Why do you want to be the next Rector of UiO?
– UiO is a fine and worthy institution. Recent political developments have made it more important for me to help defend UiO's and academia's position. I have extensive leadership experience and my interdisciplinary background is worthy of note. I enjoy getting people to work together and am inspired by processes that help staff and students at UiO to flourish.
– I am passionate about education. Although we are one of Norway's foremost seats of learning, both the learning environment and the content of our study programmes are open to improvement. It must be made easier to take subjects across disciplines and faculties, and it is also important to encourage better teaching, including by developing alternative, dedicated career paths. Good teaching must provide merits and count towards promotion.
In your opinion, what is good leadership?
– Two things characterize good leadership. Firstly, one must inspire and encourage, and secondly, one must remove unnecessary day-to-day practical obstacles – in other words, working both with people and organization. Those who shall lead UiO must be recognized and respected within their field, and we are a very strong team. Inger Sandlie is a world leader in her field, and Jan Frich is a broadly oriented researcher, with considerable experience of leading and developing various study programmes. Good leadership inspires trust and respect by being open, evidence-based, fair and predictable.
– Significant differences exist between the units at UiO, and thus it is important for the rectorate to remain in close dialogue with the faculties and departments. Having served as Dean for eight years, I experienced frustration over the amount of time that was spent in responding to measures from the central and faculty administration. We must have better dialogue between units and levels, demonstrating respect for each other's strengths and preconditions. The group of faculty Deans may be used to advantage as a strategic body to discuss what UiO should be, rather than as a type of consultative body as it is today. Moreover, good leadership is more proactive than reactive, and it should also colour our relationship with the world at large. For example, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and UiT The Arctic University of Norway have captured development trends and set premises in the field of education. I would like UiO to be in the forefront when there is a need for reforms.
What will UiO look like in 10 years' time?
– Seen from the outside, we will not appear that different, but we will remain the strongest academic institution in Norway. Internally I hope we will have a more flexible and transparent organization that embraces multidisciplinarity in research and teaching.
What is UiO's social remit?
– We manage much larger assets than can be seen in our budgets, and here I am thinking especially of the assets that the students contribute. The students entrust us with valuable years of their lives. It is not only the state, but we who bear a responsibility for them, We must provide them with opportunities to develop, and inspire them to be ambitious on their own behalf and that of society. We also bear a weight of responsibility to impart knowledge to society. I believe that good researchers produce innovation when provided with the right conditions, and that good educators are accomplished communicators if they are given platforms from which to communicate. It is a management task to make such provisions and create such platforms.
What are your views on UiO's three interdisciplinary initiatives?
– The initiatives are crucial, and openness to multidisciplinarity must permeate throughout UiO. Life sciences constitutes a convergence driven by an internal development in the disciplines themselves, whereas the other two initiatives on energy and the Nordic countries are more problem-driven. We must facilitate more bottom-up initiatives. I am very concerned with multidisciplinarity. It is absolutely necessary to work with people from different disciplines in order to resolve new issues, without this being at the expense of the separate disciplines. It is our aim to remove organizational and cultural barriers to multidisciplinarity, for example in our study programmes.
Why is Inger Sandlie your candidate for Pro-Rector?
– She was recommended by everyone I spoke to, and we were an immediate match. She enjoys great respect both within UiO and externally, and we are completely aligned on all issues. We inspire and enhance each other, and moreover she is one of our best researchers, in terms of basic research as well as innovation. She possesses a unique insight and competence with regard to the route from basic research to innovation and advancement.
Why should UiOs' employees and students vote for you?
– We should be elected because we have an excellent programme, a strong commitment to UiO, and the qualities needed to succeed. We have broad experience from formal channels, and our approach to university democracy and leadership is consistent with what the majority at UiO stand for.
Read the interview with Rector candidate Svein Stølen and his answers to the same questions.