This article presents a concise overview of the documents that will be discussed during the upcoming meeting of the Board of NTNU. The full version of all documents is available here (in Norwegian).
National Budget 2013 – NTNU Budget Proposal 2013
The Board is asked to agree on the proposed budget and forward it to the Ministry of Education and Research. The proposal describes NTNU’s priority within the budget framework and proposes two addition areas where spending occurs outside the framework.
In summary NTNU proposes to reduce the result based redistribution of research grant, to extend to the new budget the high enrolment capacity linked to 300 study places (RNB 2009), to continue to finance in 2013 145 new study places, to increase the number of doctoral scholarship by 100 in 2013 and to increase subvention to the university clinic.
In relation to post graduate studies, NTNU sees a need for a moderate increase in the number of doctoral candidate positions and an expansion plan for post-doctoral fellowships. Again in 2013, NTNU proposes to increase the number of yearly doctoral scholarship by 100 for a cost of 43,9 million kroners. The need for more post-doctoral fellowships has so far been met with the possibility to transfer existing doctoral scholarship into fellowships. Generally for NTNU, it is important to focus the education of researchers on quality and completion, but NTNU supports the proposal from the Fagerberg Committee to increase the number of doctoral position it offers.
Furthermore, NTNU proposes to spend some of its budget outside the framework dictated by the Ministry in order to develop its campus and upgrade scientific instruments used in research and education.
Health, Safety and Working Environment (Helse, miljø og sikkerhet – HMS) – Orientation and resources
During its last meeting, the Board was informed of the on-going developments and the general needs in HMS at NTNU. The present note on HMS describes the specific needs of each faculty and how it relates to the Working Environment Committee (Arbeidsmiljøutvalget – AMU) and the centralized HMS functions. It is proposed to create local working environment committees which will be in a better position to solve the specific problems faced by each faculty. The rector supports the idea of creating local AMU.
Possible sale of areas in Dragvoll to Trondheim Kommune
The Board is asked to give the Rector permission to negotiate one or more agreement with Trondheim Kommune for the sale of areas currently owned by NTNU at the Dragvoll campus. These are four plots lying between the old and new Jonsvannsveg. The plots would be sold in a non-public bidding process to Trondheim Kommune where building relevant to society are planned to be built (care centre, kinder garden, etc.). Universitetsavisa wrote an article on this possible sale, here in Norwegian.
Further development of Midt-Norsk Network (MNN)
The Board is asked to give the Rector authority to continue the on-going work around NTNU’s role in the Midt-norsk network. Midt-norsk network is a network which was established in 2000 and which comprises seven institutions: NTNU, HiNT, HiST, HiMolde, HiÅlesund, HiVolda og DMMH. The Midt-Norsk Network is an organ which has the goal to solve the challenges the region faces in the area of cooperation, division of work and concentration of activities in the higher education sector.
