Held internal seminar in Paris

At the end of October, University Director Gunn-Elin Aa. Bjørneboe, Assisting University Director Tove Kristin Karlsen and eleven other UiO directors went on a «Seminar and study trip» to Paris. A day and a half of their two working days there was spent discussing the organization of the university administration towards 2011. The cost of flights, hotel rooms and board was approximately 100 000 kroner. Assisting University Director Tove Kristin Karlsen thinks that the trip to Paris was a sensible choice.

According to the trip itinerary, the orientation regarding the French education system, research ventures and cooperation between France and Norway lasted for two hours and 45 minutes. The rest of the time was spent on internal university matters.

– Sends a bad message

Leader of the Student Parliament at UiO, Heine Skipenes, does not think it is justifiable that thirteen directors should go on a trip to Paris considering the strained financial situation at UiO. In 2008, the university was forced to cut 200 million kroner in costs, and many students are still suffering the consequences of this, such as a reduction in the number of seminars and lectures.

– If there is to be any point in saving, then one must save where possible. That means that a trip like this is not a good idea. It’s fine to go on a seminar, but there are alternatives that do not cost 100 000 kroner, he says.

Ole Martin Nodenes, main representative of the union Parat-UiO, is not especially pleased with the directors’ prioritization either, and emphasizes how this may be perceived further down in the system.

– It is obvious that this sends out a very bad message. The directors have a special responsibility to be frugal, given the current situation. They must be even more aware than others. Personally, I have never heard anything about this seminar. We have regular meetings with the University Director, and we should have been informed, says Nodenes.

Could have stayed in Oslo

The university’s technical director, who is responsible for the UiO buildings, was also present on the trip, as was the director responsible for IT. Karlsen believes that it was necessary that these people were included in the trip.

– How essential was it that absolutely all directors took part in this seminar?

Internationalization is a core goal for the entire administrative group, not just selected parts of it. We took advantage of the opportunity to hold an internal seminar on how we can continue to develop the central administration at UiO, Karlsen says.

– Considering the financial situation that the university is currently in, do you think that the cost of the trip is defensible?

– Yes. If we are to reach our goal of becoming a research university of high international standing, we must travel systematically and over a period of time and stay in touch internationally. I do not believe that anyone wants the largest university in Norway to lose touch internationally. Then one can always discuss how far one should go, but in this case we had planned to kill two birds with one stone, says Karlsen, referring to the internal seminar.

Heine Skipenes sees the value of the whole group of directors travelling together, but thinks that things could have been done differently.

– One could learn about the French educational system at the French embassy in Oslo. I understand the wish to travel in a group in order to create unity and to spend time together away from Blindern. If one wishes to save, then one must do so at all levels. The Oslo Students Sports Club’s cabin in Sørkedalen is a nice, quiet place, he suggests.