Background and experience
Mugula Chris Safari holds a Bachelor's degree in Intellectual Disability Nursing from the University of Agder (2014) and a Master's degree in Public Health Science from the same university (2016). In 2023, he completed a PhD in Health and Sport Sciences at the University of Agder with the dissertation Intellectual disability and participation in digital technology design activities: A catalyst for social inclusion.
Safari has experience from mental health services at Sørlandet Hospital and from employment inclusion initiatives through his work at Fossheim Verksteder (VTA). In this role, he worked with environmental therapeutic follow-up, facilitation of work activities, and guidance of people with intellectual disabilities in working life.
He has also worked as a senior advisor at Statped, where he contributed to professional strategic development and evidence-based service development. His work included developing professional strategies, strengthening the knowledge base, and promoting methodological competence within the organization.
Areas of responsibility
Mugula Chris Safari is an Associate Professor at the University of Agder. In this role, he works on the development and coordination of teaching and practice placements, and on further developing education in collaboration with practice partners.
Safari is particularly concerned with strengthening the connection between research, education, and professional practice. His work includes developing teaching approaches that promote evidence-based practice, ethical reflection, and professional competence among intellectual disability nursing students. He is also involved in the development of new teaching methods, including the use of simulation and VR in professional education.
Teaching
Safari teaches in several courses within the intellectual disability nursing programme and has experience with teaching, supervision of practice placements, and student supervision. His teaching is particularly related to environmental therapeutic work, service organisation, practice studies, and evidence-based development work.
He teaches, among others, the following courses:
- VER110 Development and Ideology of the Profession
- VER111 Disability and Environmental Therapeutic Work
- VER112 Practice: Disabilities, Environmental Work, Coping and Welfare Technology
- VER308 Individual-oriented Environmental Practice
- VER309 Service Organisation
- VER310 Evidence-based and Systematic Development Work in Practice. Bachelor’s Thesis in Intellectual Disability Nursing
Safari also has experience teaching qualitative analysis methods at the master’s level. In addition, he supervises bachelor's, master's, and PhD students.
Research
Safari’s research focuses on social inclusion, user involvement, and the development of technology in services for people with intellectual disabilities. A central theme in his work is how people with intellectual disabilities can be actively involved in the design and development of digital solutions that affect their everyday lives.
His doctoral research examined how participation in digital technology design processes can contribute to social inclusion for young adults with intellectual disabilities. The research highlights how co-creation processes can strengthen participants’ sense of competence, autonomy, and belonging.
Safari also conducts research related to welfare technology, digital inclusion, and the use of immersive learning environments such as VR in education and competence development. His research combines perspectives from health and social sciences, technology development, and participatory design.