Most MN researchers have international partners, and that is good, but if we are to be regarded as an international player outside the Norway’s borders, there is a need for systematic internationalization.
Old friends
Last spring I was part of the UiO delegation to the University of Minnesota (UMN), which at the Shanghai rank is halfway between UiO's position and the first place. We quickly noticed that Norway has a special place in Minnesota, the state where close to 1 out of 5 has Norwegian ancestors. The Norwegian Centennial Chair (NOCC) was founded in 2006 to promote collaboration in research and education between UMN, UiO and NMBU. Science educators at UMN run the North Star Summer Institute where several of our teachers have taken a week's course in science didactics with a focus on active learning. Thanks to support from the NOCC program, a group from UMN will come to Oslo to hold the Summer Institute for us this summer.
Exotic South Africa
Last fall I headed to South Africa, where several scientists at MN have collaborations in research, education and innovation. The largest cyclotrone in the southern hemisphere, iThemaba labs, is located just outside Cape Town, and nuclear physics from all corners of the world come to here to do experiments. The nuclear physics group at MN, led by Sunniva Siem, was there to do experiments and arranged a master's course for Norwegian and South African students funded by INTPART, the Research Council of Norway. The research collaboration has also provided a basis for several innovations and we signed a cooperation agreement on the development of a new method for producing gallium-68 with the Norwegian Medical Cyclotrone Center (NMS), Klydon (a South African company) and the University of Stellenbosch.
New opportunities in China
The political thaw between Norway and China has opened up new opportunities for research and education cooperation. Although China currently has only two universities at the top 100 (Shanghai rank), this is expected to change as China invests heavily in research and higher education. This autumn, a fast-working interdisciplinary committee has come up with several concrete proposals for how UiO can position itself to take advantage of the new opportunities in China. In April, a Norwegian state delegation will travel to China, and MN should attend to take advantage of the opportunities that are now taking place.
Earlier, I have often thought that researchers find partners where they so desire, without backing by their faculty or university. However, if we are to step up to the European summit (initially), I am convinced that we must also create broad contact areas with selected international partners. Utilized well, as in the examples above, such cooperation opportunities will lift the faculty.