UiA seeks to be an open and inclusive university that is characterised by a culture of collaboration. Knowledge is successfully co-created when staff, students and the larger community challenge each other.
UiA wishes to further develop education and research at a high international level. Knowledge development will take place in a field of tension between close collaboration and critical distance. Together with the larger community, UiA will develop new methods for internal and external collaboration.
Regional, national and global collaboration set up new perspectives and solutions for the society of the future, and UiA is to be a driving force for developing society, culture, and industry and commerce.
The University of Agder shall offer education and disseminate knowledge as well as carry out research and artistic development work at a high international level. Our vision of “co-creation of knowledge” and our priority areas will clarify the university’s profile and provide a direction for practicing our social mission. UiA will widen the scope of its dissemination assignment through new forms of collaboration with the community at large.
In research, and in scholarly and artistic development work, we co-create with our students, with the wider community and with our international partners. A culture for excellence in research also means a culture for learning, openness and critical thinking. High-quality, international research is the basis for all the priority areas, but will at the same time itself be developed by a successful implementation of strategy. This entails aiming for long-term research goals, high-quality research management and solid research groups.
Further developing research at UiA requires a long-term perspective, beyond this strategy period. The university therefore needs a plan for research and scholarly and artistic development work which incorporates the priority areas of the strategy, but which also looks forward to 2025.
UiA will be an excellent university for studies and teaching. We have high ambitions for the students’ learning and for the staff’s commitment to their teaching.
Our study programmes will be developed in the span between the uniqueness of the subjects, the challenges of society and changes in working life. In order for our students to succeed in a future labour market, they must acquire new knowledge, have the ability to reflect critically and use their knowledge in new ways. A dynamic learning environment will facilitate competence development and personal formation.
Through our study programmes the students’ learning will be characterized by research and development work, and artistic development work. We will develop and implement future-oriented, varied, involving and practice-oriented teaching and learning methods which will give the students good learning conditions and a foundation for life-long learning and community involvement.
UiA will intensify its efforts in the field of further – and continuing education, emphasizing the needs of the region and developments in society at large.
Co-creation of knowledge through studies, research and artistic development work will be central to all activities at UiA. Our study programmes and our teaching shall be based on a high scholarly level. Our students will meet, and be included in, research activities at an early stage of their education. The outcome is enhanced ability to reflect critically, learning and scholarly competence. UiA will further develop its study programmes through research-based knowledge, and through research focused on own programmes and teaching activities.
Emphasis on clear education management will enhance the quality of study programmes and teaching. We will work strategically and systematically in order to develop the programme portfolio, also within further – and continuing education. UiA will establish a joint system for programme management at all levels, including the PhD programmes. Programme management will ensure unity and coherence in the programmes. This includes facilitating variation in teaching methods, assessment methods and learning activities as well as to establish arenas for scholarly discussions.
UiA remains committed to high-quality teaching and to providing optimal learning conditions for its students. We will further develop the competence of the scientific employees within teaching, supervision and the use of digital tools through a binding and general programme for competence- raising. A pedagogical merits system will be established and the university will strengthen the Associate Professor – career path.
An inclusive and living learning environment is an important precondition for the development of knowledge and personal formation. We have high ambitions for our students’ learning and learning outcomes. We will further develop and implement future-oriented, varied and involving teaching and learning methods. In order to give additional weight to the aspect of working – life relevance, the students will take part in practice-oriented learning activities. We will also involve the students in the academic community by participation in research projects and research-like learning processes.
A global mindset will be an integrated part of UiA culture, while at the same time we will be conscious of the beneficial preconditions we enjoy as a Norwegian university.
Global issues will be integrated in both study programmes and research. In both national and global cooperation UiA will present research at a high international level. This is one of the preconditions for being able to offer excellent education and for maintaining our role as a significant actor in society at large.
Our campuses shall make visible that UiA is an inviting and inclusive host for Norwegian and international students as well as for employees and collaboration partners. The campuses will be an exciting and dynamic arena for co-creation.
In order to produce high-quality, international research we will develop our networks in all areas. Academic environments will increase their participation and visibility in the international research discourse. We aim to strengthen our participation in the global arenas and in international projects and research programmes. UiA will attract, support and keep talented researchers. Through recruitment, infrastructure and facilitation we will further develop research groups to be at the forefront internationally.
Meetings between people and cultures across borders enrich research, study programmes and our role as an institution for self-formation. Students, staff and guests from other countries must be met with openness and feel themselves included. We will establish meeting places which stimulate to dialogue and mutual cultural development.
In a steadily more globalised world the demand for both global insight and experience is growing; in working life as well as in society in general. All our study programmes will therefore comprise both Norwegian and global perspectives and include possibilities for student exchange. We will develop more studies which may attract an increasingly international student population. For the staff, global culture – and competence building will be facilitated.
Strengthening the visibility of our study programmes and research will contribute to making UiA into a preferred partner, educational institution and employer. UiA needs an active dialogue with the world, and will gradually increase its use of interactive media for research dissemination and sharing of knowledge.
We will strengthen our involvement in the global south in long-term collaboration with Norwegian and international partners. Through joint educational programmes and R&D both UiA and its partners will increase their competence and their contribution to development.
The University of Agder will make a difference for students, staff and the community. In close collaboration with the region, UiA will meet the complex challenges of the future. UiA will strengthen its relevance and visibility by challenging, supporting and improving society.
UiA will conduct research and artistic development work and provide research based knowledge for developing the society of the future.
UiA will have a clearly defined role as facilitator and contributor for promoting innovation in community, culture and enterprises and strengthen research based innovation in the region and beyond. This will take place in close collaboration and co-creation with local public and private enterprises.
Staff and students at UiA will be active participants in the public debate. The university wishes to ensure a free, critical and open debate and to contribute with analyses for the culture, trade and industry and public life of the future.
UiA will increase its commitment to developing regional culture, commerce and industry and other public and private enterprises. Staff and student will meet in various forums in order to maintain the university’s position as an active participant in discussions of important societal challenges like sustainability, economic development, plurality, gender equality, migration and social justice.
Research and scholarly and artistic development work are the basis for the university’s social involvement. In cases where better solutions to the challenges of the future can be found through interdisciplinary approaches, UiA will facilitate for these. Students will be involved in research projects and artistic development work that are relevant to the community at large.
New ideas and innovation are decisive factors for the development of the region, both concerning competitiveness, a dynamic cultural life and for ensuring future-oriented welfare solutions and other public services. UiA will have a clear role as facilitator and contributor for increasing both research-based and experience-based innovation. Furthermore, UiA will offer relevant teaching for life-long learning and future-oriented needs. The university will also be an active participant and contributor to the development of ideas and knowledge, and increase its efforts in commercialization of research-based business ideas.
Students and staff at UiA will be active in the public debate. The university will challenge the various participants with new questions and problems and contribute with relevant knowledge, critical reflections and in-depth understanding. We will be part of a culture that is characterized by courage, clarity, respect and integrity in the social debate.
Staff and students will follow closely social challenges and problems like sustainability, economic development, plurality, gender equality, migration and social justice. UiA will develop further and establish new arenas and forms of interaction and co-creation. Jointly, UiA and the community must have the courage to experiment and try out new solutions and forms of cooperation.