Recognition of pedagogical competence

NTNU and the Arctic University of Norway (UiT) have established a national project to develop a system for recognition of pedagogical competence. One goal is that teaching skills should be placed on the same footing as research skills in connection with appointments and promotion to the rank of professor.

The requirements for teaching skills and teaching experience are currently the same for appointment as an associate professor as for promotion/appointment to professor posts. Efforts in education thus do not result in formal recognition in the career ladder, and due to the lack of incentives, education activities have a lower status than research.

The project will develop criteria for teaching skills at various levels. Good teaching and pedagogical skills must be documented and they must confer status. These measures must be placed in the context of a system for recognition of teaching merit that works together with incentive mechanisms for improving teaching skills and development work in the area of education.