NTNU aims to have employees who maintain a high academic standard and possess the skills to conduct top-quality research and teaching. As your employer, we are also committed to ensuring that you experience strong opportunities for professional growth and have access to information and frameworks that support your career development.

Norsk: Kompetanse- og karriereutvikling for vitenskapelig ansatte

Competence and career main page | Career development for postdoctoral fellows | Career development for PhD candidates

Your role and responsibility

As an academic employee, you have significant individual freedom and responsibility for managing your own career and competence development. At the same time, you must also consider the needs of your unit and align your goals accordingly.

At NTNU, we expect you to:

• be motivated when it comes to development
• understand what competence the organization and your unit need
• reflect on what you need when it comes to competence and skills
• be willing to share your expertise with colleagues

Appraisal interview

The appraisal interview is the most important setting for discussing with your manager your aspirations, the needs of your unit, and the relevant measures for your career and competence development going forward.

It is essential to prepare well for this conversation. You can find guidance on what is expected and how to prepare on the Appraisal interview page.

Although the appraisal interview is a formal and important setting for discussing career and competence development with your manager, you are of course welcome to request such a conversation at any time. Opportunities may arise to participate in projects, or you might come across a course you wish to attend. It is important that you take an active role in your own career and competence development.

Career and Competence Development

The specific measures relevant to your career and competence development depend on your career stage, goals, ambitions, and the needs of your academic environment and unit.

NTNU emphasizes high quality in research and education and encourages broad competence among staff. In line with our commitment to the DORA Declaration and CoARA, NTNU has developed a competence matrix outlining relevant areas for academic staff, including research, educational competence, innovation, dissemination, and leadership. This matrix is a useful tool for identifying development areas and suitable measures.

Examples of career and competence development initiatives:

• Sabbatical: Application and guidelines.
• Uniped Program: NTNU’s training in pedagogical competence.
• Excellent teaching practitioner: For those who have developed their teaching and wish to continue doing so.
• Skill development stipend for female associate professors: Funding for activities to support promotion to professor or docent.
• Start-up Package: Research funding for newly hired underrepresented genders.
• Mentorship Programs: Check with your manager for available options
• Peer Guidance
• Pedagogical Academy
• PhD candidate supervision
• Norwegian for Foreigners
• Short Courses and Training in Education and Research (internal courses: Learning Portal, NTNU event Calendar,DIGIT - Platform for online courses)
• Conferences, committees, development projects, mentorship, leadership roles

Leadership development programs are also available for roles such as program coordinators and research group leaders. More information is available in the Executive support under NTNU’s leadership programs.

Promotion in Teaching and Research Positions

As an employee in a teaching and research position, you can apply for promotion. This means your qualifications will be assessed against the criteria for the position you are applying for—e.g., from Associate Professor to Professor, or from Associate Professor to Professor.

Applying for promotion is important for your career and is something NTNU supports and facilitates.

Go to the Regulations for Universities and Colleges (universitets- og høyskoleforskriften) for employment criteria, procedures, apromotions and transitional arrangements:

• forskrift til universitets- og høyskoleloven (universitets- og høyskoleforskriften)
• NTNUs guidelines for academic positions
• NTNUs guidelines for recruitment positions

These new guidelines are based on the CoARA and NOR-CAM principles of holistic competence assessment.

When writing your promotion application, you can use NTNU’s competence matrix to document your achievements and qualifications. NTNU also has guidelines for responsible assessment for research. The emphasis in the overall evaluation will depend on the job posting and the competence requirements for the position.

Application Procedures and Regulations

Applying for promotion can be a comprehensive process. Here you will find information and guidance on the requirements, rules, and procedures for applying for promotion in various position categories in the career tracks leading to professor, top researcher and "dosent".

Apply for promotion (only available in Norwegian)

Contact

If you are missing content on this page or have other feedback, please contact Silje Løften or Hege Johansen Schick in the HR and HSE Department.