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Career and expertise development at UiT

Our students and staff are our most important resources. One prerequisite for us to succeed in our social responsibility is therefore that everyone is allowed to develop their potential.

Our students and staff hail from different countries and places and have different backgrounds and histories. They bring with them experiences and perspectives that enrich and challenge. UiT shall use this diversity as an advantage in creative and co-creating work, including as a foundation for building leading academic communities.

Ambition: UiT shall be a venue for the development of students and employees' expertise and talent, with diversity as a driving force and resource.

Norsk flagg ikon

Introduction from the rector's office

Ambitions with career and expertise development

Elina Halttunen, head of department

A conversation about career guidance with Elina Halttunen

Jasmine Nahrgang, professor

A conversation about career guidance with Jasmine Nahrgang

All employees

Having a career does not simply mean climbing a ladder of job titles.

The UiT 2030 strategy states that UiT shall be a venue for the development of students and employees' expertise and talent, with diversity as a driving force and resource. In order to achieve this ambition, UiT must: 

  • Develop, attract and retain talent. We will establish instruments to facilitate the development of employees’ and academic communities' capacity and expertise. We shall break down career barriers, maintain an integrated recruitment policy and systematically develop leadership and collaboration between employees.

Having a career is about continuous professional development and personal growth and both changes to job categories and exciting professional opportunities will arise as a result of the employee’s professional development. The University will therefore accommodate professional development and personal growth for all employees. This is fundamental to our employees having a positive working day that motivates them to develop expertise, create new knowledge and break down new professional barriers. Professional development is about employees acquiring new expertise in the form of knowledge, experience, techniques and methodologies, as well as developing new concepts and ideas to further their work. Career development takes place not only through formalised development programmes but also through experiential learning processes. By participating in various courses and other available offerings, you will work actively to develop employeeship and your own career. 

At UiT, we are lucky to have a large selection of individual subjects and educations at our own workplace. You can also apply for paid time off for exam days and reading days. Feel free to look and search for current subjects and studies here. On this page you will find more information about online and collection-based education at UiT.

Internal courses at UiT are published on this page: Interne kurs ved UiT

Here you will find information that will help you in your digital working day (information only in Norwegian): Digital arbeidsplass | UiT

Employeeship is about assuming co-creative responsibility. Surveys show that professional pride and job satisfaction are achieved through a conscious approach to duties, colleagues and the employer. 

In practice, this means that professional pride and job satisfaction are the result of professional talent and commitment to duties, being a honest and constructive employee and a colleague that enables others to be efficient.

Academic staff

Academic staff is a collective term referring to individuals who hold academic posts at universities, university colleges, independent research institutes and other scientific institutions. Academic staff carry out research, teaching and dissemination. University and research librarians in the university sector are considered academic staff. 

The professorial pathway is the most common career path for academic posts at UiT. 

PhD/research fellow (1017/1378)


The purpose of the PhD student position is to complete organised research training until a PhD degree is achieved.

The normal tenure is four years with 25% teaching or other work undertaken on behalf of the university. The appointment shall comprise three years of pure organised research training. Externally funded research fellows are generally appointed for a period of three years. Shorter periods of appointment may be agreed if the research fellow has already completed parts of the organised research training programme or if the appointment is based on previous appointments to teaching posts (research fellow, research assistant or similar) so that the total period of organised research training amounts to three years. Admission to the PhD programme requires students to have more than one research FTE left before the PhD thesis can be submitted for evaluation.

Admission to the Faculty’s PhD programme is a condition for accession to the post of research fellow. Shortly after accession (check with the Faculty) to a research fellow post, each research fellow must obtain approval and contractual confirmation

  • of the PhD courses that will be included in the training element of the organised research training.
  • of the academic supervisors that will be used.
  • of the schedule for research work that demonstrates that research work can realistically be completed within the standard period of time.

Less than 20% of PhD students who complete their degree end up with an academic career path within the university and university college sector. The majority of those who complete organised research training choose a career in the public or private sector after completing a PhD degree.

Postdoctoral Research Fellow (1352)


A postdoctoral post is a temporary position with a tenure of between two and four years for the purpose of qualifying for work in leading academic positions. A PhD degree is a requirement for appointment. An application for a postdoctoral post must include a proposed progress schedule for the qualification work. Postdoctoral posts do not normally include teaching activities, but since basic educational expertise and teaching experience are required for the next career stage (associate professor), we would recommend developing educational expertise.

Postdoctoral fellows are normally financed via external funds. It is only possible to be appointed for one postdoctoral period at UiT.

Associate Professor (1011)


As a general rule, associate professors should spend the same amount of time on teaching and research after deducting time allocated for other work activities. It is possible to apply for promotion from the post of associate professor to that of professor.

A Norwegian doctoral degree in the relevant field, recognition of a corresponding international doctoral degree or equivalent expertise documented through academic work of the same scope and nature is required.

The applicant must be able to document relevant practical basic educational expertise on the basis of qualifications or teaching and academic supervision.

Professor (1013)


In addition to the aforementioned requirements for associate professors, the following applies:

As a general rule, professors should spend the same amount of time on teaching and R&D activities after deducting time allocated for other work activities.

At this stage of your career, it remains very helpful to have a conscious awareness of career development. A targeted career plan can help you achieve high-ranking external funding, identify the best partners and publish through the best journals.

Becoming a professor requires an academic level that corresponds to established international or national standards, as well as documented and relevant practical basic educational expertise based on qualifications, teaching and academic supervision.

Internationally leading professor (1404)


Internationally leading professors are appointed for fixed-term tenures based on expert assessments and appointments must be approved by the Ministry. Internal candidates are given leave from their ordinary posts during fixed-term tenure appointments. Professors at this level are responsible for academic management in priority research strategy areas, interdisciplinary initiatives, development of new research programmes/research areas and the establishment and operation of centres of excellence in research at your Faculty. Considerable academic leadership skills are required, including great academic integrity, the ability to cooperate academically and develop academic communities, as well as having the ability to and interest in disseminating research results. 

Outstanding academic effort and academic authority are not sufficient grounds for qualification on their own.

The post of reader is a research and teaching post at the same level as professor, but with a different academic basis. The basic requirement for being recognised with reader expertise is extensive research and development work at a high level aimed at the professional field. In traditional professorial expertise, this primarily refers to descriptive, analytical and theorising expertise. Performance will be key to readers, in combination with the expertise to develop and manage complex professional and vocational fields, as well as analysis and reflection skills. 

University college lecturer (1107)


A university college lecturer spends most of their time on teaching activities. As a general rule, 10% of their time should be spent on continued professional development. Four years of higher education is required, at least two of which must fall within the subject they will teach. The applicant must be able to document relevant practical and educational expertise on the basis of qualifications or teaching and academic supervision.

It is possible to apply for promotion to the post of university college lecturer, but this category is rarely used at UiT.

Read more in the Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment and promotion to teaching and research positions and the Supplementary provisions for appointment and promotion to teaching and research positions at UiT.

University lecturer (1009)


As a general principle, all employees in this category will spend 80% of their time on teaching activities and up to 20% of their time on R&D work, when time for other work activities has been deducted. 

A higher degree from a university, university college or equivalent is required. The candidate must also have relevant research qualifications beyond master’s degree or postgraduate level and/or experience of relevant professional practice. You must also be able to document relevant practical educational expertise on the basis of qualifications or teaching and academic supervision.

The path to becoming a reader goes via the post of senior lecturer.

Read more in the Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment and promotion to teaching and research positions and the Supplementary provisions for appointment and promotion to teaching and research positions at UiT

Senior lecturer (1198)


As a general principle, senior lecturers will spend 70% of their working hours on teaching activities and up to 30% of their time on R&D work, when time for other work activities has been deducted. It is possible to apply for promotion from the post of senior lecturer to the post of docent.

Extensive, documented research and development work is required, which in both scope and quality are equivalent to the output and level of a doctoral thesis. Special qualifications in teaching or other educational activities will be greatly emphasised. You must also document relevant practical educational expertise on the basis of qualifications or teaching and academic supervision.

Read more in the Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment and promotion to teaching and research positions and the Supplementary provisions for appointment and promotion to teaching and research positions at UiT.

Dosent (1532)


As a general rule, dosents should spend the same amount of time on teaching and R&D activities, after deducting time allocated for other work activities.

In order to be appointed as a dosent, you must have relevant practical educational expertise on the basis of qualifications or teaching and academic supervision. You must also be able to document extensive research and development activities at a high level aimed at the field. You also require documented extensive educational development work and other educational activities of high quality. You also require higher levels of qualifications within one or more of the following areas:

  • Management of research and development projects
  • Interdisciplinary collaborations and networking
  • Extensive collaborations with businesses and the community for the development of study programmes, research and development activities
  • Professional experience of a special nature and relevance from business and the community

Read more in the Regulations concerning terms and conditions of employment and promotion to teaching and research positions and the Supplementary provisions for appointment and promotion to teaching and research positions at UiT.

The post of researcher, regardless of level, is used for research, research-related activities and research administration. Researchers may provide academic supervision to master’s degree and PhD students.

Read more about the various researcher posts in UiT’s local pay policy, which is available in the Employee Manual online. 

Researchers without doctoral degrees (1108)


The appointment criteria are a higher degree from a university, university college or equivalent, as well as relevant research qualifications beyond master’s degree or postgraduate level and/or experience from relevant professional practice.

If you have been appointed as a researcher without a doctoral degree, you need to complete a PhD in order to further your career in academia at UiT.

Researchers with doctoral degrees (1109/1110)


The appointment criteria include a Norwegian doctoral degree in the subject area in question, a corresponding international doctoral degree that is recognised as being equal to a Norwegian doctoral degree or expertise at an equivalent level documented through academic work of an equivalent scope and quality.

As a researcher with a PhD, the same recommendations apply with regard to the aspects you should consider to further your career development as those set out for postdoctoral fellows.

Researchers at professor level (1183)


The criteria for appointment as researchers at professor level are the same as the criteria for researchers with doctoral degrees, but this also requires you to have been deemed to possess professorial expertise. 

As a researcher at professor level, the same recommendations apply with regard to the aspects you should consider to further your career development as those set out for professors and internationally leading professors.

University librarians that consider themselves to be qualified can apply for promotion to senior librarian. The regulations concerning promotions to senior librarian issued by the Ministry set out the criteria that apply. Further information can be found at:https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/rundskriv-f-14-95/id108003/ 

When evaluating expertise, emphasis must be placed on a broad evaluation of the applicant’s overall qualifications. The academic expertise requirements for senior librarians must, overall, be at the same level as the requirements applicable to associate professors. The evaluation must be based on documentation of library qualifications. The emphasis placed on the various criteria may vary depending on duties and activities. Emphasis will not be placed on seniority. The evaluation must be based on:

  • academic library work
  • management and participation in library-related and other research projects
  • development of documentation and information systems at a high academic level 
  • academic processing and presentation of specialist collections, including text-critical editions 
  • documented presentations
  • preparation of teaching aids, compendiums and audiovisual aids
  • documented library-related development and research work
  • teaching, including bibliographic teaching.

Annual information meeting concerning expertise-based promotions to professor and docent posts 

In Norway, employees in teaching and research positions can apply for personal promotion based on expertise. Every year, UiT arranges information meetings concerning personal promotions to professor and docent posts.  

Research and teaching sabbaticals  

Permanent academic staff holding posts as professors, docents, associate professors and senior lecturers can apply for research and teaching sabbaticals. This is a strategic initiative intended to help UiT increase knowledge production in all fields. Guidelineslines for allocation of research and educational leave.

Educational expertise 

The programme for basic educational expertise is aimed at academic staff who do not already possess educational expertise. Academic staff who do not already possess educational expertise are normally appointed subject to qualification terms and must acquire educational expertise within an agreed time period through the programme for basic educational expertise.    

Merited teachers. In order to promote educational quality and stimulate the development of new teaching methods at UiT, the merited teacher scheme launched in 2017.

Development programme for research supervisors. In order to strengthen the supervision expertise of academic employees who supervise PhD students, UiT offers a development programme for research supervisors.

Talent development, research funding 

The Arctic MSCA-PF programme for postdoctoral fellows applying for funding from the EU’s career and mobility programme, the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (MSCA-PF). 

UiT Aurora Outstanding is a career development programme that offers inter-faculty and systematic follow-up of talented researchers at the start of their research careers. The programme is a collaboration between UiT - The Arctic University of Norway and the Tromsø Research Foundation (TFS). The programme aims to provide participants with the opportunity to develop their careers at UiT to become leaders of internationally recognised research groups and strengthen their opportunities for obtaining competitive external funding.

Generic skills 

High North Academy offers courses in generic skills for PhD students and postdoctoral fellows.

Management programmes

Programme for programme managers is a development programme intended to contribute towards greater awareness surrounding programme management.

The educational management programme at the University of Oslo is aimed at administrative and academic educational managers and aims to contribute to participants becoming more aware of their own management roles and freedom to act within the organisation. UiT has access to a few spaces on this programme and participants from our university are selected via an internal application process.

The research management programme - starting level at the University of Oslo is aimed at new research managers. UiT has access to a few spaces on this programme and participants from our university are selected via an internal application process.

The research management programme - consolidation level at the University of Oslo is aimed at experienced research managers. UiT has access to a few spaces on this programme and participants from our university are selected via an internal application process.

The UiT programme for management development is aimed at academic and administrative managers and aims to increase expertise relating to the core business and individual management roles at UiT. 

Internal courses at UiT are published on this page (Feide login required): Internal courses at UiT

Here, you can find the information that will help you navigate the digital working day: Digital workplace | UiT

Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education


Contact persons: Spaun, Trude | UiT and Vråberg Hough, Elisabeth | UiT

Faculty of Engineering Science and Technology


Contact persons: Sletbakk, Christine Greger | UiT and Gjerløw, Anne | UiT

Faculty of Science and Technology


Contact Person: Djupevåg-Hansen, Ida | UiT

Faculty of Health Sciences


Contact persons: Wilhelmsen, Eirin | UiT and Pedersen, Marita | UiT

Faculty of Law


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Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics


Contact Person: Høydal, Anne | UiT

The Arctic University Museum of Norway and Academy of Fine Arts


Contact Person: Aase, Elisabet | UiT

The University Library


Contact Persons: Ryeng, Runa Rønning | UiT and Dahl, Lotte | UiT

UiT Talent

Achieving external funding for ones research activity is important for the individuals personal career. UiT's new strategy, Eallju–Drivkraft i nord, sets ambitious goals for UiT's professional activities in research, education, innovation and dissemination until 2030. It is necessary for UiT's development as a research university that the externally financed part of the activity is developed into increased capacity in research, education, innovation, and communication. Toward achieving that goal, effort and commitment is required from managers, scientific staff, and the research administrative support apparatus. UiT Talent is a comprehensive support program that includes tools that aim at inspiring and supporting an increased number of new project proposals for external funding, both nationally and internationally.

Research and education sabbatical, including mobility for faculty members

Research and education sabbatical is a professional stimulation scheme and not a right for employees at UiT. The tool aims to strengthen the quality and scope of the institution's activities by giving professional staff an opportunity to carry out coherent professional work; whether it is deepening one's own research and innovation activities, development of new forms of teaching or new educations, further development of existing study programmes, development of projects, development of methods or establishment of collaboration with other environments, nationally and internationally. The research and education sabbatical should contribute to strengthening the applicant's professional environment and realize the institution's strategies and objectives. Faculty members with four years or more permanent position is eligible to apply. Read the full guideline for eligibility and applications.

The different faculties at UiT desides if they also give financial support for stays abroad, se below for more information.

Mobility schemes for academic staff

International mobility can help promote career development, contributing towards the learning of new methods, networking, collaboration and the emergence of new ideas. International mobility is also an unspoken prerequisite for success in some competitive arenas. Academic supervisors and managers must be aware of the importance of mobility through management training and more. Mobility should be part of the employee’s career plan. It must be discussed during employee appraisals/development appraisals and form an integral part of the academic group plans. Some faculties give financial support for stays abroad, see below for more information.

Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education


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Faculty of Engineering Science and Technology


[Skriv innhold her]

Faculty of Science and Technology


[Skriv innhold her]

Faculty of Health Sciences


The Faculty of Health Sciences offers a number of support schemes for PhD candidates and faculty. Below is an overview of the schemes and administrative support available.

Faculty of Law


[Skriv innhold her]

Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics


[Skriv innhold her]

The Arctic University Museum of Norway and Academy of Fine Arts


[Skriv innhold her]

The University Library


[Skriv innhold her]

PhD candidates

If you are visiting this webpage as a PhD candidate, we are pretty certain that your current life goal is to successfully complete your PhD degree. But what comes after that? As a PhD candidate it is essential to actively plan and develop your career already during the course of your PhD work.

The following information therefore provides an overview of support services for PhD career development at UiT. The aim is to prepp you for a successful career both within and outside of academia.

Please note that some linked resources are available in Norwegian only. These are clearly labeled and you may consider using the automatic translate function in browsers such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge for best use of these resources.

To kick-start your career planning, have a look at this 11-minute video which explains the motivation behind career planning.

As mentioned above, it is essential to actively plan your career during the course of your PhD. This will greatly increase your chance of future professional success and development. At some faculties, a career plan is an obligatory part of your project descriptionThe following points will help you in the career planning process:

  • Self-appraisal: what are your interests, goals and skills?
  • Investigate job opportunities: expand your horizon and investigate which possibilities are out there.
  • Build skills: identify skills gaps and how to fill them.
  • Build a network: investigate possibilites for networking that can help you to reach your career amibitions.
  • Develop an action plan: devise a concrete plan for reaching your goals and to prepare you for the job application process.

Additionally, the yearly appraisal meeting (Norw. "medarbeidersamtale": scroll down to "medarbeider- og utviklingsplaner - maler" - information in English) with your nearest leader, usually your head of department, provides a unique opportunity for discussing your ambitions and plans for your future career.

Self-appraisal


What are your personal interests and values? What are your amibitions for your future professional life? What skills do you possess? This information forms the basis of your career development plan. Start by mapping this out using the following resources:

Tools Description
Personality test (the Big Five) The Big Five, sometimes refered to as the OCEAN model,  categorises personality into five dimensions: Openness to experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. This test is designed to get to know yourself better and to gain insight into your preferances, values and interests.
Cultural dimensions test This test provides insight into personal culturally-based values and behaviour. Based on acknowledged theories on cultural dimensions, it helps you to navigate and adapt to multi-cultural work environments. It is also a tool for becoming aware of your own strengths derived from your cultural background.
ResearchComp The European competence framework to help researchers map and develop their transferable skills, as well as to make potential employers aware of the broad skills set found among researchers.
ImaginePhD A platform for career development tailored to PhD candidates and young researchers in the field of humanities and social sciences, though with useful resources for all fields. The platform provides open resources after registration, such as self-assessment, skills maping, career examples and job-finding resources.
myIDP Science Careers A tool for career development tailored to PhD candidates and young researchers from the natural sciences. This platform provides self-assessment, skills assessment and resources for simplifying career development. 

Explore job opportunities


Explore job opportunities and expand your horizon of potential career paths by:

  • clicking on "career paths" in the left tab for examples of different career choices after a completed PhD degree.
  • Career days at UiT (in Norwegian): participate in the yearly career days (Norw. "karrieredager") at UiT, campus Tromsø. These are a perfect opportunity to get to know potential future employers from the industry, public or private sector.
  • Karriereveiledning.no (in Norwegian): a web-based resource for exploring different job possibilities, as well as the possibility to chat with a career counselor online or by telephone.

Competance and network building


Are you missing a key competance required by your dream job? Is there a network that could be crucial for landing your dream job? Building your competance and your network during your PhD can be crucial for landing that dream job.

Tips for what you can do to increase your competance and build your network while getting your PhD at UiT:

  • Take courses in transferable skills: transferable skills are key competances such as written and oral presentation, digital competance, collaborative skills, problem solving, and leadership skills. These are skills that are highly sought after by employers and will increase your employability. Find an overview of available courses at UiT by clicking the left tab "courses and other activities".
  • Join a research school: UiT is associated with several research schools that cover a wide range of disciplines and institutions. Research schools offer workshops, seminars, courses and mobility opportunities. Joining a research school will also expand your network beyond your supervisory group. Please note that some research schools require your supervisor to be a member for you to become a member as a PhD candidate.
  • Secondments: to intern outside of academia (industry, public or private sector) is a golden opportunity to gain work experience as well as getting to know potential future employers and expanding your network. Click on "secondments" under the left tab "vocational skills" for more information.
  • Stay abroad: Staying abroad during your PhD is a fantastic opportunity to build your network, boost your competance and improve your CV. Explore mobility opportunity at UiT here (in Norwegian).

Source: World Economic Forum (2020).

Job application process


Preparing yourself for the job application process is fundamental for success. Here are some important aspects to consider:

  • Learn about the company and position you are applying to: understand their values, goals and working culture.
  • Tailor your CV: adapt your CV and application to the current position by highlighting relevant skills and experience. We recommend using the European standard CV-format.
  • Write a convincing application letter: karriereveiledning.no can help with this (Norwegian only). However, there are many other online resources. 
  • Prepare for the interview: prepare your answers to standard questions (e.g. here) in advance, in a way that highlights your skills and qualifications. Be prepared to talk about your experience and how it fits the job description. Maybe you have a friend or colleague that can help you to practice your answers in a mock interview setting?
  • Prepare yourself mentally: landing your first job can be a long and frustrating process. Be prepared to deal with rejection and work on keeping motivated. Maybe you can start a peer group so that you can support each other during this process?

CV courses and interview training at UiT

  • Career days ("karrieredager") at UiT is a yearly event that also offers CV courses and interview training.
  • The university library (UB) and TODOS (UiTs association for PhDs and post-docs) arrange regular workshops and courses on career-related topics, incl. CV writing. Check out their websites for coming arrangements.

Jobb search engines

National International
jobbnorge.no (English version) EURES a database for jobs within EEA countries and Switzerland
arbeidsplassen.no (in Norwegian) EURAXESS Find your job, funding or hosting opportunity. Browse through thousands of vacancies and fellowships from Europe and around the world.
Finn.no (in Norwegian) PhDHub a platform with job announcements for PhD candidates, within academia and with opportunities in industry
Jobbsafari.no (in Norwegian)  
Karrierestart.no (in Norwegian)  

With your PhD degree, a broad spectrum of career oppportunities in diverse sectors will open up for you. Even if a higher education in academia may seem like the natural continuation, a large number of PhD degree holders wind up in jobs outside of academia. This is due to, in part, a limited number of academic positions as well as an increasing demand of specialised employees in other sectors. Which career path you choose will depend on your area of expertise, personal preferences and skills, as well as the current demand of the labour market.

Career opportunities


Career opportunities/sector Examples of positions Resources and useful links
Higher education/academia
  • postdoctoral or researcher
  • university lecturer or associate professor
  • academic administration e.g. research administration
Innovation and entrepreneurship
  • research advisor or analyst in public or non-profit organisation
  • entrepreneur or founder of start-up
  • specialist in technology transfer or IPR
Consultant/advisory services
  • analyst or advisor in public or international organisation
  • research consultant in consultant company
  • Expert for industry/start-up
  • Education consultant for curriculum development or assessment
Research and development (R&D)
  • data analyst in research institution
  • industry researcher/technician in tech or biotech company
  • R&D-leader or innovation expert
Communication and dissemination
  • Scientific editor or developer for academic publications
  • Scientific writer or journalist for media channels or scientific publications
  • communication advisor for science centre/museum (curator)
Public sector
  • scientific advisor or research analyst in public research agency
  • analyst/advisor in entity for development of research guidelines and policies
  • spesialist in regulations regarding pharmaceutical/environmental sector
  • Grant manager in research-funding organisation
Non-profit organisations (NGOs)
  • program or research coordinator in non-govermental/non-profit organisation
  • analyst/assessment expert of social impact for NGO
  • research positions in non-govermental research insitute or organisation
  • positions in R&D work

Vocational interviews


Do you want to hear about the experience of others in their vocation? At utdanning.no you can read interviews with PhD degree holders, working in various sectors (in Norwegian).

Here you will find an overview of courses and activities for PhD candidates at UiT.

Courses in transferable skills


Transferable skills are skills and competances that can be applied to a wide range of situations, branches and vocations. Examples for such skills are collaborative skills, critical thinking, problem solving and cultural awareness. Developing such skills will make you better prepared for a society and work life demanding continuous development and personal growth.

Courses in transferable skills at UiT:

  • High North Academy (HNA) is financed by UiT and organises PhD courses in transferable skills. The courses are usually run as intensive week-long courses and are designed for PhD candidates from all fields and faculties at UiT. The courses are mainly run physically at UiTs Tromsø campus.

Career days and workshops


Career days

Participate in UiTs yearly career days (website in Norwegian) for an unique opportunity to network with potential employers and representatives from different sectors. This event provides an arena where you can meet potential employers directly, participate in presentations, mingling, and receive valuable training such as CV- and LinkedIn-courses, skills testing and interview training. You can even obtain a professional headshot for your CV and profile. Career days provide an indispensable resource for kick-starting your career and building relationships to the professional world.

Workshop: career development for PhD candidates

We regularly run career workshops for PhD Candidates. They are announced here, on Tavla and through TODOS.

Other courses and activities


UiTs course catalogue: PhD courses

Click here for UiTs course catalogue under the area (Norw. "fagområde"): "forskerutdanning". The PhD-level courses that appear have an English description (course codes in the 8000s).

Courses and workshops organised by the university library

Every semester the university library (UB) provides a wide spectrum of courses at all leves (bachelor, master, PhD), including courses for employees. Their teaching methods are flexible and most courses are on offer both in Norwegian and English.

Course in university pedagogy

RESULT offers a course in university pedagogy aimed at PhD candidates that want to improve their teaching skills. The aim of this course is to help you to improve your pedagogical competance and to reflect over your roll as a teacher in a higher-education environment.

PhDHub

PhD Hub is a platform that fosters interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration, connecting researchers and PhD candidates with industry opportunities. More than just a listing service, it offers personalised opportunities for PhD candidates, with filters for conferences, funding, internships, and training programs across Europe.

It is important to build up your vocational skills already during the course of your PhD degree as this will facilitate your transition from academia to the labour market. It will also increase your employability, and provide you with the practical skills required by different branches. These vocational skills include teamwork, project management, communication and networking. Such skills will help you to apply your research skills to a wider context and to promote your ability for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Secondments


Secondments provide you with an opportunity to temporarily work outside of your usual academic environment, e.g. in a business or relevant organisation. This is a chance for you to apply and expand your expertise in a more practical context, as well as build your network and gain insight into how your research can be directly applied outside of academia.

Although UiT supports such initiatives, it is expected that you take the initiative to explore and establish possibilities for secondments. You should discuss your plans with your supervisor to ensure that the secondment is relevant to your degree work.

Useful templates:

These documents assist in formalising expectations to ensure that both you and your host have a common understanding of the aims and content of the secondment.

Innovation and entrepreneurship


Innovation and entrepreneurship are tightly linked to vocational skills as both of these skills sets demand numerous qualities which are highly sought after by the professional world. These qualities include creativity and problem solving, initiative and decision making, teamwork and networking, leadership and vision. Collectively, innovation and entrepreneurship are not only important for economic growth and development, but also for developing and promoting personal and professional success.

Info and support for innovation at UiT

  • Do you have an idea? Click here to find out how you can innovate at UiT.
  • Does your research show commercial potential? Contact Norinnova (UiT's technology transfer office, TTO).
  • Innovation stipend at UiT: this provides you with the time and the possibility to develop your idea towards a potential innovation. Two stipends are awared annually, click here for more information.

Course in academic entrepreneurship at UiT

  • BED-8004: Academic entrepreneurship (spring 2025): join this comprehensive course designed to equip you with the necessary skills to navigate the entrepreneurial landscape.

Other useful resources

  • PhD Hub is a European platform designed to promote collaboration between academia and industry. It acts as a bridge connecting PhD candidates, universities and research institutions with industrial partners. The platform aims to facilitate innovation by addressing real-world problems through collaborative research projects. It provides the possibility for universities to showcase their research programmes and for companies to present their research needs with the ultimate goal to create synergies for collaborative PhD projects, innovative solutions and knowledge transfer.

Managers

Here you can find out what constitutes good management in the public sector, as well as management development tools: The Norwegian government’s employer portal

UiT managament development programme

Management development includes activities for various management groups, academic and administrative alike. A desired main objective is to create a culture for management, consistently at all levels of the organisation, from a long-term strategic perspective, including the further development of a shared understanding of the performance of management in order to inspire strategic and relational management and further develop interactions and group processes within management groups.

Are YOU a manager and would you like to help develop UiT and management at UiT? This could be just the thing for you! 

We can offer a management development programme that is research-based, experience-based and focused on development, encompassing the best examples from the field of practice. 

The programme aims to inspire you to carry out management in a way that supports the UiT strategy and reflects excellent management principles. Here, you will have the opportunity to discuss challenges and development areas faced by UiT and to view these in the context of your own management role and development. By signing up, you commit to participate in a comprehensive development pathway spanning four two-day sessions.

Objectives of the programme


The programme sets the standard for outstanding management at UiT and supports quality in the core business (research and teaching activities). We do this by providing participants with increased expertise and an understanding of

  • the core business
  • their own management role
  • Employees
  • UiT as an institution

The programme will also provide greater confidence as a manager in a positive and appropriate manner, knowledge of the tools available to managers, freedom to act and insight into how you can be a relevant contributor to strategic goal attainment, as well as possibilities for horizontal and vertical networking across the organisation.

Thematic sessions


These sessions offer academic and experience-based presentations on topics that are relevant to managers at UiT. We emphasise dialogue, exchange of experiences and practical tasks. A recurring questions throughout is “What does this mean for UiT specifically, for the core business and for you as a manager?” In order to achieve the best learning outcomes from the management programme, it is crucial for participants to attend all sessions and the base group meetings in between sessions. 

The main elements of the programme are: 

Sessions Theme Contents
First session: 21-23 February You as a manager – insights provide prospects 
  • The manager’s freedom to act
  • The duties of the manager 
  • Perspectives on the performance of management  
Second session: 25-27 April 2022 Identity and affiliation 
  • Various forms of identity and affiliation in a complex institution  
  • How should managers deal with such diversity in identities and affiliations?  
Third session: 12-14 September 2022 Culture and environment 
  • How can the management role help support positive environments?   
  • How to get the best from employees and create a professionally strong culture?
Fourth session: 21-23 November 2022 The future of UiT with you as a manager 
  • Trends and governance signals 
  • What will it mean to be a university in the society of tomorrow?

Target group


If you hold a formal management role at UiT, then you are part of the target group. 

The programme has 30 spaces available and admission is by application and recommendation from your immediate superior.

Base groups


We will offer you a space in a base group that will follow you throughout the entire programme. Here, you will have the time and space for personal development and reflection together with other managers at UiT. The base groups, each comprising 8-10 members, will be assigned a permanent supervisor, who will assist the group throughout the programme. The purpose is to ensure that there is help and support available for personal development. Real cases from day-to-day work and independent/group exercises as part of the base group will be a recurring theme. Active participation and commitment to the base group will be a prerequisite for ensuring positive results.

Experiences


Three managers, Terje Martinussen, Kjersti Dahle and Ragnhild Johanne Rensaa, talk about their experiences of the UiT programme. 

Terje Martinussen, former Head of Department at the Norwegian University College of Fishery Sciences 

“Gaining an insight into the various management roles at UiT has been extremely valuable. I have also learned a lot about UiT as an organisation. It’s rare to have the time to actively think about your own role. Here, I have received theoretical input and the opportunity to discuss issues that arise during everyday work as a manager. This is very useful. I also need to mention the academic network, which is crucial both during the programme and afterwards.” 

Kjersti Dahle, Head of Section - Section for Student Administration 

“This programme is very much worth the investment and I have found it incredibly useful. I have, of course, learned a lot about the theories behind management, but I have also learned a lot about myself. This has resulted in a lot of reflection on my own management and my employees. Everyone in my cohort intends to share their experiences and knowledge and I have learned a lot from the others.”  

Ragnhild Johanne Rensaa, Pro-Dean of Education at the Faculty of Engineering and Technology. 

“The UiT management programme has provided me with new perspectives and made me more aware of how to solve management challenges in academia. It has also allowed me to get to know colleagues at UiT whose duties are similar to mine and share experiences with them. I have also had the opportunity to get to know UiT better as an organisation and received input in the form of several interesting lectures. These were often delivered by colleagues at the University and resulted in numerous group discussions.”

Programme committee


The University management is the contracting authority in respect of the UiT programme. A programme committee consisting of contributors from various units at UiT is responsible for the academic development and implementation of the programme. The programme committee work is headed up by the Section for HR and Organisation, which is part of the Department of Organisation and Finance.  

Programme committee:

Elisabeth Westad 

Gølin Irene Larsen 

Ståle Liljedal 

Julia Holte Sempler 

Sonni Olsen 

In order to succeed in becoming better at stimulating career development at the institution, we need to increase our efforts to increase management expertise in the area. Research managers at research group and department level are those who have the most contact with academic staff. The same applies to programme managers at the individual departments. Academic managers require knowledge and skills in order to contribute to the professional development of their colleagues.

There is high turnover among these group managers, which means that there will always be new managers in need of skills development in both management and employee follow-up. Management training for academic managers primarily takes place in the faculties. UiT has a management development programme that is open to academic and administrative managers at institutional level.

Research management program at UiO

The research management programme offers an intensive development pathway for research managers. If you are considering applying, please contact the faculty administration at the Faculty of Health Sciences. UiO research management programme

EMBO Research management

EMBO offers a number of different courses in research management and self-management. Topics include management, communication, negotiation, conflict resolution, problem-solving and team development. See a list of all courses, dates and registration details on the EMBO website.

The target group is postdoctoral fellows and researchers with HR responsibility for a research group or team as part of a major project. The courses are international and provide a networking venue for international research managers.

Dean


Dean

The Dean is the head of the faculty and is responsible for day-to-day management of academic and administrative activities at the faculty. The Dean will appoint pro-dean(s) and will prepare instructions for them. The Dean and, in their place, the pro-dean, is entitled to participate in all faculty board, council and committee meetings.

Supplementary instructions for the Dean can be found in the HR portal.

The Dean school UHR 

The programme is intended for deans and heads of department and will provide participants with increased expertise in order to develop their own management roles. The main emphasis is on the strategic, academic, HR and financial aspects of the management role. Networking and exchange of experience play central parts.

The Norwegian Association of Higher Educational Institutions’ management development programme

Pro-dean


The pro-dean is a function only and it is not possible to be employed as pro-dean. The Dean will appoint the person they would like to serve as the pro-dean and duties are drawn up for the individual based on the Dean’s requirements/needs. There are no instructions available for pro-deans as there are for the Dean and heads of department.

Head of Department


The head of department is responsible for the day-to-day management of the overall academic and administrative activities at the department.

The head of department is responsible for ensuring that administrative and managerial tasks are performed effectively and in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and rules, as well as within the financial framework set out by the overall authority, university board and faculty board.

Separate instructions have been drawn up for this post, with and without a department board, and these can be found in the HR portal.

Grounds for qualification: Professor/docent/senior expertise in relevant fields is normally required for this post.

Research group chair/programme manager


Programme manager

The programme manager will contribute to the development of the learning environment and the academic and educational quality of the study programme. The role of the programme manager is advisory and duties are performed in close dialogue and collaboration with the Dean, head of department, course coordinators, lecturers and students. The development of quality in study programmes is a collective responsibility in the academic environment. The programme manager will chair the programme committee and reports to the responsible line manager. The duties of the programme manager are described below, starting from the circle on the right, where the development of academic and educational quality lays the foundations for the development of a comprehensive learning environment.

Research group chair

A research group can be established and changed by the head of department by request from researchers/heads of department. The research group chair is appointed by the head of department. The research group chair will have senior expertise and should generally be employed in a permanent main or secondary position a. The research group chair must also have documented experience of project/research management, network collaboration and guidance of PhD candidates. The research group chair must have experience with external financing of research and must have solid academic credentials. 

Head of Studies (currently from the Faculty of Health Sciences/Department of Health and Care Sciences)


The Head of Studies can either be an employed role or a function. 

The Head of Studies is primarily an academic management position associated with a specific qualification and will be part of the department’s management team. The post includes responsibility for day-to-day monitoring of education and for ensuring that the necessary systems for quality assurance are in place and working as intended within their area of responsibility. HR and financial responsibilities may be included in the role. The Head of Studies is responsible for developing education in accordance with framework plans and academic plans and may be responsible for the development of the academic portfolio for the qualification. The Head of Studies can also be assigned teaching duties.

Qualification requirements: The Head of Studies should generally be qualified for employment in teaching and research posts relating to the education and should possess knowledge about the programme, as well as teaching experience. Administrative experience and management and finance experience would be desirable. A minimum of three years of experience from the health service is required for appointment as head of studies for health science qualifications.

There are different types of management positions at UiT and the assessment criteria can be found in the local pay policy. There are also functions/roles that entail great responsibility with regard to the management of employees and academic elements alike. These roles are often referred to as academic group managers and are a function held for a specific period of time. There are some positions at UiT in which part of the position involves acting as an academic group manager. For those holding the function/role for a specific period rather than as part of their ordinary post, a functional allowance may be awarded that will cease when you step down from the function.

It is a good idea to discuss with your immediate superior during career appraisals if you have any desires/ambitions for a management career. It is important that you develop yourself as a manager if you are employed in a management role and there are various forms of training available internally and through the Norwegian government’s employer portal.


Tips and tricks

Valuable tips and tricks for managers and employees working with career and competence development will be posted continuously on this page. You can find answers to frequently asked questions below.

UiT has put together a resource group to assist the units and managers in implementing and using the toolbox for career and competence development at UiT. More information about the resource group can be found below. 

Preformance and development review (Career plans) - templates

It is necessary for managers and employees to meet annually to clarify ambitions, evaluate development, adjust directions and create new plans for the future. A career plan will be an important starting point for such meetings and will help make the dialogue more relevant, structured and clear with regard to both individual development and group development.  

A development meeting will, in addition to day-to-day dialogue between managers and employees, constitute a crucial instrument for professional development. Career meetings based on these new templates will replace the current employee appraisal interviews. The focus of the meeting will be on the development of the employee and the group and historic and future objectives. Career meetings will be introduced as part of a comprehensive framework for career planning and career follow-up at UiT. 

Prior to the career meeting, the employee must complete the template career plan applicable to their job category and language and must notify their immediate supervisor of any topics or questions they wish to discuss. Employees are expected to assume ownership of their own career plan as part of their development at UiT. Career meetings are intended to encompass a broader scope than traditional employee appraisals and have a clear focus on the professional development and potential of the individual.  

The academic communities at UiT are very different and it should therefore be up to the individual units to clarify who career meetings will be held by. At some units, this will be the head of department, at other units it could be the research group chair or academic group chair and at other units again it could be more appropriate for both the research group chair and programme manager to participate in development meetings together. In the cases where career plans require the use of resources, plans must be clarified with a manager with budgetary authority. 

Go to "Templates" to find career plan templates for all job categories.

Click on the template that suits you, download it to your folder in OneDrive called "My Career" and save it there. Share your template/plan with your immediate manager in OneDrive and schedule your career meeting.

For more information about sharing files/documents in OneDrive, see: OneDrive: Dele mapper og filer - Selvbetjeningsportal (topdesk.net) (Requires Feide-login)

Career plans may, in some cases contain confidential information or sensitive personal data, the document must then be classified as confidential. Here you will find guidance on how to classify documents in Word: How to classify in Word?