I am committed to the University of Oslo both as an institution for research and education and as a workplace, and it is this that motivates me to become a member of the board at UiO. My platform builds upon these two aspects of the university – its responsibility to the community and its employees.
I know the university very well and would love to join the board to make Norway's most important university even better.
Nominators
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Katrine L. Stensløkken, Adviser, Department of Physics, MN
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Belinda Eikås Skjøstad, Trade Union Offical for the Norwegian Association of Researchers, UiO.
Election platform
As a member of the University Board, I want to make sure that:
- the university continues to be an important provider of knowledge for the knowledge society.
Knowledge as a counterweight to populism requires that we defend academic freedom and independent research. UiO has a duty to be tireless in the pursuit of solutions to current societal challenges while simultaneously safeguarding the true academic diversity that makes UiO unique.
The University Board must facilitate existing research but also promote excellence and innovation. With increasing external funding of research and education we identify outstanding researchers and research groups that deserve honour for their ground-breaking work. At the same time, we must not forget that not all research groups can be outstanding. We have an obligation to protect smaller research communities that serve common causes.
We contribute by preparing graduates and researchers for a working life where their creativity, innovation and critical reflection will shape society. Through an increased focus on the quality of research and education we ensure that UiO educates committed students and PhD candidates who have the courage and professional skills to contribute to community development and debate. The University Board should discuss how our students develop the knowledge and confidence to take on this responsibility.
- UiO has an attractive staff policy, good working conditions and a good working environment.
UiO needs to be a good place to work and study. This is necessary in order to recruit the best talent while safeguarding career development opportunities for existing employees. An outstanding physical and psychosocial working environment is our goal. In projecting new university infrastructure and future office solutions the University Board must ensure that only the very best environments in which to work are satisfactory.
For employees it is important to be able to influence their working day, to have time for professional and personal development, to have predictability and security at work and to be appreciated for their commitment and effort. To ensure all this we need good management and good staff. The University Board should therefore adopt a career policy both for technical/administrative staff and for academic staff; it should ensure that UiO continues its efforts to reduce the number of temporary positions and it should ensure good leadership training and a good leadership culture.
Our employees must be included in discussions about the university’s priorities and have trust in each other and their leaders. I want to ensure that the University Board's decisions are based on a thorough and transparent process in which the employees are ensured codetermination and influence over decision-making.
Who am I?
I am a Senior Adviser at the Faculty of Social Sciences, with responsibility for PhD education, administrative regulations and electoral implementation.
From August 2016 I have been on assignment as a full-time Trade Union Official at the Norwegian Association of Researchers (Forskerforbundet) at UiO.
I engage with people with curiosity, trust and respect and I am committed to cooperation and good solutions. I am honest, I express myself directly and it is my ambition to make a difference in the work that I do.
As a board member I will do my best to safeguard the interests of technical and administrative employees while fulfilling my responsibilities towards the entire organization. To the best of my ability I will make strategic choices that I believe serve the overall goals of the university as a whole.
Background / experience
- Administrative employee at UiO since 2002
- Experience from academic and research administration at departmental and faculty level
- Master’s degree in Human Geography and 1-year programme in educational theory and practice
- External examiner at HiOA in the period 2006-2011
- Engaged in the Norwegian Association of Researchers (Forskerforbundet) with various appointments from 2005, including local employee representative, member of the nomination council, chairman of the professional network for Technical / Administrative members of NAR (FFTA) at UiO, from March 2017, deputy chairman of the FFTA National Board
- Board member at the Institute Board at the Department of Sociology and Human Geography (2008-2009) and the Faculty Board at the Faculty of Social Sciences (2016)