Knowledge for a better society

Knowledge for a better society

Strategy, 2018-2025


Internationalization

Internationalization

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Participation in the global knowledge society is a prerequisite for the quality and relevance of our research and education. Academic quality is strengthened through international collaboration. Our academic communities participate in cooperation with outstanding international knowledge communities. The Faculty is a host institution for international research centres.

The Faculty has a cross-cutting international orientation that forms the basis for academic and pedagogical development. Our programmes of study provide international perspectives and have a strong global dimension. All our education programmes offer exchange visits of high quality through binding agreements with strategically important partners. SU recruits students and recognized academics internationally.

We pay particular attention to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, with priority areas that contribute to achieving them.

Strategic development goals

The Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences will:

stablish further strategic partnerships with selected institutions worldwide

Increase the utilization of EU funding instruments for research, innovation and education

Strengthen international recruitment of outstanding researchers, and increase the international mobility of employees and students

Contribute to realization of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals


Interdisciplinary collaboration

Interdisciplinary collaboration

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The complex challenges of the future will require interdisciplinarity. SU has a role as a driving force for interdisciplinary cooperation and creates a platform for collaboration at the interface between the social and educational sciences and other subject areas at NTNU.

SU emphasizes solid discipline-specific knowledge as a basis for interdisciplinary research and education, paving the way for cooperation within the Faculty and with the rest of NTNU. We have academic communities that contribute to joint initiatives from NTNU and the Faculty.

Through interdisciplinary cooperation, our academic communities contribute perspectives from the social and educational sciences to the study programmes offered by NTNU. Similarly, our programmes of study include distinctive characteristics that reflect NTNU’s profile. This contributes to making our programmes of study unique in the national context.

Strategic development goals

The Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences will:

Participate actively in interdisciplinary initiatives of high quality that support NTNU’s mission

Contribute to the interdisciplinarity in NTNU’s programmes of study with perspectives from the social and educational sciences

Demonstrate a clear NTNU profile in our own programmes of study

Develop competence that supports interdisciplinary collaboration in the field of practice

Organization and resources

Organization and resources

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The Faculty’s most important resource is the people who work and study here. We are an attractive and professional employer, providing a basis for all employees to develop throughout their careers. We have responsible leaders who promote a culture characterized by cooperation, collegial involvement and open dialogue-based communication internally. We work in close cooperation with the student government and the unions, and work actively to ensure that employees and students are heard.

SU is an effective and learning organization with a health-promoting and inclusive work environment for staff and students. The Faculty has administrative support services of high professional quality that support the academic environments. Digital tools contribute to an effective organization that is adaptable, and that prioritizes resources in a good way. The Faculty has resources to conduct development in line with strategic goals.

Strategic development goals

The Faculty of Social and Educational Sciences will:

Safeguard the interests of all employees through systematic dialogue about development goals and skills development

Actively use strategic staffing plans and professional recruitment processes to promote academic development goals and diversity

Develop the organization, management and work environment to support academic goals and ensure legitimacy in change processes

Make use of technological opportunities and actively simplify and improve our work processes to ensure effective operations

Have resource management that contributes to increased productivity, and creates room for manoeuvre in terms of strategic priorities and renewal at both Department and Faculty levels