Knowledge That Shapes Society

Vision

The social sciences at UiB will conduct research and education of high international quality. We will contribute to sustainable and democratic development, and be an attractive and inclusive place of study and work.

Objectives 

We will

• be among the foremost social science environments in Europe
• conduct curiosity-driven research of high international quality
• educate candidates who shape society
• play a key role in public discourse and policy-making 
• be the preferred place of study for social science students 

The Faculty of Social Sciences is a broad-based faculty with academic communities that range from traditional social science disciplines to technological and humanities subjects. The Faculty unites around academic values related to academic integrity, thoroughness, fairness and the ability to ask critical questions. The academic communities are internationally oriented and attract leading researchers and educators. The research at the Faculty is discipline-based and interdisciplinary, and of high international quality. It is free and independent and founded on high ethical standards. The Faculty offers research-based education through programmes of study that attract large numbers of applicants. The teaching is based on robust knowledge where students develop critical thinking skills and a high level of analytical expertise, and where students encounter an active and engaging student community.

Our social science communities are sought-after partners for many key actors in Bergen. With its city-based campus, the Faculty of Social Sciences is uniquely located in the middle of Bergen city, with its rich cultural life and varied business community. The Faculty also contributes to several of UiB’s knowledge clusters. 

The world is facing major and complex societal challenges. Democracy and the rule of law are under increasing pressure around the world, and the public debate is becoming more polarised. Social science knowledge is important for unlocking the potential of new technology and digital arenas. The social sciences must contribute research-based knowledge that is necessary to understand, explain and solve challenges. In order to address climate and natural crises, reduce social inequalities and to promote good digital restructuring, the transfer of knowledge from discipline-based and interdisciplinary research at the Faculty of Social Sciences is needed.

Education

The Faculty of Social Sciences will offer high-quality research-based education. Our educational programmes will create critical and independent citizens who can contribute to the development of society

Objectives

• The Faculty of Social Sciences will offer attractive educational programmes at all levels within and across disciplines.
• Our candidates will have the knowledge and expertise to understand, explain and solve current societal challenges, enabling them to contribute to the further development of a democratic and sustainable society. 
• Our programmes of study will provide good career opportunities, be relevant to society and working life, and attract skilled and motivated students.
• We will offer educational pathways that provide students with international and interdisciplinary perspectives, as well as good disciplinary foundations.
• We will strengthen our academic communities as an arena for lifelong learning and further develop our continuing and further education programmes.
• Our candidates will be skilled in the application of methodologies, theories, analytical thinking and digital expertise.
• Our candidates will be able to contribute to innovative thinking and innovation through the use of academic knowledge in their encounters with society and working life.
• The Faculty’s learning environment will be inclusive and academically stimulating, ensure a sense of belonging, and contribute to well-being and increased completion of studies.
• We will recruit and develop good educators.
• We will establish Centres of Excellence in Education.

How to achieve our objectives?

We will

• develop and renew programmes of study that are relevant to society’s needs, with a solid foundation in the academic communities’ expertise
• work to get new, fully funded places and ensure a predictable framework for our educational programmes
• develop varied and innovative forms of teaching and assessment that promote good learning, and that activate and engage students
• facilitate so that all students have the opportunity to apply their subject in their studies through relevant and practical use of their specialised knowledge
• facilitate so that all students have the opportunity to partake in student exchange 
• facilitate interdisciplinary courses of study and make it easier for students to choose courses across programmes of study 
• involve more students in ongoing research and in research projects 
• motivate more bachelor’s students to progress on to our master’s programmes
• ensure that the Norwegian language is actively used in teaching 
• work closely with students and student organisations to further develop teaching and the learning environment, and develop more flexible student areas on campus
• safeguard students’ sense of belonging by offering an integrated academic-social welcome offer in the first year of study
• facilitate so that educators can develop their pedagogical and digital skills
• showcase the quality and relevance of our educational programmes, and highlight our candidates’ expertise in our student recruitment work

Research

Research at the Faculty of Social Sciences will be of high international quality. It will be free, independent and based on high ethical standards. We will facilitate creativity and innovation, both within our disciplines and across fields of study. 

Objectives

• The Faculty of Social Sciences will be characterised by curiosity-driven research of high ethical and scientific quality across the breadth of our academic communities. 
• We will help our research groups to become international leaders by further developing our outstanding research communities and stimulating the creation of new ones.
• We will deliver groundbreaking research that helps to understand and solve the major challenges facing our society.
• Through critical analysis and dissemination of scientific knowledge, we will set the agenda and contribute to knowledge-based policy making.
• We will be an attractive workplace for ambitious researchers by offering a research community that both develops and attracts the best researchers, and provides good conditions for building internationally leading research groups.
• Our researchers will gain increased influence in European and national competitive arenas for external research funding. During the strategy period, we will establish at least one Centre of Excellence and receive annual grants from the European Research Council. 
• We will further develop the Faculty’s research infrastructures and ensure that more of our researchers can benefit from these.

How to achieve the objectives?

We will 

• recruit the best researchers and develop and retain research talents 
• create good growth conditions for leading and ambitious communities by learning from the best and creating predictable conditions 
• organise sufficient time to conduct research
• increase the publication rate in the best channels within our fields of study
• support externally funded projects in both the application and operational phases
• facilitate so that our Centres for Research-based Innovation can be driving forces behind innovation and technology development at the Faculty 
• develop schemes that support researchers’ academic integrity, and strengthen ethics training and researchers’ ability to make good research ethics assessments
• facilitate collaboration within and across established subject areas through small-scale working capital and support for academic initiatives
• strive to develop academic communities with greater diversity and gender balance by working to promote good recruitment processes and a more inclusive culture
• facilitate predictable and robust career development for young researchers, so that they are strong candidates in the competition for permanent academic positions
• facilitate collaboration with the public sector and the business sector
• facilitate so that our research reaches decision-makers and the general public

Organised research training

Organised research training at our faculty must be of high international quality and qualify candidates for good careers in academia and society at large. Recruitment positions are important for academic development and renewal at the departments, and our PhD candidates contribute with socially important expertise. Our PhD candidates are important resources in the academic communities and must be included as colleagues of equal status in the academic environment.

Objectives

• The Faculty of Social Sciences will educate academically strong and independent PhD candidates who go on to attractive careers within and outside academia, both in Norway and abroad.
• We will offer an attractive range of courses in Bergen, especially within the fields of ethics, theory and methodology, and courses associated with our strong research communities. 
• Our PhD candidates will have access to robust international networks.
• We will increase the number of recruitment positions at the Faculty. 
• We will help ensure that PhD education is an attractive career path for master’s students.
• We will continue to strengthen supervisory expertise.

How to achieve the objectives?

We will 

• work to recruit the best candidates to our PhD positions
• develop more of our own PhD courses by facilitating interdisciplinary courses and combined master’s and PhD courses 
• ensure that PhD candidates have good conditions to develop independent research careers  
• facilitate so that our PhD candidates can build international networks 
• establish at least one national research school hosted by our academic communities
• offer career-relevant courses in collaboration with UiB’s Career Centre for Early Stage Researchers within the fields of communication, teaching, academic writing and project development
• promote PhD programmes so that PhD candidates and their research contributions are utilised to a greater extent in society
• further develop supervisory training at the faculty, particularly within ethics and publication channels

Dissemination, social dialogue and innovation

We will reach out to society with research-based knowledge and contribute to an enlightened public debate and a vibrant democracy. 

Objectives

• The Faculty of Social Sciences will disseminate research from our academic communities and promote dialogue.
• We will highlight important research results and contribute to restructuring, development and innovation.
• We will contribute to public discourse and the social debate.
• We will participate in UiB’s knowledge clusters and in particular further develop the media cluster in Media City Bergen.  

How to achieve the objectives?

We will  

• emphasise academic freedom and an open and knowledge-based dialogue
• be a prominent public actor, set the agenda and address current topics 
• work to ensure that more researchers are profiled in the media and are active participants in the public debate
• contribute to the development of Norwegian as an academic language
• improve researchers’ communication skills
• support the grass-roots communities in their dissemination and communication
• use visible and recognised arenas for dialogue with society and the business sector

Organisation and workplace

The Faculty of Social Sciences is an international academic community. We emphasise an inclusive and inspiring working and learning environment that facilitates academic creativity, boldness and innovation. University and student democracy is strong, with an organisation in which decisions are made in collaboration with the grass-roots communities.

Objectives

• The working environment will be characterised by a collegial community, academic integrity and shared ambitions for high quality. 
• We will have an inclusive environment that emphasises equality and diversity when recruiting students and employees.
• We will protect academic freedom and freedom of expression. 
• We will have secure employment conditions and predictable career paths. 
• We will have a vibrant campus that provides a good learning environment for students.
• We will provide efficient and professional administrative services to our staff and students.
• We will be a sustainable organisation and reduce our climate footprint.

How to achieve the objectives?

We will

• work to promote academic freedom and the autonomy and co-determination of academic communities
• facilitate good collaboration between academic communities and between colleagues
• work to promote good and inclusive academic and social meeting places
• actively work to ensure that a career in research is both attractive and predictable
• facilitate good career paths and the development of individual expertise
• focus on management development and emphasise good leadership
• have an appropriate organisation that ensures quality and flexibility
• have attractive and modern student buildings that provide the framework for good learning
• facilitate so that students are present on campus, participate actively in teaching and in the academic student organisations, as well as in other academic and social initiatives