Dear colleagues,
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Many of us have become accustomed to our publications and other types of information which document research activities and results being entered in the Current Research Information System in Norway (Cristin).
Cristin has been in use since 2010 as a common national system for publicly funded research institutions.
In addition to providing opportunities to obtain an overview at individual and institutional level, the number of registered publications has also been used as one of a number of parameters in the allocation of funding from the Ministry of Education and Research to the institutions in our sector.
Two major changes
Two major changes are currently underway.
1. Publications will cease to be included in the indicators – the “counting edges system” (tellekantsystemet) – that determine the allocation of funding to universities and colleges.
However, it is important to remember that the need to document activities and results remains as strong today as it was before. Entries of information of this type will continue unabated.
2. Cristin will gradually be phased out, partly because the technology on which it is based is outdated.
UiO’s IT Department was responsible for developing and maintaining Cristin on behalf of the central management bodies. A new system - NVA - is now set to take over.
Who is behind NVA?
The Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research (Sikt) has developed and will operate the new national system which will take over from Cristin. UiO will not be responsible in any way for the new system.
Sikt provides products and services for research and education and “offers the infrastructure and solutions needed for the knowledge sector to achieve its objectives of digitalisation, data-sharing and open research”. In the development of NVA, they have drawn on user and test groups, who have assisted by providing advice and direction in the work.
Sikt also has a portfolio board for research and knowledge resources. This board acts as a bridge between the institutions as users and Sikt as service provider. The board is responsible for monitoring to ensure that what is happening in Sikt is appropriate for the sector. I have personally sat on this board as a representative of UiO since 2023.
What next?
The transition from Cristin to NVA is scheduled to take place during the year, probably from mid-June. It will no longer be possible to enter new information in Cristin from mid-June onwards, but it will still be possible to search for information.
With effect from the same time, it will also become possible to use NVA. During the period from mid-June to mid-September (including the summer holidays), Sikt’s employees will closely monitor developments and be available to answer questions and resolve any issues. Webinars will also be arranged to help super-users, while any errors will be corrected and the product fine-tuned.
We must not expect a perfect product to be in place this summer, but we must be able to count on resources being available to make the transition a success. As I write this in May, there is still some way to go before it will be time to let the product loose on users, but the plans outlined above appear to be feasible.
We wait with excitement and anticipation for the introduction of the new NVA system and must all adopt a positive mindset, even if not everything is perfect from day one.
Best regards, Jan