Rules for assessing educational competence at UiB

1 Criteria and documentation requirements

The Regulations concerning Appointment and Promotion to Teaching and Research Posts set requirements for educational competence for appointments and promotion to associate professor and professor positions, and require all educational institutions to develop further criteria for employees’ educational competence and how it shall be documented.

This document stipulates the rules for assessing educational qualifications at the University of Bergen. The rules supplement the regulations for appointment to academic posts and technical/administrative management positions.

1.1 Main criteria for assessing educational competence

During the appointment process, applicants shall document their experience and expertise in planning, implementation, evaluation and development of teaching and supervision.

At the University of Bergen, educational qualifications shall be assessed on the basis of the following four main criteria, based on the principles behind Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL):

  1. Focus on student learning

  2. A clear trend over time

  3. A research approach

  4. Collaboration on teaching and development work

1.2 Educational portfolio

Educational competence is documented through an educational portfolio consisting of an overview of the applicant’s practical experience and competence, documentation and a concise reflective essay. The reflective essay should be based on own teaching experience and discuss achieved results, development work and continuous work on quality development. Self-reflection should preferably be linked to current research about students’ learning in higher education. The reflective essay should be about two pages long.

2 Appointment to associate professor post

2.1 Educational competence requirements

Competence requirements for appointment to positions such as associate professor are set out in Section 1-4 of the Regulations concerning Appointment and Promotion to Teaching and Research Posts. At UiB, the requirement for basic competence in teaching and supervision at the university and university college level is concretised by that the following shall be documented based on own teaching/supervision and completed university education degree:

  • Basic skills in planning, implementation, evaluation and development of teaching and supervision

  • Ability to reflect on one’s own role, as well as discuss and justify one’s own choices in the planning, implementation and development of teaching and supervision

2.1.1 Teaching and Learning in Higher Education

UiB offers a course in teaching and learning in higher education. The course consists of a basic module for new employees in academic positions and optional supplementary modules that build on the basic module (a total of 20 credits).

2.2 Examples of documentation

The assessment of whether the requirements in section 2.1 are met can build on documentation of the following:

  • Completed course in teaching and learning in higher education or similar

  • Planning and implementation of teaching based on the course’s descriptions of learning outcomes

  • Research supervision at different levels

  • Testing of various forms of assessment, learning and teaching, including digital, to increase the students’ learning outcomes

  • Ability to justify own concept of learning and knowledge and be reflective of their own role as teacher

  • Obtaining and using feedback from students, colleagues and society to develop teaching and learning processes

  • Ability to analyse, prepare and further develop course description and programme of study

2.3 Order to meet the requirements within two years

When applicants for associate professor posts are unable to document adequate educational competence upon appointment, the assessment committee shall describe what remains. The applicant will then be ordered to meet the requirements within two years of their appointment.

3 Appointment to professor post and promotion to professor

3.1 Educational competence requirements

Competence requirements for appointment to posts such as professor are set out in Section 1-2 of the Regulations concerning Appointment and Promotion to Teaching and Research Posts. The regulations stipulate three additional requirements beyond the requirements for associate professor:

  1. Quality development in own teaching and supervision over time

  2. Broad experience with supervision preferably at the master’s/PhD level

  3. Participation in the development of educational quality in academic communities

At UiB, the requirements have been concretised by that the following shall be documented:

  • Solid competence and experience in the planning, implementation and evaluation of teaching

  • Significant contribution to systematic development work related to teaching and supervision

  • Broad experience from supervision preferably at the master’s/PhD level

  • Efforts and cooperation in own academic environment related to work on educational quality

Minimum requirements related to supervision experience are stipulated by the individual faculty based on subject-related traditions, the size of subjects and supply of candidates and national standards expressed in national guidelines.

3.2 Examples of documentation

The assessment of whether the requirements in section 3.1 are met can build on documentation of the following:

  • Self-evaluation through active use of student and colleague responses to own teaching and supervision, including course evaluations

  • Follow-up of study programme evaluations

  • Testing of various forms of assessment, teaching, including digital, to increase the students’ learning outcomes

  • Participation in relevant courses, seminars, further education programmes and various forms of experience sharing about teaching and supervision

  • Collaborate with own and other academic environments on quality development of teaching and supervision, including course evaluations

  • Colleague supervision

  • Management and/or development of courses and programmes of study

  • Participation in/management of evaluations and assessments

  • Preparation of textbooks and other learning tools

  • Development work and research related to own teaching

  • Participation in evaluation of education and educational quality by own or other institutions

Date

Comment

Entered by

Monday 07 October 2019 9:37:35 am

Nytt reglement

Kathrine Brosvik Thorsen

Thursday 26 September 2019 9:12:25 am

Nytt reglement, jf. sak 69/19 i U-styre – saksnr. 19/2451 i ePhorte

Kathrine Brosvik Thorsen

Thursday 26 September 2019 9:08:53 am

Nytt reglement, jf. sak 69/19 i U-styre – saksnr. 19/2451 i ePhorte

Kathrine Brosvik Thorsen