Strategy

- A nationwide multidisciplinary network promoting high quality research training

Initial phase of the strategic plan – summer 2009-2010
This text is a revised translation of a letter distributed by the Director of the Research School, Professor Olav Haraldseth, to the scientific network partners in the summer of 2009. It is based on the Board's discussions during the spring of 2009.

Here, we wish to elaborate on some important concepts, on our support programme, and on our core activities until the summer of 2010.

 

1. Definitions
PhD course
For a training component to be defined as a PhD course, the following conditions must be met:

  • Parts or the entire programme of the course must be on a PhD level
  • The course must end in an examination, essay, or other form of evaluation. This evaluation should focus on those components of the course that meet the PhD criteria.
  • The course must result in credits that are convertible to ECTS (studiepoeng), which can be used towards the obligatory course component (opplæringsdelen) of a PhD.

The number of credits recognized must be set in relation to the course components that are on a PhD level. This is particularly relevant for courses and training programmes that combine a theoretical part with a hands-on training programme, in which – for example – only the theoretical part meets the standards required for PhD level. These requirements may also be relevant if a course is available both to advanced master's degree students and to PhD candidates.

Accessibility
The Norwegian Research School in Medical Imaging promotes mobility of PhD candidates, both between disciplines and places of learning in Norway, and across national borders. Therefore, accessibility is a key factor. Here, this concept indicates that:

  • Teaching, training and other obligatory course components are organized in compact time sequences, to enable PhD candidates residing in a different city to attend the course with a limited need to travel. A sequence may last from one day to one week. For larger PhD courses, up to four gatherings may be necessary, but in these cases each sequence should not last more than three days.
  • The course will be accepted as part of the obligatory course component at the candidate's home institution/PhD programme.
  • The course must be open to candidates who are not Norwegian-speaking. If one participant is not a native Norwegian speaker, the course should be conducted in English.
  • The course must be open to candidates of various disciplinary backgrounds, and there should be no discrimination in terms of admission. This is particularly relevant for courses which are also part of a programme towards disciplinary specialization, where regulations sometimes indicate that candidates from other disciplines may be accepted only in the case of vacancies. A criterion for inclusion of a course in the Research School is that students are accepted on equal terms. Read more about our view on multidisciplinary research training .

Course categories A, B and C
For practical purposes, during the initial phase of the Research School, courses are placed in categories A, B or C. This does not indicate quality or relevance, but the extent to which the course meets the PhD and accessibility criteria described above.

  • A-level courses: These courses meet the criteria above. The Research School will ensure that there is at least one high quality course in this category from all the different areas in which PhD candidates in Medical Imaging may need training.
  • B-level courses: Established courses failing to meet one or more of the criteria above. The Research School will actively promote the revision of some of these courses, to develop these into A-level courses. In some cases, PhD courses are also available to master's students, and this may make it difficult to meet all our criteria for accessibility. In these cases we will work to promote alternative solutions in cooperation with the course administrators and lecturers.
  • C-level courses are at a planning stage or in an early implementation phase.

 

Quality
The Research School views quality improvement as an ongoing task for any research training programme. We promote various types of quality work, and provide financial support towards this end. In particular, the Research School encourages the invitation of international guest lecturers to contribute to PhD courses.

However, most of the quality assessment takes place in the institutions and PhD programmes. The Research School does not make a separate evaluation of courses to estimate ECTS credits. Furthermore, the decision whether or not to include a course in a PhD programme is made in the institutions in which the PhD candidates are enrolled. In this respect, we can only offer administrative support, urging the Norwegian institutions that award PhDs to be open to inviting each other's candidates.

2: Contributions from the Research School
In this initial phase, we offer the following three types of support, mainly in relation to the courses included in our A, B, and C list.

  • Travel grants to PhD candidates attending PhD courses outside their city of residence. Normally the maximum rate for travel is NOK 2000 per round trip, with a maximum of four round trips per course. Accommodation is covered up to NOK 700 per night. For one individual course, the maximum support is NOK 20 000. For international travel – either to or from Norway – the maximum rate is NOK 4000 per round trip.
    Read more .
  • Funding of travel, accommodation and daily allowances for international lecturers. This might also include guest lecturers travelling within Norway.
  • Support towards improvements of existing courses, and towards the establishment of new PhD courses. This support may vary according to the plans presented and our evaluation of the importance of developing a particular course to fill a demand from the PhD candidates or a need within the field of medical imaging. Our support may address both material costs and work, normally with a maximum of NOK 20 000 for existing courses and NOK 60 000 for new courses.
    Read more.

 

3: Core activities until summer 2010
During this initial phase, the Research School will have five priority tasks:

  • Already during autumn 2009 and spring 2010, to support the arrangement of courses with sufficient accessibility, and distribute this offer to PhD candidates and supervisors nationwide.
  • Support the scientific community in promoting accessibility and quality of courses.
  • Survey subject areas to find where there is demand or need for a course, and, when identified, promote and support the establishment of such a course.
  • Create web pages highlighting the purpose and activities of the research school.

Illustrasjonsbilde/FOTO