Report as a student

Notification may be particularly relevant if you, as a student at UiA, become aware of:

• Unethical, illegal, or criminal activities related to the learning environment
• Abuse of power
• Errors or deficiencies that may pose a threat to life or health
• That fellow students or staff are being bullied, harassed, or discriminated against in connection with their activities at UiA.

Notifications from students go to the student notification council.

Report as a student (Feide-log-in)

Submit anonymous notification

Who can notify?

All students can notify about objectionable circumstances. Employees and external individuals without affiliation to the university can notify about objectionable circumstances concerning students and may also notify on behalf of students.

The University of Agder is obligated to process any notification appropriately, regardless of its source.

Do I take any risk in notifying?

Retaliation or negative consequences against a student who notifies is prohibited. If you still experience negative consequences, we encourage you to contact the student notification council directly.

However, experience shows that many whistleblowers find it challenging after the notification is delivered. The University of Agder aims to ensure the well-being of the whistleblower and recognizes a particular need for follow-up during the handling of the notification.

UiA encourages whistleblowers to contact SiA Health if you need support. The recipient of the notification is encouraged to inform the whistleblower about this option.

Support

Some people find it helpful to discuss the matter with someone before reporting it. This could be the representative in your study program, study advisor, SiA Health, or the Student Ombud. They can also attend meetings with you and provide support throughout the process if you wish.

What form should I use?

UiA encourages students to complete the form in the notification system to ensure that the notification is handled according to our procedures.

Notifications can also be made in writing or verbally, for example, by phone, email, letter, online form, or in person.

What should the notification contain?

To allow the university to responsibly follow up on the notification, it is important that you, as the whistleblower, accurately describe the issue. This includes the facts of the matter, time and place, who is involved, and who is considered responsible.

A notification should include:

• Full name (can be anonymous)
• Date and time of the incident
• Specific observations you have made
• Location of the incident
• Other witnesses
• Any knowledge of previous incidents

Protection against retaliation 

Retaliation against students who notify, such as threats, poor grades, or similar, is prohibited. If a student experiences retaliation after reporting, they must report it to the student notification council at UiA.

False allegations

Be aware that the law requires a whistleblower to act in good faith when submitting a notification about objectionable circumstances.

Police report

If the incident is criminal, you may be encouraged to report it to the police. UiA can also choose to report a case to the police on its own initiative.

Handling of received notifications

What principles apply for handling notifications at UiA?

• All notifications in the "Speak up" system go directly to a notification council
• The notification council decides who will process the notification
• All incidents must be taken seriously
• All enquiries must be addressed without delay
• Confidential treatment
• The notification system should be used without fearing consequences
• Whistleblowers should receive feedback within a reasonable time
• Contradiction (all parties should have the opportunity to present their views on the matter)
• Uncovering objectionable circumstances should result in actions

Who handles the notification?

UiA's notification councils assess who should be involved in the further processing of the case. The case handler for the notification further assesses how to investigate it, depending on the type of case and who the notification is directed at. The circle of people involved is limited to as small a group as possible.

Will I receive feedback on my notification?

You will receive confirmation that the notification has been received. If the nature of the case is such that processing will take a long time, you should receive an update on the progress within three months at the latest.

Only those who are a party to the case have party insight according to the law.

What rights do you have when notifying an objectionable matter?

Som innmelder vil du få anledning til å legge frem ditt syn for den/de som skal behandle saken, fortrinnsvis i et møte som det skrives referat fra.

Om du ikke selv er part i saken, vil du ikke bli en del av videre saksgang. Saksbehandler vil ta kontakt med deg om det er behov for ytterligere opplysninger for å belyse saken. Du vil få bekreftelse på at saken er mottatt og beskjed når saken er avsluttet.

What rights does the person accused of objectionable conduct have?

In cases where UiA decides to process a notification, the person notified about will be made aware of the notification and the information provided. The accused will be called to separate meetings to illuminate the case from various perspectives.

In this way, the individual can present their side of the story. Once the case has been concluded, the person notified will be informed immediately, regardless of the outcome.

Documentation

Cases reported via the electronic notification system must always be archived. Through the electronic notification system, the responsible person will receive reminders of the key steps in case processing.

All case documents are continuously archived in UiA's case/archive system Public 360.

Case processing routine for received notifications (on UiA's intranet)