22 bids for status as new Centres for Excellence in Education
13 May was the deadline for submitting applications in the competition for Centres for Excellence in Education. NOKUT has received 22 applications from 12 different universities and university colleges. Between three and six centres will be awarded. Finalists will be revealed in the middle of July.
– We are pleased to see that so many academic communities has committed to excellence in education and want to take their educational initiatives to the next level. We know that they have invested a lot of time and effort into their bids. I am looking forward to learn more about the applicants, their ambitions and projects, says Terje Mørland director of NOKUT.
In the call for applications, announced in February, NOKUT invited all academic communities to apply. The bids reflects a broad span of disciplines ranging from film and journalism, to learning technology, health and medicine, STEM and entrepreneurship to mention a few.
This time round it was also possible to apply for four to eight million NOK annually compared to three million in 2013. The applicants have availed themselves of this opportunity. The centers and their projects seems to have bigger ambitions, more partners and larger budgets.
International expert panel
NOKUT has composed an international expert panel that will now start assessing the applications. The panel is chaired by Stephanie Marshall, professor and director of the Higher Education Academy in Great Britain. The other panel members are:
- Student Christine Alveberg, the Norwegian Student Organisation, Agder University
- Professor Peter Dieter, Gustav Carus Medical School, Dresden University of Technology, Germany
- Docent and Development Manager Astrid Elbek, the Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg, Denmark
- Professor and Vice-Rector Duncan Lawson, Newman University, Great Britain
- Professor and Vice-Rector Philippa Levy, University of Adelaide, South Australia
Finalists to be revealed in mid-July
The expert panel will now assess the written bids and select the best candidates for progression to the final round where site visits and interviews with members of the proposed Centre teams and key stakeholders such as students, staff, senior management and other partners will be conducted.
In mid-July NOKUT will make known what prospective centres advance to the final assessment round. Site visits to finalists are scheduled for the period between 22 August and 9 September; the finalists will be informed about necessary preparations for these visits. NOKUT will provide feedback to all applicants.
Who will finally receive status as SFUs will be made public in connection with a festive event on 1 November.
See the list of applicants and their applications