The coronavirus crisis has been difficult for everyone in different ways. From home schooling/kindergarten to loneliness, from heavy workloads to a lack of work and a lack of access to essential equipment. From fear to losing one’s nearest and dearest to gratitude for those we have around us. Some of you have started a new job at the Faculty and you have only met your colleagues digitally. Some of you have ended a long working relationship without having had the opportunity to say a proper goodbye to your colleagues.
The last few months have been characterised by a transition to digital tuition and a massive boost in digital expertise. After just a few days we saw how quickly our organisation managed to readjust to our new digital working methods.
With your help and the efforts of our academic communities, the Faculty has carried out a great deal of work in respect of adjusting and planning tuition and examinations. I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to commend both you and our students for your considerable, genuine willingness and flexibility, and for the fact that despite everything the Faculty has managed to operate as well as it has done during this unusual situation.
Many of you have been prevented from working in your laboratories and have consequently experienced a loss of production. We have had to provide digital follow-up and supervision for doctoral research fellows and students. Academic communities are the mainstays of academic institutions. Over time digital discussions are a poor substitute for the dynamic process created by research and tuition.
Nevertheless we have managed to implement much of what we had planned, albeit in other ways. Our students were quickly provided with digital solutions in most academic areas. Theses have been defended digitally by sporty doctoral research fellows, committees and public defence chairpersons. In spite of everything, a decent number of applications for research funding have been submitted within short deadlines. Our employees and students have volunteered to provide extra help in the battle against the coronavirus at hospitals, and they have contributed towards innovation in respect of fighting the virus and testing methods.
We do not know what we have in store, but the flexibility and ability to readjust displayed by our employees, and the experiences we have consequently acquired, will make us well equipped to face whatever happens next. Hopefully we will be able to pass on a lot of what we have learnt this spring in our future work, for the future benefit of both our tuition and our research cooperation.
Thank you very much for all your help! We would like to wish everyone a great, well-earned summer!
Dean Ivar P. Gladhaug
