking place at a high pace, even though resources are scarce. Falch’s Junior Prize will be awarded and the research group leaders are asked to promote candidates, see announcement in this issue of K2-news.

A special thank you to Maria Holmaas and the rest of the administration who are making a formidable effort to keep the wheels turning. K2 is a fantastic workplace and has an enormous potential for good research and teaching. Carry on and do what is good better.

I hope all of you all take the opportunity to enjoy some days off over Easter, and recharge your batteries with both physical and perhaps spiritual food. The war in Ukraine is a strong reminder that we cannot take freedom and democracy for granted.

Easter greetings,

Eystein Husebye

Head of Department Njølstad has explained K2’s finances, which entail major cuts in our budgets. This means that we must take radical action to obtain balance. Therefore, the we propose that the salaries of all K2 employees be cut by 5%, with the exception of those in the leadership. After all, we are heavily burdened by doing so. Furthermore, all operating funds for PhD students and postdoctoral fellows will be confiscated. You can apply to the Head of department for a refund of up to half of your operating budget for particularly important tasks. Furthermore, all PhD students or their research group must pay for the assessment of the PhD dissertations. Finally, all KG-Jebsen and Trond Mohn centers at K2 will be charged an extra “tax” to cover the deficit, approximately 250,000 per year.

We regret that we have to take such radical steps to get the budget in balance, but we see no other options. You can read about the detailed cuts by click on this link.

Good weekend, when the time comes

On behalf of the leadership group

Peer review guides the journal’s editorial staff in making publication decisions and identifying substandard manuscripts that should not be published. It also provides authors with the opportunity to improve the quality and clarity of their manuscripts. The purpose of peer review is not to demonstrate the reviewer’s proficiency in identifying flaws; negative critiques are not obligated. Reviewers should identify strengths and provide constructive comments to help authors resolve weaknesses in the work.

Because the number of scientific articles published each year continues to grow, the quality of the peer-review process and the quality of the editorial board are cited as primary influences on a journal’s reputation, Journal Impact Factor, and standing in the field. Scientific journals publishing peer-reviewed articles depend heavily on the scientific referees or reviewers who typically volunteer their time and expertise. In addition to fairness in judgment and expertise in the field, reviewers have significant responsibilities toward authors, editors, and readers. Reviewers also have ethical responsibilities, such as confidentiality, be constructive in the critique, have necessary competence, be impartial and hold integrity.

Published biomedical papers may have a direct impact on clinical practice and inform policy. Therefore, it is crucial to have the peer review system and that peer reviewer reports are of the highest quality possible to inform editors’ decision on the fate of the manuscript. It is crucial that we spend time on peer reviews for the journals. As reviewers, will also learn from the process and it is way to stay informed about how the field is moving before the research is in print.

Professor emeritus Jan Erik Nordrehaug at K2 has performed peer reviews for a number of journals in a lifetime including the Norwegian Journal of the Medical Association. For this, he will now have the Journal´s award “The Reviewer of 2021”. The Scientific Director, Siri Lunde Strømme, says “We have benefited greatly from an impressive number of, and always solid, reviews from Nordrehaug over the years, so also in 2021”. Congratulations!!!

Have a nice week-end,
Pål.