Information about the scheme
The University Board at UiA decided on 13 March 2019 (case 31/19) to:
- Establish a common system for the recognition of teaching staff at UiA.
- Approve the principles for UiA’s recognition system in accordance with the university director’s proposal.
- Request that the university director ensures principles for salary advancement for recognised teaching staff are integrated into UiA's salary policy.
- Request that the recognition system is evaluated after two rounds of applications.
Excerpt from the case documentation to which the board decision of 13 March 2019 refers: ‘... The purpose of introducing a merit scheme at UiA is to focus more strongly on teaching expertise and increase the status of education and teaching work in the organisation as a whole. This is done by recognising and rewarding lecturers who have worked systematically and over time to develop their teaching, who have documented their activities and have made their experiences available to others. A merit scheme for outstanding teachers will positively recognise and reward academic staff who make positive contributions and development work as part of the educational community at their respective faculties/departments/academic environments...’
Following the implementation of the scheme in 2019-20, changes were proposed to the principles of the scheme. UiA PULS prepared a proposal for revised principles for the merit scheme at UiA, and the proposed changes were consulted with the faculties, the Department of Teacher Education and the Student Organisation in Agder (STA). The proposal was considered by the University Board's Education Committee on 26 October 2021 in case 46/21 and in a meeting of the University Board on 24 November 2021 in case 148/21. The University Board at UiA decided on 24 November 2021 (item 148/21): The Board adopts revised principles for UiA's merit scheme in line with the proposal presented and the changes made at the meeting. The Board requests that the merit scheme be evaluated after two announcements with the revised principles.
In June 2023, there was a consultation related to the Report on improvement measures for UiA's merit scheme. As a follow-up to this, changes to the assessment form were approved in a power of attorney by the Deputy Rector for Education on 17 January 2024. The scheme will be evaluated in 2025.
Principles for the merit scheme
Principles for the merit scheme at UiA 2024.
Adopted by the University Board 24.11.2021, with changes to the assessment form in authorisation case 17.01.24
1) Principles
1.1 Who can apply?
Permanent employees in academic positions in all job categories with at least five years of teaching experience from a university or university college. Applicants must also have basic pedagogical expertise or equivalent. Applicants must have worked in at least a 50 per cent position for three of these five years at UiA.
1.2 Other principles
- A common merit recognition system is established for all faculties.
- Announcement every two years.
- The criteria for assessment are:
- Focus on students' learning
- A clear development over time
- A research-oriented approach
- Collegial attitude and sharing of experiences
The criteria are defined in a separate document: Criteria for Merit Recognition.
Assessment is based on a profiling document (see point 2.1) and, if applicable, a supplementary interview (see point 2.2).
- The rector appoints an assessment committee (see point 1.3) for the evaluation work.
- A proposal for recognition must be given with a majority of 4:1 or unanimously. The recommendation from the assessment committee should indicate whether it is unanimous. Any dissent must be justified.
- The University Board awards the status of recognised teacher based on the assessment committee's recommendation.
- It is expected that recognised teachers will contribute to competency development through, for example, a pedagogical academy at UiA.
1.3 Committee composition
|
Assesses all applicants |
Affiliation and competence |
| 1 internal member with first-level competence leads the commission work | |
| 1 external member with first-level competence and experience in higher education pedagogy/educational quality work/merit recognition work | |
| 1 external member who is a recognised teacher | |
| 1 student representative from the internal student organisation (STA) | |
|
Rotates |
1 internal rotating representative from the applicant's faculty
|
|
|
Internal coordionator, UiA PULS |
2) Basis for assessment
2.1 Profiling document
The profiling document should be 7500 words (plus/minus 10%) and cover the following topics:
1- Biography
Brief description of the applicant and his/her career in higher education, including length of service as a teacher/supervisor and at what level the teaching/supervision has taken place.
2 - Teaching repertoire
Which teaching methods have been used in particular, experience with these, development over time and what thoughts the applicant has about their own further development.
3 - Views on teaching and learning
A description of the applicant's basic pedagogical outlook and how this relates to the choice of teaching methods used. This includes reflections on the applicant's own view of knowledge and learning, rooted in pedagogical theory and other theory relevant to their own practice.
4 - Teaching planning and contribution in own environment
Experiences with course and curriculum work, experiences with collaboration with colleagues and students on teaching, as well as other contributions to strengthen teaching and learning, especially at one's own department/faculty.
5 - Other people's assessments
Here the applicant can briefly refer to other people's assessments, e.g. student evaluations or assessments from colleagues that the applicant finds particularly significant. Documentation must be provided through attachments.
6 - Documented pedagogical development work, including the development of teaching materials
Why has the development work been initiated, what has been achieved, what has been learnt and what are the future plans? How has the applicant documented and communicated their own teaching experiences? Work with terminology and Norwegian professional language can be given positive weight.
7 - Educational leadership
Experience from leadership roles and how the applicant through these has contributed to strengthening the quality of teaching.
8 - The reflective retrospective
Based on theory, the applicant must critically analyse and reflect on the ideas and methods that have characterised the applicant's practice, and explain how such analysis and reflection has led to changes and stimulated further development.
2.2 Complementary interview
The assessment committee's evaluation is based on the written application. Applicants who meet a certain level of quality in the written application (see 2.3) may be invited to a complementary interview. This interview serves as a quality assurance. Even if an applicant is invited to an interview, it is not automatic that the applicant will be awarded the status of qualified teacher.
2.3 Assessment form
The criteria are defined in the document Criteria for merit awards. Information about the assessment work can be found in the document Guidance to the committee for assessing applications for merit awards at UiA.
Schedule
Schedule 2024
- 7 and 9 February: Webinar about the scheme and the application process.
- 23 February: Pre-registration (not binding)
- 12 March: Webinar - "question time" for those working with applications
- 18 August: Final application deadline (submission of application via Canvas)
- August - September: The committee assesses the applications
- September - October: Possible interview with selected applicants
- October: The committee's written statement on the applications and proposal for the appointment of meritorious teachers is finalised
- November: Processing by the University Board
- November - December: All applicants receive written feedback with explanations for the committee's conclusion after the review by the university board. Recognition of newly awarded teachers.
Aktiviteter/webinar
Webinar - information about the merit scheme at UiA will be held twice in 2024:
- Wednesday 7 February 09.00 - 10.00
- Fridau 9 February 09.00 - 10.00
Links to the webinars (Zoom) will be announced on the intranet, including in the events for employees calendar.
No registration necessary.
Questions
General comment to this FAQ:
All answers in this FAQ are UIA's assessment and recommendation. However, these recommendations may be overruled by the assessment committee.
How will the assessment of candidates who do not have students currently, but are now teaching employees, be conducted?
- Teaching employees should be equated with teaching students.
When documenting the evaluation of teaching and supervision, what kind of evaluation is sought? (from students or colleagues)
- It is recommended to include at least one student evaluation in any case.
Differences between references and attachments: What should you include as an attachment, and what is enough to reference?
- Attachments can, for example, be material that is not published/available from other sources, such as course certificates, statements, etc.
- In the selection process, you can, for example, work on the basis of the ‘collect - select - reflect’ principle: Once you have a 1) comprehensive overview of the references/attachments you have available, 2) select those that are relevant to refer to/attach based on 3) reflection on what you want to write about/emphasise in the profiling document.
Are there limits to how much time applicants can be credited in their work schedule?
- Through the Instructions for Heads of Department (point 2i), the head of department is responsible for encouraging participation in the university's merit scheme.
- It is up to the head of department to assess how this is implemented in practice
Recognised teachers at UiA
- linda.g.opheim@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 18 50
- thomas.gjesteland@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 37 23 30 32
- andreas.prinz@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 37 23 32 20
/intranett/english/professional-development/uia-puls/merit-award-scheme.html, 311:3: ${include:contact}: https://www.uia.no/english/about-uia/employees/torunnso/index.html?vrtx=vcf does not exist
- john.a.hunnes@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 15 14
- morten.brekke@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 37 23 32 52
Contact person:
- martin.gaustad@uia.no
- Phone
- +47 38 14 13 80