Faculty of Fine Arts strategy 2025 – 2028
Vision: Co-creating for tomorrow’s knowledge
Values:
Academic quality. Openness. Trust. Respect
The Faculty of Fine Arts offers robust research-based education and conducts artistic research and development at a high international level. The pursuit of high artistic quality permeates the Faculty's activities. The Faculty has a fundamental belief in the uniqueness and intrinsic value of the arts disciplines and how artistic expressions and approaches are crucial for societal development, innovation and value creation.
Our academic culture:
- Academic freedom
- Organizational culture
- Student culture
- Equality, diversity and inclusion
- International engagement and cooperation
Faculty of Fine Arts strategic goals
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Goal 1: UiA is the students’ university
The Faculty will prioritize:
- facilitating a setting where students actively engage and contribute to a safe and open learning environment, allowing them to express artistic bravery, exploration and creative joy through critical reflection and the exchange of ideas
- providing teaching spaces, studios and workshops that foster a vibrant and exploratory learning community for students
- recognizing that students with their skills and experiences are vital contributors to developing and enhancing the quality and content of the study programmes
- including students in academic and artistic research and development
Goal 2: The Faculty of Fine Arts has relevant, robust and attractive programmes
The Faculty will prioritize:
- developing study programmes characterized by student-active learning and assessment methods
- integrating research and artistic development into study programmes through teaching
- creating future-oriented study programmes with workplace relevance in dialogue with the region and employment sectors
- developing flexible study programmes that allow for parallel CPD pathways
- exploring courses that can be offered across different study programmes
Goal 3: The Faculty of Fine Arts enhances the quality of research and academic and artistic development work
The Faculty will prioritize:
- actively contributing to research projects and artistic development, publishing and disseminating results on national and international platforms
- developing new and expanding established venues for sharing, inspiration and discussion of research, artistic development and artistic production
- implementing the Research Catalogue as a platform for showcasing and disseminating research activities
- maintaining active and inclusive research groups
- creating opportunities for interdisciplinary and cross-artistic collaboration
- strengthening the internal infrastructure for research and artistic development
- pursuing funding for major research and education projects at the national level and within the EU
- further developing PhD programmes and recruiting, nurturing and developing research talents
Goal 4: The Faculty of Fine Arts leads the way in efficient, sustainable and responsible use of new technology and new work methods
The Faculty will prioritize:
- continuing to experiment with innovative approaches to using new technologies in the field of arts and culture
- further developing programmes and courses that reflect technological advancements in a critical and reflective way
- integrating AI into study programmes and exploring its use through teaching
- actively sharing and utilizing the experiences and expertise developed in the field through CreaTeME
- championing the ethical and responsible use of AI in education, research and artistic development
- educating students who can contribute to societal development in a sustainable direction through their own practices
Goal 5: The Faculty of Fine Arts strengthens its focus on socially beneficial innovation and entrepreneurship
The Faculty will prioritize:
- establishing and maintaining mutually committed partnerships with institutions in the arts and cultural sector at regional, national and international levels
- contributing to a vibrant and professional arts and cultural community
- further developing students' industry knowledge, as well as their entrepreneurial and innovation skills
- instilling pride in students and helping them understand how their competencies are relevant and valuable to the future workforce
- leveraging the potential of the arts as a space for active societal participation
- highlighting the value of the field of arts and culture and ensuring its integration into societal and crisis preparedness
Goal 6: The Faculty of Fine Arts takes a more prominent national position
The Faculty will prioritize:
- being an academic environment that actively integrates scientific research with artistic development
- serving as a national advocate for the role of practical and aesthetic subjects in teacher education, schools, kindergartens and lifelong learning
- establishing CreaTeME as a brand and becoming a leading presence in the creative application of technologies in music education
- being a platform for talent development
The Faculty of Fine Arts works across disciplines for sustainable solutions through:
Art and culture
The distinctive nature of art subjects inherently holds power and significance. Therefore, art is elevated as a separate subject area and will serve as a reference point in discussions about the role of the arts in society. Through innovative research and artistic development, the Faculty will participate in and shape the arenas where art is created, performed and debated. Communication, teaching, research and artistic development will form a creative space where knowledge is put into practice, contributing to the University's position as an inclusive space for knowledge sharing and exchange of experiences. As a central player in teacher education, the Faculty aims to develop the role of the arts from kindergarten through all levels of schooling and within society at large. The Faculty will also address questions about how the arts can reach a diverse range of audiences. The Faculty will continue to be a driving force in the activities developed within the FORTHEM lab, Art & Aesthetics in Contemporary Society.
Health, upbringing, education and living conditions
Art and culture are central resources in the efforts to promote public health, improve living conditions and strengthen educational and developmental environments. By researching and teaching at the intersection of health, welfare, art and culture, the Faculty aims to facilitate social innovation and contribute to knowledge promotion regarding the significance of art for quality of life. The Faculty will place the experience and practice of art at the centre of promoting joy, resilience and quality of life. In collaboration with key institutions, the Faculty will continue to initiate, communicate and research on/with/through the significance of co-creation within art, culture and health.
Democracy and active citizenship
The field of art serves as an arena for the exchange of ideas, co-creation and critical debate. Through teaching, research and artistic development, the Faculty aims to explore the significance of spaces for artistic expression and contribute to the understanding of diversity and communities of disagreement within an informed public sphere. By promoting fundamental democratic skills such as critical thinking and expressive competence, the Faculty aims to educate artists, researchers, practitioners, cultural workers and educators for active participation in society and the practice of active citizenship.
Technology, digitalization and societal preparedness
The Faculty of Fine Arts employs new and groundbreaking technologies in the field of art and culture, aiming to be at the forefront of knowledge in the artistic and pedagogical use of technologies. The Faculty’s Centre for Excellence in Education, CreaTeME, will, in close dialogue with academic environments and relevant stakeholders, explore the creative use of technologies in education. Together, we will explore opportunities and critical perspectives on artistic entrepreneurship and innovation. Through research and artistic development, the academic environments will explore new forms of production, performance and distribution of music, visual arts and performing arts. The Faculty aims to enhance understanding and visibility of the connections between art, technology and innovation and how this impacts society. It is also essential to ensure that art and culture are included in plans for societal and crisis preparedness.
Climate, environment and energy
The Faculty of Fine Arts shall be a driving force for the green transition and take a leading role in developing new programmes and courses based on ecological perspectives for sustainability and the environment. Through critical, aesthetic and art-based approaches to research and artistic development, the Faculty will actively contribute to the development of sustainable and ecological ways of thinking and practice.
Sustainable change and innovation
With art and culture as a basis, the Faculty will work towards academic freedom and the University’s institutional autonomy, while also strengthening and clarifying the role of art in societal development. The academic environment will engage in artistic, scientific and pedagogical innovation that contributes to critical discussions on value creation and facilitates societal development on sustainable grounds. The Faculty aims to educate students who can transform society in a sustainable direction through their own practices.