Instituttleder Ørjan Totland. Foto: Eivind Senneset, UiB
Dear all,
On 6 March there is a big celebration of bioCEED’s 10-year anniversary in the University aula (see https://www.uib.no/bio/167456/bioceeds-10-årsjubileum-seminar). bioCEED’s success as a Center for Excellence in Education is largely the result of the efforts of all of us at BIO. That is why I hope many will join the anniversary seminar where we summarize 10 years of teaching development and educational research in biology. There will be a solid academic programme, and an opportunity to celebrate a bit too! Register here: https://skjemaker.app.uib.no/view.php?id=16290450. I’m really looking forward to it and hope to see many of you there.
As previously announced and informed about (see BIOnytt on 12 January), there is a consultation on a new faculty name, with a deadline of 20 February. I hope you have discussed this in the academic circles at BIO, but I have not received many inputs or strong views. Of the three options, “Fakultet for naturvitenskap og teknologi ” is my favourite. First of all, I think it seems appropriate and sensible to change the name. Secondly, I think it makes sense to include technology in the name, because this well covers the growing technology activity within research, innovation and teaching at the faculty. Furthermore, I am more enthusiastic about “naturvitenskap” than about “realfag”, simply because ‘naturvitenskap’ is easier to associate with our subject areas at BIO than science’realfag’. But this is my opinion. Feel free to send me an e-mail if you have other views and arguments, and I will of course consider them.
We have had a few intensive days working on a proposal for the budget for 2024, which will be discussed in the department council on 15 February. And then we are planning a general meeting on Monday 19 February where we will present the budget. In parallel with the budget work for 2024, we will also update our long-term budget, which I hope we can present and inform about as soon as possible. It will be interesting.
Then I wish you all a very good weekend in the finest weather this city can offer.
Hilsen Ørjan