Equality, inclusion and diversity at UiA
Our goal is to succeed, together!
Action plan for Equality, Inclusion and Diversity 2025-2028
Our goals in the action plan for equality, inclusion and diversity 2025-2028
Gender equality
By promoting gender equality, we ensure a fair approach to recruitment, career development and academic culture. The goal is to reduce gender-based inequalities and strengthen UiA’s position as an institution of equality, where talent and competence are crucial factors for success.
Goal 1: UiA has a balanced gender distribution in all units and divisions, among professors/ docents, in our management groups, and strives for balance in the research groups and among research group leaders. All employees have opportunities for formal and informal influence, and diversity perspectives in the exercise of academic work are valued.
Status for 2025:
- In 2025, the share of female full-time equivalents (FTEs) at UiA was 55.4%, an increase of 0.5 percentage points from 2024.
- The overall picture across all staff categories shows a slight increase in the proportion of women. The largest staff groups are within the 40/60 target. In 2025, women accounted for 51.1% of academic staff, while men made up 36% of technical/administrative positions. The share of professors/associate professors is now 33.7%, below the 40% target.
- There is variation across faculties/departments within academic positions. The Faculty of Engineering and Science and the Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences are most clearly below the target for gender balance in FTEs.
- The results highlight the need to increase the balance between women and men in professor/associate professor positions, as well as to increase the proportion of men in technical/administrative positions.
- We see a stabilization over time in the proportion of female professors/associate professors at UiA at around 33–34%. Increased focus on career development for female academic staff is therefore important going forward in order to move closer to the 40/60 balance target.
- The Faculty of Engineering and Science has by far the lowest proportion of women in professor/associate professor positions, varying between 13.8% and 10.9% over the period. Only two faculties achieve the balance target in 2025. At the same time, we know that there is also imbalance between departments within these two faculties.
- Measure: “Call for individual buy-out grant”: To facilitate promotion from associate-level positions to the professor level, UiA offers the opportunity to apply for qualification grants. An important eligibility criterion is that only departments with gender imbalance, regardless of gender, are eligible to apply. Eight grants were completed in 2025, and seven grants have been awarded for implementation in 2026. Evaluation of the scheme shows that it is perceived as very useful by the academic staff who receive the grant. At the same time, the grants have a long-term perspective in terms of increasing the number of promotion applications.
- Measure: “The UiA Professor Programme”: In recent years, UiA has offered its own programmes for those who wish to become professors. Increasing the number of staff with professor competence has been a goal, with a particular emphasis on facilitating participation by female staff, including through the provision of preliminary assessments.
Goal 2: All study programmes have at least 30 percent female and male students. Students are represented on boards, councils and committees with at least two genders.
Status for 2025:
- There are only minor changes in the gender balance across the various faculties compared to 2024. The Faculty of Engineering and Science is the only faculty with a predominance of male students. The Faculty of Fine Arts and the School of Business and Law have the best gender balance. There are large variations between individual study programmes within the faculties.
- Boards, councils, and committees have representation of at least two genders among student members.
Diversity and inclusion
Diversity is about visible and invisible differences between us that affect our interaction and collaboration. Inclusion is creating space for participation on equal terms, having equal opportunities to succeed, and having a real influence on the structures that frame our work and our environments. By prioritizing diversity and inclusion, UiA wants to create a learning and work environment that embraces different perspectives and experiences. The inclusion of staff and students with different backgrounds creates a more robust and creative academic environment that makes UiA better equipped to achieve its strategic goals and to be the student’s university.
Goal 3: Employees with different cultures, ethnicities, disabilities, gender and sexual diversity feel that they are important people who belong to the community and have opportunities to participate and influence their own unit and the university’s development.
Status for 2025:
- Among academic staff, 27% are international employees overall, a figure that has remained stable over time. The Faculty of Engineering and Science has the highest number of international academic staff. There is a strong predominance of employees with Norwegian nationality (90%) in administrative positions.
- Of 4,349 applicants for positions at UiA in 2025, 55 reported a disability; four were invited to interview, but none were hired. 482 candidates reported an immigrant background; 29 were invited to interview and four were hired. 143 applicants indicated a “gap in their CV”; 13 were invited to interview and one was hired. The overall target of at least 5% of total hires across the three groups was achieved, while the sub-targets of 2% for applicants with disabilities and applicants with gaps in their CVs were not met. The figures apply only to applicants who voluntarily chose to disclose a potential ground for discrimination.
- The proportion of temporary full-time equivalents at UiA was 6.8% in 2025, excluding specific groups such as PhD candidates, Professor II positions, and fixed-term appointments. We observe stability over time in the use of temporary positions. There is gender balance within this group.
- Insight into recruitment processes, including the use of temporary appointments, has been incorporated into various leadership training programmes, most recently in training for new heads of department. This is a particularly important target group in this context.
- Measure: “KiMU – Course in Diversity Leadership”:
To strengthen work on diversity, a course in diversity leadership for the higher education sector has been developed during 2025/26. The project, anchored at UiA, aims to strengthen competence in diversity leadership and inclusive practices across the university and college sector. The background for the project is a clear need for more systematic knowledge and practical tools in the sector.
The project is a broad collaboration between several universities and colleges and is coordinated with existing research and development projects, including Norwegian Research Council–funded BALANSE+ projects.
The course is being developed as a national, modular programme aimed at leaders with staff and academic responsibility, union representatives, safety representatives, and HR professionals. The modular structure provides flexibility and makes it possible to adapt content to local strategies and needs, while ensuring a common knowledge base across the sector.
The project is intended to supplement existing development initiatives, not replace them. In addition, a national resource bank and toolbox for diversity work at unit level is being developed. Taken together, KiMU will help strengthen competence in the sector and facilitate more inclusive and sustainable knowledge institutions. See more at kimu-uhi.no. Work Inclusion – “More People into Work”:
UiA participates in the “More People into Work” initiative in collaboration with NAV, the Municipality of Kristiansand, and the Business Association, in addition to already established collaborations on language and work placements. Through recruitment, the collaboration has proven successful and has now been expanded with plans for additional hires.In 2025, UiA conducted presentations at the faculties, revised job advertisements with a focus on inclusive communication, and maintained ongoing dialogue with PO and HR advisers at the faculties to strengthen inclusion in recruitment processes. Measures implemented in 2025 include:
- Presentations at several faculties about the collaboration with NAV, the importance of work inclusion, and the need to counter discrimination in society (awareness-raising campaign).
- Review and improvement of job advertisements to make them more inclusive and accessible.
Continuous dialogue and collaboration with HR advisers in recruitment processes to increase awareness of diversity and inclusive practices.
UiA will continue its participation in the “More People into Work” initiative and work towards additional recruitments through the scheme, as well as further developing internal routines that promote equal access to employment. We will also strengthen training and awareness among staff involved in recruitment and supervision activities.
Goal 4: Students at UiA, regardless of culture, ethnicity, functional ability, gender and sexual diversity, have good and equal academic development opportunities in their studies. There is a culture of systematic and good reception of new students at UiA.
Status for 2025:
- In 2025, there were a total of 913 international students on campus, corresponding to 6.23% of the student population. Of these, 350 were international degree-seeking students, of whom 98 were new in 2025. A further 563 were exchange students who stayed for one or two semesters.
- In addition to being an active member of the European university alliance FORTHEM, UiA participates in UArctic and its North2North scholarship programme. Educational quality is further strengthened through participation in a wide range of Erasmus+ initiatives, Nordplus, and programmes through which UiA demonstrates social responsibility beyond its own borders. Through educational collaboration and reciprocal mobility in strategically long-term partnerships, these projects contribute to quality and relevance for students and academic communities. Participation in these initiatives provides increased opportunities for incoming students who are exempt from tuition fee requirements, and international educational cooperation is important for quality and global perspectives in education.
- UiA works closely with student organisations and the faculties to ensure both a good reception and a wide range of activities for international students throughout the year. UiA has also received funding through Interreg for a three-year project entitled “Work without Borders”, the main objective of which is to retain international labour in the Kattegat–Skagerrak region.
Awareness of harassment and the grounds for discrimination
UiA will highlight the importance of maintaining working and learning environments that are safe, respectful and free from discrimination and harassment. Through increased awareness of the grounds for discrimination and harassment, UiA will work actively to build a culture characterized by respect and openness. This is crucial for creating trust, well-being and a sense of belonging among staff and students, which in turn strengthens UiA’s ability to attract and retain talent.
Goal 5: UiA is characterized by openness, knowledge and inclusion of people and groups associated with national minorities and other grounds of discrimination.
Status for 2025:
- In 2025, a work environment survey was conducted at UiA. This survey also included results on unacceptable behaviour experienced during the past six months. The main finding, which reflects trends in the sector overall, is that 8% of employees (101 individuals) report having experienced unacceptable behaviour. The vast majority indicate that this occurred rarely or occasionally (78%). The main categories of incidents were academic disagreement (20 cases) and the category “Other” (18 cases). Other reported categories included gender-related incidents (13), age-related incidents (11), and ethnicity/racism (9). Please note that respondents could select more than one category. Thirty-seven respondents reported harassment, six reported sexual harassment, and eight reported violence/threats. Thirty-four respondents identified bullying as the reason they experienced unacceptable behaviour.
- Sixty percent also responded that they did not report the incident(s), while 84% state that they know how to proceed if they are subjected to unacceptable behaviour. Compared with the sector in general, this is a positive result and indicates that employees are aware of reporting procedures. UiA employees have been informed about the reporting channel “Speak Up” (Si ifra), and training is provided upon appointment. The Speak Up channel was updated in 2025 with clearer guidance and improved case-handling workflows. Training has been provided for both staff and managers at UiA in handling whistleblowing cases, ensuring that all faculties and the shared administrative units have competence in this area.
- The results show that those who report experiencing unacceptable behaviour also describe their work environment as significantly poorer than other employees across several factors. This demonstrates that such experiences have substantial consequences for both individuals and the overall work environment. Leadership and management emerge as particularly important factors influencing employees’ experiences. As a result, a full-day seminar was held for all UiA leaders, with unacceptable behaviour as a key topic based on the survey results. In addition, themes related to academic harassment and academic disagreement were already highlighted to all leaders in autumn 2024.
- At UiA, 11 whistleblowing cases related to discrimination, harassment, and sexual harassment have been registered. Measures in individual staff cases have included follow-up of the work environment, dialogue and sharing of experiences, improvements to routines, competence-building on topics such as unwanted sexual attention and harassment, and the issuance of guidelines. UiA’s e-learning course on unwanted sexual attention and harassment has so far attracted 395 enrolled employees.
- In 2025, the University of Agder worked systematically to ensure a universally designed and inclusive learning environment in accordance with the requirements of the Equality and Anti-Discrimination Act and the Universities and University Colleges Act. This work includes universal design of physical and digital solutions, individual accommodation, and the development of a safe and inclusive learning environment that safeguards students’ health, safety, and well-being. These efforts are anchored in UiA’s Action Plan for Universal Design and an Inclusive Learning Environment 2025–2028.
Goal 6: Discrimination, harassment, racism and sexual harassment of students and staff does not occur. All students and staff are aware of UiA’s zero tolerance policy and speak up if they become aware of discrimination or harassment.
Status for 2025:
- During 2025, there were eight incidents in which mental health issues formed part of the incident picture. One of these incidents involved the use of serious violence. Throughout the year, dialogue meetings were held with the police preventive unit and municipal health services, where both prevention and the handling of such incidents were discussed. Active efforts have been made to inform and train staff in procedures for managing threatening situations. Several courses in conflict management were conducted, and the topic has been recurring at multiple leadership gatherings. All faculties and teacher education programmes conducted emergency preparedness exercises in 2025.
- Measures in student-related cases have included recommendations and adjustments related to participation in boards and student representative roles, the development and review of guidelines for unacceptable behaviour, review of guidelines for fieldwork, information on regulations governing study activities, and rules for organisational culture and conduct. For UiA students, the “Red Flag” campaign was used at the start of the academic year, focusing on attitudes related to unwanted sexual attention. The campaign is scheduled to be reused in 2026.
Contact us
- kristian.solaas@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 19 71
- hans.k.lysgard@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 14 96
UiA is Charter & Code certified
This means that the institution meets the criteria for using the European Commission's ‘HR Excellence in Research’ logo. The certification commits UiA to facilitate and promote international mobility to and from UiA, as well as to put efforts to enhance gender balance, inclusion and diversity on the agenda.