These regulations are based on the following laws, agreements and regulations: The Norwegian University and University Colleges Act, the Norwegian Civil Service Act and the University of Oslo HR Regulations, Election Regulations and Procedural Regulations for the Election or Appointment of Deans/Pro-Deans, the regulations governing studies and examinations at the University of Oslo, the regulations on the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree at the University of Oslo and the University of Oslo general rules for faculties.
§ 1 The Faculty bodies
The Faculty has:
- A Board
- A Dean
- A Pro-Dean and, if applicable, a Vice-Dean
- A Faculty Director
- Bodies for education and research
- An appointments committee
- A recommendation committee
§ 2 The Faculty Board
§ 2.1 Area of authority
The Faculty Board is the Faculty's highest decision-making body. The Faculty Board is responsible for establishing overall objectives, priorities and strategies for the organisation, within the framework of applicable laws, regulations and rules, as well as decisions made by the University Board.
The Faculty Board exercises its authority by deciding upon:
- Overall objectives, principles and priorities for the organisation
- Long-term plans with a particular emphasis on the strategy for research, education and dissemination
- The annual plan and budget
- The internal organisation of the Faculty, through departments, programmes, permanent committees or equivalent within the frameworks set down by the University Board.
- Supplementary provisions to these regulations, including further provisions on the election or appointment of deans, pro-deans and heads of department, as well as further rules relating to the composition of department boards or councils.
- Appointments and recommendations for academic positions for which the Faculty is the appointment or recommendation authority.
- Adverts and detailed descriptions of academic positions at the Faculty
The Faculty Board is responsible for follow-up through
- Approval of accounts and annual reports
- Approval of programmes for quality assurance/quality development
The Faculty Board shall also nominate external representatives for the Faculty Board.
The Faculty Board shall make all decisions on the basis of delegations and on behalf of the University Board.
Areas of authority that are not directly and expressly delegated to the Faculty Board under this section shall normally be covered by the Dean’s area of authority.
§ 2.2 Composition
The Faculty Board has 11 members:
- Dean
- Vice-Dean
- Two members representing academic staff (permanent)
- One member representing academic staff (fixed term)
- One member representing the technical and administrative staff
- Three members representing the Faculty’s students
- Two external members (from outside of the University of Oslo)
§ 3 Election and term of office
The Dean and Pro-Dean shall be elected together in accordance with the rules applicable to electronic elections, provided that multiple pairs of candidates have been proposed.
The election of academic, technical and administrative staff representatives to the Faculty Board shall take place in accordance with the current rules applicable to electronic elections. The rules governing who may stand in elections can be found in the University of Oslo’s election regulations.
The two external members are appointed by the University Board by recommendation from the (old) Faculty Board.
Student representatives are elected by students on the basis of the University of Oslo’s election rules.
The elected term on the Faculty Board shall be four years for representatives of academic staff that are permanent staff, technical and administrative staff and external representatives. For temporary academic staff and student representatives, the elected term shall be one year.
A minimum of two deputy representatives shall be elected/appointed for all groups.
A representative or deputy representative shall resign if their affiliation with the group or Faculty ceases.
§ 4 The Dean
The Dean is the chief executive of the Faculty and shall manage the Faculty’s activities within the framework set down by the University Board and instructions from the Rector and University Director, as well as through decisions made by the Faculty Board. The Dean shall have the overall responsibility and authority with regard to all duties that are not explicitly assigned to the Faculty Board or another body and shall have general authority to decide upon ongoing individual matters. The Dean shall report to the Rector in all matters that are not assigned to the University Director’s area of responsibility, in accordance with Section 10-3 of the Norwegian Act relating to Universities and University Colleges. In such matters, the Dean shall report to the University Director.
The Dean shall chair the Faculty Board. The Dean shall be responsible for drawing up case presentations, including proposals for decisions in matters that fall within the area of authority of the Faculty Board (cf. Section 2), and shall be responsible for implementing any initiatives adopted by the Faculty Board.
The Dean shall represent the Faculty externally and shall have overall responsibility for external networking, information and contact with external partners.
The Dean shall manage the relationship with public sector unions and student bodies.
The Dean shall have direct line management responsibility for the Dean of Studies, the Dean of Research and the Faculty Director.
The Dean shall exercise their responsibility, among other things, by delegating authority within their area of authority to the Dean of Studies, the Dean of Research and the Faculty Director.
The Dean may be assigned duties on behalf of the University of Oslo as an institution.
§ 5 Pro-Dean
The Faculty shall have a Pro-Dean. The Pro-Dean shall be appointed by the Dean. The appointment shall be for the elected term of the Dean. Candidates for the office of Dean shall announce candidates for the office of Pro-Dean before the election of the Dean takes place. The Pro-Dean shall be the Dean’s deputy and shall perform the role of the Dean in the event of extended absences on the part of the Dean. The Pro-Dean shall be a member (deputy chair) of the Faculty Board and shall also have defined management functions and duties.
The Pro-Dean shall either be the Dean of Studies or the Dean of Research at the Faculty.
Any Vice-Deans shall deputise for the Pro-Dean on the Faculty Board.
§ 6 Bodies for education and research
§ 6.1 Education
Dean of Studies
On behalf of the Dean, the Dean of Studies shall manage the academic development and follow-up of the Faculty’s programmes of study and may, subject to delegation from the Dean, take decisions in matters relating to the Faculty’s students. The Dean of Studies reports to the Dean.
The following areas are of particular importance to the Dean of Studies:
- the Faculty’s policy for first degrees and continuing and further education
- quality assurance and quality development of the Faculty’s programmes of study, including forms of teaching and examination, supervision and programme descriptions
- internationalisation linked to programmes of study, including exchanges and international visits to the Faculty
- strategy for information about and recruitment to the programmes of study.
The Dean of Studies shall facilitate teaching and examination planning and shall, in this context, be responsible for the administration of the overall HR resources available to educational activities in the programmes of study, PhD programmes and continuing and further education. For the programmes of study, this shall apply both to the specific programme and the more fundamental aspects of teaching and examinations. Furthermore, the Dean of Studies shall draw up proposals for plans and budgets for the activities that fall under their mandate. The Dean of Studies shall also ensure that the adopted budget limits for the education sector are complied with.
The Dean of Studies may make decisions on the following matters, unless otherwise decided by the Dean:
- necessary changes to programmes and necessary budget transfers in each semester
- establishing reading lists for the individual study units in consultation with lecturers
- establishing examination dates and examination committees and appointing the responsible lecturer for each examination
- instructions associated with examinations, as well as preparations for the consideration of other general examination questions
- determining aids for examinations
- questions relating to exemptions from examinations and pre-approval of examinations from other universities and university colleges
- appointment of ad hoc groups to carry out duties within the education sector
- appointment of assessment examiners
Education Strategy Committee
The Education Strategy Committee is the advisory body to the Dean of Studies and has the following composition:
- Dean of Studies, Chair
- Programme coordinators
- Two students from different programmes of study, plus deputy representatives appointed at the recommendation of the Student Committee.
The Committee has a special responsibility for the following areas:
- the Faculty’s education policy
- the Faculty’s plans and budgets for first degrees and continuing and further education
- coordination of the Faculty’s programmes of study
- internationalisation in programmes of study
- recruitment to the programmes of study
As a joint programme council for all programmes of study, the Education Strategy Committee is responsible for the following tasks:
- following up on the academic and pedagogical development of the programmes of study and considering key priorities
- safeguarding the quality of education and the learning environment, as well as developing new courses in consultation with the Dean of Studies
- assessing the need for any larger audits of programmes of study
- managing academic and social student follow-up in programmes of study
Programme coordinators
All programmes of study that lead to a degree will have a Programme Coordinator. A Programme Coordinator may be responsible for multiple programmes of study. Programme coordinators are appointed by the Dean and report to the Dean of Studies.
- The appointment of programme coordinators will be for the same period as the term of the Board.
§ 6.2 Research, research education and dissemination
Dean of Research
On behalf of the Dean, the Dean of Research will be responsible for the development and implementation of the Faculty’s research strategy and may, by authority, decide upon matters relating to this. The Dean of Research reports to the Dean.
The Dean of Research has the following duties:
- representing the Faculty in external research forums
- representing the Faculty on the University’s Research Committee
- preparing proposals for expert committees in matters relating to appointments and promotions for the recommendation committee and presenting proposals to the Dean for assessment committees for doctoral assessments
- facilitating strong research cooperation at the Faculty through the use of established meeting places
Research Strategy Committee
The Research Strategy Committee is the advisory body to the Dean of Research and has the following composition:
- Dean of Research, Chair
- Two permanent academic staff members appointed by the Dean following discussion with the academic environments
- PhD Coordinator
The composition of the committee shall ensure the representation of the Faculty’s priority subject areas.
The appointment shall be for the same period as the term of the Board.
The Committee has a special responsibility for the following areas:
- the Faculty’s research, researcher education and dissemination policy
- the Faculty’s plans and budgets for research, research education and dissemination
- coordination and follow-up on research project activities at the Faculty
The PhD programme
The PhD programme is managed by a Programme Coordinator in consultation with a separate Programme Council
The Programme Council has the following composition:
- PhD Coordinator
- One permanent member of academic staff, with deputy
- One PhD candidate, with deputy
The Dean will appoint the permanent member of academic staff and deputy. The PhD candidate representative and deputy will be suggested by the candidates and appointed by the Dean.
The term of office of the Programme Council members is two years. The academic secretary of the PhD programme will act as the secretary of the committee.
The Programme Council has a particular responsibility for the following tasks:
- The content of compulsory research training.
- Quality assurance of the PhD programme.
- Working to increase the completion rate and reduce completion time.
§ 7 Appointments Committee
The Faculty Board shall appoint an Appointments Committee with delegated authority to make decisions relating to appointments to academic positions at the Faculty.
The Appointments Committee shall have the following composition:
- Dean (Chair)
- Two members of academic staff in permanent positions
- One technical and administrative member of staff in a permanent position
- One student
Members and deputy members of the Appointment Committee shall be appointed by the Faculty Board by recommendation from the Dean. The Dean’s recommendations shall be presented after consultation with the groups represented by the members.
The Appointments Committee has the following duties:
- making decisions relating to appointments to professor positions, associate professor positions, university and senior lecturer positions, researcher positions, as postdoctoral fellows and as PhD candidates.
- making recommendations in cases where the University Appointments Committee is responsible for appointment.
- making decisions about promotions to the role of professor.
In the event of any disagreement in the Appointments Committee, the minority party may lodge an appeal with the University Board’s Appointments Committee.
§ 8 Recommendation Committee
The Faculty Board shall appoint a committee that will make recommendations to the Appointments Committee in cases where the Appointments Committee makes decisions on appointments and promotions to academic positions. In special cases where decisions are made by the University Board’s Appointments Committee, the committee shall prepare recommendations for the Appointments Committee.
The Recommendation Committee has the following composition:
- Pro-Dean (Chair)
- Two members of academic staff in permanent positions
- One temporary member of academic staff
- One student
The Pro-Dean shall be a member by virtue of office. The other members shall be appointed by the Faculty Board by recommendation from the Dean. The Dean’s recommendations shall be presented after consultation with the groups represented by the members. There shall be no overlap between the members of the Recommendation Committee and the Appointments Committee. The Recommendation Committee has the following duty:
- submitting recommendations on matters concerning appointments and promotions to the Appointments Committee in accordance with applicable rules and regulations
§ 9 Faculty Director
The Faculty Director shall manage the administrative and managerial work at faculty level in consultation with and by delegation from the Dean. The Faculty Director shall contribute towards the Dean’s strategic management of the Faculty.
§ 10 Entry into force
These regulations shall enter into force on 03/03/2020.