Regulations concerning appointment and promotion to teaching and research posts

Chapter 1: Criteria for appointment to teaching and research posts

Section 1-1 General provisions

1. These regulations provide general criteria for appointment to teaching and research posts at institutions under the Act relating to universities and university colleges. Institutions may specify additional requirements for each type of post for the whole institution or parts of it. When advertising individual posts, more specific requirements may be stated. The appointing authority may require that the appointee shall undertake to undergo specific training within a given time limit.
2. These regulations shall apply both to posts based on academic qualifications and to posts based on artistic qualifications. Subject areas with teaching personnel recruited on the basis of artistic qualifications are as follows:
   1. Music performance and creative music
   2. Theatre
   3. Opera
   4. Ballet
   5. Art, Applied Art and Design
   6. Literature (Writers¡¯ workshops)
   7. Architecture
   8. Film and TV
   9. Subjects in teacher education:
      • Dance
      • Drama/Theatre
      • Music
      • Art, Craft and Design

Section 1-2 Criteria for appointment as a professor

1. Academic level conforming to established international or national standards

or

2. Extensive artistic activities at the highest level conforming to international standards and relevant breadth and specialization at the highest level of the subject or discipline

and

3. Documented competence in relevant educational theory and practice based on training or on teaching and supervision

Section 1-3 Criteria for appointment as a ¡®dosent¡¯ (professor)

1.  
   1. Extensive documented research and development work at a high level within the professional field concerned
   2. Documented extensive educational development work and other educational activities of high quality
   3. In addition to the above, high qualifications within one or more of the following areas:
      • Management of research and development projects
      • Interdisciplinary cooperation and network building
      • Extensive cooperation with industry and with civil society on the development of educational provision and research and development activities
      • Extensive cooperation with cultural institutions on the development of educational provision and research and development activities
      • Professional experience of a particular nature and relevance from industry and civil society
      • Professional experience of a particular nature and relevance from cultural institutions
      • Development of scientific collections and
2. Documented competence in relevant educational theory and practice based on training or on teaching and supervision

Section 1-4 Criteria for appointment as a ¡®f?rsteamanuensis¡¯ (associate professor)

1. Norwegian doctoral degree in the subject area concerned or a corresponding foreign doctoral degree recognized as equivalent to a Norwegian doctoral degree or competence at a corresponding level documented by academic work of the same scope and quality

or

2. Completed recognized programme of artistic development in the subject area concerned or documented artistic activities or development work at a high international level and with a specialization relevant for the subject area or discipline

and

3. Documented competence in relevant educational theory and practice based on training or on teaching and supervision

Section 1-5 Criteria for appointment as a ¡®f?rstelektor¡¯ (associate professor)

1. Documented extensive research and development work corresponding in quality and scope to the workload and level of a doctoral thesis

or

2. Documented extensive artistic development work corresponding in quality and scope to the workload and level of a doctoral thesis

and

3. Considerable importance shall be attached to specific qualifications within teaching or other educational activities

and

4. Documented competence in relevant educational theory and practice based on training or on teaching and supervision

Section 1-6 Criteria for appointment as a ¡®h?yskolelektor¡¯ (assistant professor at a university college) or ¡®universitetslektor¡¯ (assistant professor at a university)

1.  
   1. Higher (master¡¯s) degree from a university, university college or the equivalent
   2. Relevant research qualifications above the level of a higher degree and/or relevant professional practice

or

2.  
   1. Documented recognized artistic activities or development work of a certain scope
   2. Education at the highest level in a field of art from Norway or equivalent education from abroad or equivalent documented knowledge

and

3. Documented competence in relevant educational theory and practice based on training or on teaching and supervision

Section 1-7 Criteria for appointment as a h?yskolel?rer (university college lecturer)

1.  
   1. Four years of higher education, of which at least two years within the subject area in which the person concerned is to teach
   2. Relevant professional practice

or

2. Three to four years of higher education with a certain specialization in an area of the arts or equivalent documented knowledge

and

3. Documented competence in relevant educational theory and practice based on training or on teaching and supervision

Chapter 2: Procedure and criteria for promotion to teaching and research posts

Section 2-1 General

Applicants may only apply for promotion at the institution where they are employed and applications shall be sent to that institution. For promotions, the requirements pursuant to sections 1-1 to 1-7 apply. An institution may decide that its decisions on whether to grant promotions can be based on the assessments of expert committees established by other institutions.

Section 2-2 Procedure and criteria for promotion from the positions of ¡®f?rsteamanuensis¡¯ or ¡®h?yskoledosent¡¯ to professor

1. F?rsteamanuenser (associate professors) and h?yskoledosenter (university college readers) who have taken up permanent posts or fixed-term posts at state universities, specialized university institutions and university colleges subject to the Act relating to universities and university colleges may apply for promotion to professor on the basis of a declaration of competence pursuant to the provisions of these regulations. At private institutions subject to the Act relating to universities and university colleges, the board shall decide whether associate professors who have been engaged in permanent posts or fixed-term posts, may apply for promotion to professor on the basis of a declaration of competence pursuant to the provisions of these regulations. Associate professors and university college readers holding at least 50 per cent posts shall fall under this arrangement. Promotion pursuant to these provisions is personal and has no consequences for the duties of the holder of the post. A f?rsteamanuensis with a fixed-term post on a tenure-track basis is not entitled to apply for promotion.
2. Promotion may only be applied for within the subject in which the applicant is employed. By subject is here meant the subjects and disciplines that may be included in the degrees that may be awarded by the institutions, cf. section 3-3 (1) and (2) of the Act relating to universities and university colleges.
3. It is not permitted to apply for promotion to professor in connection with an application for a teaching and research post at a lower level.
4. The application including any enclosures shall be submitted in five copies.
   1. Academic works shall be submitted in five copies, cf. 5. a).
   2. Reproductions of artistic works shall be submitted in five copies provided that this does not reduce the quality of the material submitted. The applicant himself shall decide whether parts of the documentation can only be submitted in a single copy. Original works shall be presented to the assessment committee by agreement.
   3. If an institution has set an application deadline, no documentation may be submitted after the expiry of the deadline. If an institution has not set an application deadline, no documentation may be submitted after the submission of the original application.
5. The assessment shall be conducted on the basis of documented academic or artistic competence.
   1. For documentation of academic competence, applicants may submit a maximum of 15 academic works.
   2. For documentation of creative or performing artistic competence, applicants may submit a maximum of 15 artistic works or publications. The documentation may inter alia consist of
      • original artistic works,
      • reproductions of artistic works, for example photographs, audio-visual recordings or the like,
      • publications based on the applicant¡¯s creative or performing activities,
      • documentation of concerts, exhibitions, performances, productions, etc. by means of, for example, programmes, catalogues and write-ups or reviews in recognized publications,
      • artistic awards, sales and commissions.
   3. The applicant shall in addition submit a complete list of all publications or other documentable activities invoked as a basis for assessment. The list may be supplied with comments.
6. F?rsteamanuenser (associate professors) or h?yskoledosenter (university college readers) who have not been assessed for professorial competence at the institutions where they are employed during the last two years may request to have their competence assessed. If during the last two years a professorial post in the applicant¡¯s specialization has been advertised by the institution where the applicant is employed, the two-year rule shall apply from the application deadline for the advertised post.
   
   If the institution set an application deadline, the two-year limit shall run from that deadline, even if the applicant withdrew his or her application. If the institution did not set a deadline, the two-year limit runs from the receipt of the application, even if the applicant withdrew his or her application.
7. The assessment shall be conducted by an assessment committee in the applicant¡¯s subject area. The committee shall be appointed by the board or by the body delegated to do so by the board.
8. Each committee shall consist of at least three persons with professorial competence or equivalent competence in the applicants¡¯ subject area. The board of the institution, or the body with delegated authority from the board,  shall appoint a chairman for the assessment committee from among the members of the committee. As far as possible, and in the subject areas where it is natural, the committee shall have a member from another country. Only one member of the assessment committee may be from the institution where the applicant is employed, and this person shall not chair the committee. Both sexes shall if possible be represented on the committee.
9. The application should be finally decided within one year. This time limit may only be departed from when special circumstances dictate that the processing of the application must be postponed.
10. When conducting the assessment, the assessment committee shall take into consideration the criteria for appointment as a professor provided in sections 1-1 and 1-2.
    
    The assessment committee¡¯s recommendation must state the basis on which the applicant is declared competent with reference to the documentation referred to under (5). The competence shall be associated with the subject area in which the applicant is employed, cf. (2).
    
    When a committee submits a declaration of competence, it shall always indicate the subject area and, if appropriate, the specialization in which the applicant is deemed to have professorial competence. The statement shall always state whether the declaration of competence is unanimous and indisputable.
11. F?rsteamanuenser (associate professors) or h?yskoledosenter (university college readers) who are declared competent to be a professor at the institution where they are employed during the six years prior to the date of application may apply for promotion to professor, cf. (2). Institution may set an application deadline.  If there is a unanimous declaration of indisputable competence, promotion may be granted.
    
    The same applies if the institution has decided that its decisions on whether to grant promotions may also be based on assessments made by other institutions, cf. section 2-1.
12. The assessment committee¡¯s assessment is sent to the applicant as soon as it is submitted. The committee¡¯s assessment may not be appealed but the applicant may put forward objections to the processing of the application or comments on the committee¡¯s assessment within two weeks of the statement being sent to the applicant. Comments on the committee¡¯s assessment shall be submitted to the assessment committee for any additional statement before a decision is made.
13. On the basis of the assessment committee¡¯s assessment and any objections and additional comments, the institution¡¯s appointing authority for professors shall make a decision concerning approval of the assessment and whether to grant promotion.
    
    In order for promotion to be granted, the assessment committee must unanimously declare the applicant indisputably competent to be a professor. The Ministry may issue further provisions concerning procedures.
14. Promotion pursuant both to (11) and (13) shall apply from the application deadline, if one has been set, or from receipt of the application, if no application deadline has been set.

Section 2-3 Procedure and criteria for promotion from a post as ¡®f?rstelektor¡¯ (associate professor) to a post as ¡®dosent¡¯ (professor)

1. F?rstelektorer (associate professors) who have taken up permanent or fixed-term posts at state universities, specialized university institutions or university colleges under the Act relating to universities and university colleges may apply for promotion to dosent (professor) pursuant to the provisions of these regulations. In the case of private institutions under the Act relating to universities and university colleges, the board shall decide whether f?rstelektorer (associate professors) who have taken up permanent posts or fixed-term posts may apply for promotion to dosent pursuant to the provisions of these regulations. F?rstelektorer (associate professors) who work at least 50 per cent of full-time hours shall be subject to this arrangement. Promotion pursuant to these provisions is personal and has no consequences for the duties of the holder of the post.
2. Promotion may only be applied for within the subject in which the applicant is employed. Subject shall here refer to the subjects and disciplines that may be included in the degrees that may be awarded by the institutions, cf. the Act relating to universities and university colleges section 3-3 (1) and (2).
3. Applicants may not apply for promotion to dosent in connection with an application for a teaching and research post at a lower level.
4. The application including any enclosures shall be submitted in five copies.
   
   Written works and other written or electronic documentation of qualifications shall be submitted in five copies.
   
   Applicants are not permitted to submit or notify works after the application is submitted, but the expert committee may request further documentation.
5. The assessment shall be conducted on the basis of documented competence in research and development work within the professional field concerned as well as educational development work and other educational activities, cf. sections 1-1 and 1-3.
   
   A maximum of 15 written works may be submitted.
   
   Applicants shall in addition submit a complete list of all publications or other documentable activities included in the basis for assessment. The list may be supplied with comments.
6. A f?rstelektor (associate professor) who has not been assessed for dosent competence at the institution where he or she is employed during the last two years may request to have his or her competence assessed.
7. The institution where the applicant is employed is responsible for processing the application. The assessment is conducted by an expert committee consisting of three members, one of whom shall be from a university or specialized university institution and hold professorial competence in the applicant¡¯s subject area and two of whom shall hold dosent competence or equivalent competence in the applicant¡¯s subject area. The board shall decide whether the board itself or another appointing body for dosent posts shall appoint the members of the expert committee. The board or other appointing body for dosent posts may appoint one or more special assessors. The expert committee may also itself request that special assessors be appointed. The board or other appointing body for dosent posts shall appoint a chairman for the committee from among the members of the committee.
   
   When possible, and in the subject areas where it is natural, one member of the expert committee shall be from another country. Only one member of the expert committee may be from the institution where the applicant is employed, and this person may not chair the committee. Both sexes shall if possible be represented on the expert committee.
8. The application should be finally decided within one year of the applicant having submitted all the requisite documentation of qualifications invoked in the application. This time limit may only be departed from when special circumstances dictate that the processing of the application must be postponed.
9. When conducting the assessment, the expert committee shall take into consideration the criteria for appointment as a dosent set out in sections 1-1 and 1-3.
   
   The recommendation from the expert committee must state the basis on which the applicant is declared competent with reference to the documentation referred to under (5). The competence shall be associated with the subject area in which the applicant is employed, cf. (2).
   
   When a committee submits a declaration of competence, it shall always state the subject area and, if appropriate, the specialization in which the applicant is deemed to have dosent competence. The statement shall always state whether the declaration of competence is unanimous and indisputable.
10. A f?rstelektor (associate professor) who, when applying for a dosent post at the institution where he or she is employed, has been granted a unanimous declaration of indisputable competence to be a reader in the subject area in which he or she is employed may be granted promotion.
11. The assessment committee¡¯s assessment of the individual applicant is sent to the applicant as soon as it is submitted. The committee¡¯s assessment may not be appealed but the applicant may put forward objections to the processing of the application or comments on the committee¡¯s assessment within two weeks of the statement being sent to the applicant. Comments on the committee¡¯s assessment shall be submitted to the expert committee for any additional statement before a decision is made. On the basis of the expert committee¡¯s assessment and any objections and additional comments, the appointing body for dosent posts shall decide whether the promotion may be granted. Notification of the decision shall be sent to the applicant.
    
    In order for promotion to be granted, the expert committee must declare the applicant competent to be a dosent unanimously and indisputably. The Ministry may issue further provisions concerning procedures.
12. Promotion pursuant both to (10) and (11) shall have effect from the first day of the month after the application for promotion is submitted to the institution where the applicant is employed.

Section 2-4 Procedure and criteria for promotion to associate professor posts

1. Amanuenser, h?yskolelektorer and universitetslektorer (all three translated as ¡®assistant professors¡¯) who have taken up permanent or fixed-term posts at institutions under the Act relating to universities and university colleges may apply for promotion to the post of f?rsteamanuensis or f?rstelektor (both translated as ¡®associate professor¡¯). This applies to amanuenser, h?yskolelektorer and universitetslektorer who work at least 50 percent of full-time hours Promotion is personal and has no consequences for the duties of the holder of the post.
2. Promotion may only be applied for within the subject area in which the applicant is employed.
3. In connection with applications for promotion to f?rsteamanuensis the applicant shall enclose a description of his or her academic or artistic production and refer to a maximum of 15 works that the applicant wishes particularly to be taken into consideration in connection with the expert assessment. The application must include a curriculum vitae and any list of publications.
   
   In connection with applications for promotion to f?rstelektor the applicant shall enclose the requisite documentation for the expert assessment. The application must include a curriculum vitae.
4. The institution¡¯s board shall decide whether the board itself or a subordinate appointing authority shall appoint an expert committee. The committee shall consist of three members. At least one of the assessors must hold qualifications exceeding those required for f?rsteamanuensis and f?rstelektor (associate professor). The other assessors must at least hold f?rsteamanuensis competence in the case of applications for promotion to f?rsteamanuensis and at least hold f?rsteamanuensis or f?rstelektor competence in the case of applications for promotion to f?rstelektor. In connection with applications for promotion to f?rsteamanuensis at least one of the members of the committee must be employed at an institution that has been granted responsibility for doctoral degree courses. This may be departed from in the case of expert committees that consider applications for promotion on the basis of artistic qualifications. Only one of the assessors may come from the institution where the applicant is employed, and that person may not chair the assessment committee. Both sexes shall if possible be represented on the committee. The assessors may in special cases request special assessors to comment on parts of the submitted material.
5. When conducting the assessment, the expert committee shall take into consideration the criteria for appointment as a f?rsteamanuensis or f?rstelektor provided in sections 1-1 and 1-4 or section 1-5.
6. The committee¡¯s assessment shall be sent to the applicant as soon as it is submitted. The committee¡¯s assessment may not be appealed, but the applicant may put forward comments on the statement before the final decision is made. Any comments, which must be submitted within two weeks of the statement being sent to the applicant, shall be enclosed with the case.
7. On the basis of the assessment committee¡¯s assessment and any objections and additional comments, the institution¡¯s appointing authority decides whether promotion may be granted. In order for promotion to be granted, the assessors must unanimously declare the applicant competent. Notification of the decision shall be sent to the applicant.
8. Promotion shall be granted with effect from the first day of the month after the application is submitted or from the date of taking up the appointment.
   
   In the case of applicants granted promotion to f?rsteamanuensis on the basis of an awarded doctoral degree, and where the institution does not stipulate any additional requirements for the post, promotion may be granted with effect from the first day of the month after the doctoral thesis is submitted for assessment. This must be documented. Applications for promotion may not be submitted until the applicant has received notification of the award of a doctoral degree.
9. If the application is rejected owing to a lack of qualifications, a new application for promotion may be submitted at the earliest two years after notification of rejection.

Section 2-5 Procedure and criteria for promotion to a post of h?yskolelektor (assistant professor)

1. H?yskolel?rere (university college lecturers) employed at institutions under the Act relating to universities and university colleges may apply for promotion to h?yskolelektor (assistant professor).
2. In the case of applications for promotion from h?yskolel?rer (university college lecturer) that do not meet the criteria set out in sections 1-1 and 1-6, two experts shall be appointed to assess the application. Neither of these experts may be attached to the institution. The institution¡¯s board shall decide whether the board itself or a subordinate appointing authority shall appoint the expert committee.
3. The committee¡¯s assessment shall be sent to the applicant as soon as it is submitted. The committee¡¯s assessment may not be appealed, but the applicant may put forward comments on the statement before the final decision is made. Any comments, which must be submitted within two weeks of the statement being sent to the applicant, shall be enclosed with the case.
4. In order for promotion to be granted, the assessors must unanimously declare the applicant competent. The administration shall grant promotion on the basis of the statement made by the assessors.
   
   In the case of applications for promotion from h?yskolel?rer (university college lecturers) who meet the criteria provided in sections 1-1 and 1-6, the administration may grant promotion without an expert assessment.
5. Promotion is granted with effect from the first day of the month after the application is submitted.
6. If the application is rejected owing to a lack of qualifications, new applications for promotion may be submitted at the earliest two years after notification of rejection.

Chapter 3: Transition arrangements and commencement

Section 3-1 Transition arrangements

Applicants who apply for promotion by 15 September 2015 will have their applications assessed under these regulations as they were worded prior to 15 September 2015.

Section 3-2 Commencement

These regulations shall enter into force immediately.