Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences Strategy 2025-2028
The Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences focuses on humans and human activities, grounding its educational programmes and research projects in the natural, human and social sciences. This academic field demands openness to new perspectives and collaboration with partners across different fields and international borders. In that respect, the Faculty’s activities align with the University’s vision of ‘co-creating for tomorrow’s knowledge’ and the understanding that knowledge and competence are most relevant when developed together with others. In that way, we will contribute to environmentally, socially and economically sustainable societal development.
The Faculty's strategy for 2025-2028 is aligned with UiA's overarching strategy but is supported by four guiding perspectives. These perspectives, developed through the Faculty's strategic process, are evident across all target areas. They will play a central role in our strategic efforts and will be addressed concurrently.
UiA is the students' university
Competence
- Strengthen student engagement in democratic arenas by enhancing understanding and knowledge about these arenas among both students and staff
- Promote students' personal development and enhance their critical thinking skills
Capacity
- Maintain stable application numbers for our programmes and recruitment positions
- Involve students in research, innovation and academic development projects
Culture
- Further develop an inviting and inclusive student and learning environment and promote student engagement
- Adopt a broad approach to internationalization in educational programmes
Quality
- Contribute to the Faculty’s appeal and quality by focusing on an equitable, diverse and inclusive study and work environment
- Further develop arenas for participation to maintain a good quality of education
UiA has relevant, robust and attractive programmes
Competence
- Collaborate with the region to ensure continuous programme development, offer lifelong learning and be a relevant player in lifelong skills development
- Strengthen the Faculty's PhD programme through national cooperation and a culture of sharing
Capacity
- Maintain and further develop a programme portfolio that is academically, strategically and financially sustainable, helping to meet workforce needs and national directives
Culture
- Clarify and strengthen the connections between education and research
- Maintain the Faculty's focus on professional degree programmes, including teacher education
Quality
- Continue to develop and enhance study and learning methods that contribute to study programme quality
UiA enhances the quality of research and academic and artistic development work
Competence
- Recruit, develop and retain staff with a commitment to research and academic development work that is relevant to professional fields
- Further develop systematic skills development and facilitate secondment schemes to enhance research and academic development capacity
Capacity
- Evaluate, develop and leverage the Faculty's research capacity, both academically and administratively, to initiate, develop and implement externally funded projects at a high international level
Culture
- Systematize and utilize feedback from external evaluators to improve the Faculty's research culture
- Further develop research groups in line with their own goals and ambitions
Quality
- Support research groups in their efforts to initiate projects and maintain collaborations with international partners
- Support and further develop the Faculty's priority research areas as well as the University's defined interdisciplinary areas
UiA leads the way in efficient, sustainable and responsible use of new technology and new work methods
Competence
- Develop expertise in artificial intelligence and new technologies across all academic environments
- Promote understanding of overarching issues related to the use of artificial intelligence
Capacity
- Develop and utilize the skills of students and staff for the responsible use of artificial intelligence and technological tools in education, research and professional environments
Culture
- Develop and focus on the use of technology in research, education and administration, in collaboration with the professional sphere
Quality
- Educate students to have a strong ethical and critical awareness regarding the use of technology in their own work
UiA strengthens its focus on socially beneficial innovation and entrepreneurship
Competence
- Ensure that staff have a good understanding of various national and international funding sources for research and innovation
Capacity
- Systematize and showcase the Faculty's existing activities in innovation and entrepreneurship, and support the internal sharing of experiences
Culture
- Foster the development of students' adaptability skills in collaboration with the professional sphere and stakeholders, thereby contributing to a changing world of work
Quality
- Further develop key collaborative platforms with professional training environments and student and user organizations both regionally and nationally
UiA takes a more prominent national position
Competence
- Further develop and leverage the alumni network to showcase the real-world applicability of the programmes
- Offer continuing professional development that aligns with identified needs and the Faculty's expertise
Capacity
- Inform about the Faculty's programmes of study based on up-to-date information from the respective academic environments
- Support and acknowledge staff contributions to shaping agendas and engaging in policy development within their fields of expertise
Culture
- Maintain and strengthen the Faculty's culture of communicating research to the public
- Address the importance of academic culture within the professional disciplines
Quality
- Identify and promote awareness of the Faculty's national academic reputation
- Identify and showcase the academic environments within each department that have the potential to give the Faculty a nationally recognized profile