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The Board met for two days on 10 and 11 March at Campus Kristiansand. On the first day, time was set aside for dialogue with all six faculties.
Among other things, the different faculties were challenged on how they work with artificial intelligence and labour-market relevance, and how the Board can contribute to the development of the academic environments.
Plan for career development
UiA has clear strategic goals related to quality and the development of the university’s staff.
These will be followed up through a dedicated action plan for the career development of academic staff up to 2036. The plan is intended to contribute to a more coherent and systematic approach to this work.
The plan has been circulated for consultation among the faculties and was adopted as proposed with only minor changes, including adjustments following input from employee organisations.
The plan defines specific goals and measures for the different categories of academic staff, as well as for academic leaders.
Academic positions at the University Library follow different career paths and will therefore be followed up outside this action plan.
Seven recruitment positions allocated
Each year, the University Board has a number of strategic funds available for so-called recruitment positions - PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers.
Allocations are prioritised according to set criteria, and the seven positions were this time distributed as follows:
- Psychology
- Artistic innovation and creativity in interaction with technology, linked to UiA’s participation in the AI centre MishMash
- Innovative coastal research with a coastal zone observatory
- University nursing homes
- The theme “Sacred scriptures and authoritative texts”
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship “FreAge”
- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Postdoctoral Fellowship “UQDOM”
Proposes three goals for the further governance of UiA
This autumn, the university will enter into a new development agreement between the Ministry of Education and Research and University of Agder. This agreement will shape the university’s development in the years 2027–2030.
The university itself begins the process by submitting an initial draft, to which the ministry will then provide feedback.
The three goals UiA proposes to be measured against during the period are whether:
- UiA is the university for students, educating graduates who participate actively in democracy and contribute to a rapidly changing labour market
- UiA’s academic environments produce research and artistic development work at a high international level and create valuable contributions to society
- UiA makes higher education attractive and accessible to more people
Only minor changes were made to the proposal presented to the University Board, and it can be read in full in the Board documents.
Funds allocated for investments
A quick reading of UiA’s accounts for 2025 may give the impression that the university overspent that year. Specifically, 40 million Norwegian kroner are recorded as overspending.
However, when taking into account that 185 million kroner have been transferred from income to fund future investments, it becomes clear that UiA’s finances are well under control. These amounts will appear in the profit and loss account when the planned investments are realised.
An investment plan was adopted at the previous Board meeting.
The situation at UiA
At the March meetings, the University Board receives a comprehensive set of annual reports from different parts of UiA’s operations. These are formally noted by the Board but can also be useful for others interested in developments in these areas:
- Student Ombud
- Learning environment
- Student affairs
- Research ethics
- Equality, inclusion and diversity
- Data Protection Officer
- Health, safety and environment
- Language policy
- Internal audit
Other selected matters from the meeting
- The Board adopted its report for the 2025 annual report
- Revision of internal main rules for organisational and financial management
See all documents (in Norwegian)