Under our motto, ‘Understand Religion – Change the World,’ we are, however, not only engaged reactively in the world, but also proactively, working to have an impact on society as we build on the expertise we nurture in research, teaching and administration.
There are several reforms that are set to materialize in 2025
Our work necessarily proceeds from within our own respective areas of competence, but to be effective and reach our potential as a Faculty, we need one another across research fields and academic and administrative areas of responsibilities. One of the tasks of the leadership group is to work together with academic and administrative staff to develop structures facilitating cooperation within and between these areas of responsibility. In addition to the ongoing revision of our study programs, there are several reforms we have been working on together over the last couple of years that are set to materialize in 2025.
Easier to plan ahead
Four of these concern increased predictability when it comes to planning teaching and continuous time for research. First, we have pushed the start of the semester a few weeks forward in January, to allow for more concentrated research time between the fall and spring semesters. To make it easier to plan, an overview of the dates when semesters begin, until 2031, has been circulated. A second measure taken include the planning of research leaves (FOU-terminer), where an overview, likewise circulated, covers the period until 2031. We will still need to apply for research leaves, but we hope that this will make it easier to plan ahead.
The third measure is a thorough revision and simplification of how TF calculates teaching duties, which will significantly reduce the administrative work related both to planning and reporting for academic and administrative staff. Finally, TF is transitioning to a rolling two-year planning system for obligatory courses, in which the responsibility for each course will be assigned to 1–2 permanent personnel in accordance with the expertise that all academic staff has previously reported to the study section. This rolling schedule will be adjusted to the planned research leaves.
We hope and believe that these measures, which we have discussed in several staff meetings and which will be evaluated in due time, will simplify both our everyday work and our long-term planning.
Continued budget work
As always, we will continue to work with the budget. As has previously been communicated, TF currently has a surplus, but the long-term effects of new government cuts create a falling curve, which we will need to address already now in order for the budget to be balanced in 2030. Of course, depending on what happens over the next few years in terms of possible new research projects and changes in cuts, we may be able to revise the long-term budget positively. You will be the first to know when this happens, and we will keep you up to date along the way. In the meantime, we appreciate very much your patience and input as we work together to shape an academically and economically sustainable future for our Faculty.
Two New Colleagues Arriving to TF in 2025
We are very happy that we have recently been able to offer positions to two new colleagues, who will bring us much needed expertise and help us fulfil our mandate in research, teaching, and service to the community. In an innovative and unique cooperation between the Museum of Cultural History (KHM) and the Faculty of Theology, we are hiring Dr. Ragnhild M. B? as Associate Professor in Medieval church history and material culture. We look forward to welcoming her to TF and KHM this coming summer. Already next week we welcome our new postdoc in New Testament, Dr. Tobias ?l?v, who will be working with us over the next four years.
The Rector Election 2025
Speaking of changes in staff at UiO, you will all be aware of the ongoing election of a new Rector. This time, we have three candidates, which is excellent for university democracy. I encourage you all to follow the debates until the election takes place between March 24 and April 4 – and please make sure to vote when the ballots open. It is a privilege to be able to do so, of course, but especially important these days when democratic governance more generally is losing ground, also in the West.
Working on TF Version 2025
Again, welcome back to TF – I look forward to working together with you all to realise the 2025 version of our Faculty!