Cake in celebration of NOKUT peer review committee recommendation of candidate of psychology study

Today I had coffee and cake, by invitation, in celebration of the University of Stavanger´s stepwise progression towards establishment of a candidate of psychology study, after a peer-review committee appointed by NOKUT recommended to approve our application. I was thanked by the Dean and by the current Head of department at Department of social studies for my earlier involvement when I was Head of department, which included recruiting several of the psychology scholars currently employed.

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Peer review committee suggests approving UIS candidate of psychology study

Peer review committee suggests approving UIS candidate of psychology study

As detailed in a University of Stavanger news story (see also a Khrono news story based on the UIS news story), a peer review committee organized by NOKUT has now advised that the UIS should be allowed to establish a candidate of psychology study. More specifically, the committee advices NOKUT to give accreditation to the study. I have earlier been involved in working with the application for establishing this study in a leadership position when I was the Head of department of Department of social studies (2021 to January 2023). The application was first sent, in its initial version, in the Autumn of 2021. I am currently involved in the application and prospective plans as a Professor of philosophy.

3 meetings

Today I have attended 3 meetings, including a meeting related to the University of Stavanger´s involvement in a public health partnership, and a meeting with NOKUT related to the new master degree(s) in child protection.

Three meetings; appointed member of work group to fix UIS quality system

Today I have attended three meetings in my capacity as Vice-Dean of research at University of Stavanger´s Faculty of social sciences: First a 3 hour work meeting on the faculty´s strategy with the faculty leadership group, next the monthly meeting of the doctoral committee for the ph.d. programme in social sciences, which I chaired, and finally a 2 hour meeting on the university´s follow-up work on NOKUT´s disallowance of the UIS´ quality system (I have been appointed to one of the five work groups that are established to geth things fixed).

Two meetings

Today I have attended two meetings, first appointments committee meeting regarding Head of department for Norwegian School of Hotel Management, then an information meeting centrally in relation to the NOKUT inspection next week. The latter was held in conjunction with the rector meeting (for 1 hour plus lunch).

Academic day at faculty of social sciences co-chaired and closed

Today I co-chaired the third annual "fagdag" (academic day) at University of Stavanger´s Faculty of social sciences, along with fellow Vice-Dean Turid Borgen. The event attracted some 80 participants and featured a talk by Minister of Research and Higher Education Iselin Nybø (Venstre - the social liberals), the next UiS rector, Klaus Mohn, and Stein Erik Lid (NOKUT), in addition to several presentations by scholars and two students. I was also responsible for the closing session, involving a brief talk.

Two research articles to be added to compulsory readings

I have just suggested a couple of research articles to add to the compulsory readings in Examen Philosophicum at Department of social studies - Næss and Polanyi. To be approved by study coordinator, who requested such changes (namely to existing supplement text books with a few research articles) as a follow-up to NOKUT´s evaluation of the department´s bachelor studies in social work and child welfare.

Staff meeting attended

Today I attended the staff meeting of Department of social studies. The main topic of discussion was the feedback from NOKUT, the Norwegian agency responsible for quality-checking education, on the department´s bachelor studies in social work and in child welfare. 

I will be part of a 2-person work group, along with the program coordinator for the bachelor in social work, that will suggest moving some of the teaching in research methods from the third to the first year.