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Strategy Engineering and Science 2025 – 2028

This strategic plan is based on UiA's strategy for 2025 to 2028. During this period, we aim to strengthen the Faculty’s academic position in education and research. We will evaluate and further develop our research organization and management. To ensure continuous growth and outstanding performance, we must maintain a sustainable economy. The University is working to establish a long-term budget that includes the Faculty, and we will base our strategic and operational choices on long-term financial planning. A good working environment is crucial for good performance, and we will promote a positive and sustainable organizational culture. Furthermore, we will develop a strategic personnel plan based on the long-term budget. UiA's strategy 2025-2028 has defined six areas for interdisciplinary initiatives for sustainable solutions, and the Faculty contributes to most of these areas.

Illustrasjon av tre mennesker som vinker

Goal 1: The Faculty is the students' faculty

1. Active student partnership

Measures:

  • Continue the close collaboration between students and staff at the Faculty
  • Recruit more student assistants as additional teaching resources, provide them with good training and involve them in developing programmes and courses
  • Collaborate with students in research and facilitate co-publication
  • Develop and implement a method, such as a seminar/workshop, as part of the bachelor's and master's thesis, which will help students identify and formulate their competence, as well as prepare them to navigate and adapt to a rapidly changing working life

UiA strategy: 1.1, 1.2 and 1.4

2. Greater utilization of both campuses in the afternoon/evening

Measures:

  • Work to streamline the booking of group rooms with a digital solution
  • Work for cheaper and improved food options in the afternoon/evening
  • Work for improved ventilation
  • Consider better utilization of laboratories for students, including during afternoon/evening hours

UiA strategy: 1.3

Illustrasjon av mennesker som sitter rundt et bord og diskuterer

Goal 2: The Faculty has future-oriented study programmes

1. Future-oriented programme portfolio

Measures:

  • Systematically review and revise the Faculty's programme portfolio to address future competence needs by integrating sustainability skills, digitalization skills including artificial intelligence, labour market relevance and interdisciplinarity in the study programmes
  • Follow recommendations from initiatives on sustainable programme portfolios
  • Increase the number of guest lecturers, company visits, internships and external student supervisors

UiA strategy: 2.1, 2,2 2.3, 2.4 and 4.2

2. Increased occupancy rate in the study programmes

Measures:

  • Highlight the Faculty's advantages in recruitment efforts
  • Create promotional materials that appeal to young people on social media channels

UiA stragegy: 2.5

3. Improve retention/completion rate

Measures:

  • Continue and further develop FYSE (First Year Study Environment) and Drop-in services
  • Increase focus on pedagogical competence within teaching contexts
  • Increase the use of student-active teaching and evaluation methods
  • Improve the psychosocial learning environment for students

UiA strategy: 2.1, 2.4

4. Increased scope of CPD

Measures:

  • Further develop continuing professional development (CPD) offerings in collaboration with the labour market and the teacher education unit
  • Consider new incentive schemes to develop and provide CPD courses

UiA strategy: 2.6

Illustrasjon av to mennesker som forsker

Goal 3: The Faculty enhances the quality of research and development

1. Improve quality of our research

Measures:

  • Follow up on recommendations and actions from EVALMIT
  • Improve the structure for organizing research
  • Further develop/establish new centre initiatives (e.g. Offshore Wind, CCR, MatRIC, academic esports) and larger international projects
  • Increase research collaboration with leading national and international universities
  • Establish a mentoring scheme for researchers on application writing and research quality

UiA strategy: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.5

2. Increased externally funded R&D activity

Measures: 

  • Establish a long-term R&D plan for all research groups/centres
  • Increase research funding from the Research Council of Norway, the EU and the labour market
  • Increase EU investment
  • Work to increase the number of externally funded PhDs

UiA strategy: 3.4, 3.6, 3.7 and 3.8

Illustrasjon av en mann med en robot

Goal 4: The Faculty leads the way in efficient, sustainable and responsible use of new technology and new work methods

1. Use CAIR as a driving force om AI

  • Develop and use CAIR as the University's platform for the development of new technology for the whole of society

UiA strategt: 4.1

2. Contribute to UiA employees using relevant new technology in their teaching and research

  • Facilitate innovative development projects in all parts of the Faculty
  • Ensure that our study programmes have the best possible quality, supported by new technology
  • Establish courses in the use of new technology for all employees in education and research, including the consideration of social and ethical aspects

UiA strategy: 4.2, 4.3 and 4.4

Illustrasjon av to som jobber sammen med nye ideer

Goal 5: The Faculty strengthens its focus on socially beneficial innovation and entrepreneurship

1. Active co-creation between students and staff

Measures:

  • Establish flow maps for innovation
  • Develop the Faculty's innovation competence by organizing an "Innovation Day" each semester
  • Increase the number of DOFIs
  • Seek assistance from UiA centrally to review relevant PhD and master's theses to identify business ideas for innovation/entrepreneurship (patents, IPR)

UiA strategy: 5.1 and 5.2

2. Active co-creation with the labour market

Measures:

  • Establish a system and structure for communication and follow-up of cooperation agreements, both internally and externally
  • Continue "Research to the People" and "Horizon" with contributors from UiA and the labour market

UiA strategy: 5.3

Illustrasjon av en som står foran et publikum

Goal 6: The Faculty takes a more prominent national position

1. The Faculty has a national position in selected subject areas

Measures:

  • Identify and prioritize the subject areas in which the Faculty will establish a more prominent national position
  • Strengthen cooperation with research institutions across Norway
  • Build a strong professional profile for employees and communicate their expertise
  • Increase visibility in national public discourse

UiA strategy: 6.1, 6.2, 6,3 and 6.4

2. Active alumni network

Measure:

  • Establish a system and structure for alumni activities and set goals for these

UiA strategy: 6.5