Guidelines - educational competence

In appointments, promotions and transitions, applicants must document and reflect on their experience and competence in promoting learning through planning, implementation, evaluation, and development of teaching and supervision at university and university college level. 

It is expected that didactic and university pedagogical competence is developed continuously, and the requirements for educational competence increase with the level of the position (see Section 5).

Educational competence is assessed according to the following four main criteria: 

• focus on student learning 
• a clear development over time 
• an exploratory and scientific approach 
• a collegial and institution-building attitude and practice 

In addition, formal training in pedagogy at the university and university college level is required, cf. the Regulations relating to the Universities and University Colleges Act, § 3-8 (lovdata.no, in Norwegian).

In appointment processes, an overall assessment is made of which applicants are considered qualified for the position according to the announcement text. The full breadth of the applicants’ qualifications shall be explicitly assessed. Unless otherwise specified, scientific qualifications shall be given greater weight than other qualifications. Educational qualifications shall, unless otherwise specified in the announcement text, be given greater weight than qualifications in research dissemination, administration, and management.

In both appointments and promotions, it is the responsibility of the expert committee to assess educational competence based on OsloMet's guidelines. 

OsloMet requires that formal training in pedagogy at the university and university college level, equivalent to 200 hours, must be documented with a course certificate. Documentation of courses in university and university college pedagogy equivalent to 100 hours completed before 1 July 2019 is accepted as formal training. 

Clarifications

• When applying for promotion or transition, employees who assumed their position after 1 July 2019 or later must document 200 hours. Employees appointed before 1 July 2019 must document 100 hours of formal training at the time of application. 
• The required scope of formal training is assessed according to the rules in force at the time the formal training was completed. 
• Practical teaching experience cannot compensate for the requirement for formal training.
• A single comprehensive course is not required; several individual courses may collectively meet the requirement for formal training. 
• To be approved as formal training, the course must be oriented toward practical teaching and provide knowledge about how to facilitate student learning in higher education. 
• Courses lacking a description of learning outcomes and/or scope will not be approved. 
• For employees with practical pedagogical education from teacher education, early childhood education, vocational teacher education, practical-pedagogical education and practical-pedagogical education for vocational subjects, the hour requirement for formal training is reduced by half. 
• Applications for approval of formal training are decided by the Vice-Dean of education at the respective faculty, with support from HR. In cases of doubt, SPS may provide advice.

When applying for promotion or transition, all applicants must present approved formal training in university and university college pedagogy.  

Educational competence must be documented through a teaching portfolio with attachments consisting of a teaching CV, a profiling document, documentation of the content presented in the profiling document, and documentation of formal educational competence.  

The teaching CV shall be a brief description of the applicant and their career in higher education as a teacher/supervisor. The teaching CV shall include only elements relevant to educational and teaching responsibilities. 

The profiling document shall present the applicant's development of educational competence. It must contain a reflective discussion of the applicant’s teaching and supervision repertoire and the applicant’s systematic work on quality development in teaching, carried out individually or in collaboration. The profiling document must be grounded in the main criteria for assessing educational competence (see section 1), and demonstrate the applicant’s ability to reflect on their own role and choices. OsloMet's competence matrix (OsloMet-CAM) (.pdf) provides examples of documentation and reflection related to educational competence. 

The profiling document should not be too extensive; as a general rule, up to six pages will be sufficient. If another requirement for length is specified in the announcement text, that requirement applies. 

Competence requirements for appointments are specified in the Regulations relating to the Universities and University Colleges Act, § 3-8 (lovdata.no, in Norwegian). At OsloMet, the requirements are concretized through the following documentation requirements:  

5.1 Appointment to University Teacher positions (in Norwegian: universitetslærer) and appointment/promotion to Assistant Professor positions (in Norwegian: universitetslektor)

• documentation and reflection on one's own experience and competence in promoting learning through teaching and/or supervision 
• formal training, cf. section 3 

If the applicant cannot document a course in university and university college pedagogy amounting to 200 hours at the time of appointment, or 100 hours completed before 1 July 2019, the course must be completed within two years of assuming the position. For temporary appointments of two years or less, this requirement may be waived. 

5.2 Appointment and promotion to Associate Professor positions (in Norwegian: førstelektor) 

• formal training, cf. section 3 
• quality development in one’s own teaching 
• broad competence and experience in planning, implementing and evaluating teaching 
• experience with supervision at university and university college level 
• contributions to the development of educational quality, including broad collaboration with colleagues and the field of practice 

Documentation of educational competence must be available at the time of application for a position and the time of application for promotion and transition. 

5.3 Appointment and promotion to Associate Professor positions (in Norwegian: førsteamanuensis)  

• formal training, cf. section 3 
• quality development in one’s own teaching 
• competence and experience in planning, implementing and evaluating teaching 
• experience with supervision at university and university college level 
• collaboration with colleagues and the field of practice related to work on educational quality

If the applicant cannot document this competence at the time of appointment, they must acquire it within two years of assuming the position. For temporary appointments of two years or less, this requirement may be waived. For promotion or transition, the competence must be documented at the time of application. 

5.4 Appointment and promotion to Professor positions (in Norwegian: dosent)  

• formal training, cf. section 3 
• significant quality development in one’s own teaching 
• solid competence and experience in planning, implementing and evaluating teaching 
• broad experience in supervision at the university and university college level. The supervision must be at different levels, including the master's degree level
• substantial contributions to educational quality development, including extensive collaboration with colleagues and the field of practice 

Documentation of educational competence must be available at the time of application for a position and the time of application for promotion and transition.

5.5 Appointment and promotion to Professor positions (in Norwegian: professor)  

• formal training, cf. section 3 
• quality development in one’s own teaching 
• solid competence and experience in planning, implementing and evaluating teaching 
• broad experience in supervision at the university and university college level. The supervision must be at different levels, including master's degree level / PhD level 
• substantial contributions to educational quality development, including extensive collaboration with colleagues and the field of practice 

Documentation of educational competence must be available at the time of application. In exceptional cases involving the appointment of international candidates, a two-year postponement may be granted for the requirement of formal training. This exception does not apply to promotion or transition. Note that all four other requirements for educational competence must be fulfilled without exception when applying for a professor position. For temporary appointments of two years or less, the requirement may be waived.  

OsloMet offers formal training in pedagogy at the university and university college level (oslomet.no) (15, 7.5 and 5 credit courses).  Employees may also take courses in pedagogy at university and university college level at other universities and university colleges on their own initiative.