A voice for temporary employees on the University Board

Why are you running for office?

- I am committed to making UiA a workplace we can be proud of, a university that takes care of all employees regardless of position. We should be the natural first choice for education and work – one which students, Ph.D. candidates, post-docs, and university lecturers choose for the quality of our education, our professional commitment, and because we have exciting and outstanding research environments connected to local and international networks that provide opportunities. And not least because we have an inclusive working environment. To make this happen, even in times of cutbacks, requires long-term, strategic work and good decision-making processes where all parties are seen and heard. This is something I want to contribute to by being the voice of the temporary staff on the university board.

- What are the 3 most important issues you will focus on in the next four years?

The Work environment:

- Everyone needs to be part of a community, someone to have lunch with, to feel welcome. This is especially true for employees who arrive in Kristiansand or Grimstad without a network, and employees who work in part-time positions or for shorter periods. I will support the inclusion and integration of temporary employees in our professional environments, as well as long-term strategies and policy making that contribute to a good working environment in general.

Setting up for success:

- To be temporarily employed often means getting new and unfamiliar tasks, sometimes at short notice. Many research fellows also come from a foreign system and have to settle in the Norwegian one.

- There is a need for good and correct information in both Norwegian and English and clear frameworks and clarifications about the scope and expectations related to the work tasks at hand. When it comes to teaching, we will need more time in the timetable than the standard 4-1 model allows if we have not taught the subject before. In addition, we need access to some courses and training presently reserved for permanent employees, so that we may sufficiently prepare for tasks that are new to us. This applies in particular to academic supervision and examiner assignments.

- Office space, a PC and working access to networks and digital platforms are minimum requirements, but have many times proven to be challenging to get in place for employees waiting for a D-number. We must be able to solve this in a better way.

- I want to work to ensure that the framework and set-ups for temporary employees will improve and I welcome input on other things you need to make your everyday life and workflow better.

Professional development:

- Support and facilitation to be able to utilize R&D time and opportunities to join research groups is especially important to our temporary employees who are not already connected to a research group. Students-in-research has proven to be a successful model and could be used to the advantage of temporary employees. For our research fellows, further development and quality assurance of the university's research programs will be an important priority going forward. Here there is room for more collaboration across faculties that would benefit everyone in temporary positions.

- Well-founded strategic decisions for the future that contribute to an even better working environment, facilitation, and professional development for temporary employees, will have many positive ripple effects. Some will get permanent positions, while others already work in partner companies, institutions, and businesses in the region. Many of our postdoctoral fellows will be part of international networks of researchers who in turn will become important partners in future collaborations and research projects. We are all possible ambassadors for UiA for many years to come.

What qualities/competence do you have that will make your colleagues vote for you?

- I have myself been temporarily employed in various positions, first as a scientific assistant, then as a university lecturer, and now as a research fellow. I have extensive experience in board work and working with processes, organizational structure, and long-term development work. I never take assignments lightly but will take time to familiarize myself with matters in order to be able to contribute as best as possible and to ensure that our voice is heard. I am committed to open, clear processes and especially committed to an inclusive working environment.

Education:

• 2014-2020: Master's Degree in Teacher Education for Grades 8-13, University of Agder

• ORG-123: Organization and Management in Knowledge Organizations (10 credits)

Work experience:

• 2022- : Ph.D. research fellow at the Department of Foreign Languages and Translation, Faculty of Humanities and Education, UiA

• 2021-2022: University Lecturer (temporary employee) at the Department of Foreign Languages and Translation, Faculty of Humanities and Education, UiA

• 2018-2022:  Teacher of English and French, annual contracts and various contracts at Vennesla VGS, Vågsbygd VGS and KKG

• 2016-2020: Coordinator of student assistants in the research project TRAWL UiA

• 2009-2014: Operations Manager, Bølgen & Moi Kristiansand AS

• 2007-2009: Managing Director, Bølgen & Moi Kristiansand AS

Board experience:

• 2023 - Member of the committee for Muay Thai, FLIS section, Norwegian Martial Arts Association

• 2022 – Deputy Chair, Oksa Muay Thai sports club

• 2016-2017 Student representative in the Ethics Committee at UiA

• 2015-2017 Board member of Kristiansand Ice Hockey Club

• 2015-2016 Trustee for the French Year Programme

• 2014-2015 Trustee for the Teacher Students

• 2014-2015 Student representative in the UiA study council for secondary education teachers with a master’s degree programme

• 2007-2009: Board Member Bølgen & Moi Kristiansand AS

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Elin Maria Berg is a Research Fellow at the Faculty of Humanities and Education. See her UiA profile here.

His candidacy was put forward by colleagues in the constituency. They are:

• Research Fellow Ingrid Breilid Gimse, Faculty of Humanities and Education
• Research Fellow Ludvik Kjeldsberg, Faculty of Humanities and Education
• Assistant Professor Jonas Velde, Faculty of Humanities and Education
• Research Fellow Helle Marie Vatne, Faculty of Humanities and Education
• Research Fellow Anlaug Ersland, Faculty of Humanities and Education
• Assistant Professor Bjørn H. Handeland, Faculty of Humanities and Education