NARMA’s professional development programme was established in 2017 as a joint initiative between NARMA and the Research Council of Norway (The Path to EU Excellence) to offer competence development for research administration in Norwegian institutions. It was launched as a pilot from 2017 to 2019 and has since 2021 been funded through the Research Council's PES scheme.
The professional development programme is offered for research administrative staff at three levels: introductory, advanced, and leadership levels. All three levels are developed in accordance with the framework for competence development in research administration, and the locations of the various course and seminar activities vary throughout Norway. It is organized as an experience-based continuing education consisting of session-based courses. The NARMA Competence Program includes a course portfolio that emphasizes soft skills necessary to provide good research support.
The academic team
The academic team is responsible for the development, organization, and implementation of the professional development programme. The academic team consists of members from the higher education sector, including:
- Hiwa Målen, the University of Bergen
- Linn Kristin Stølan, the University of Oslo,
- Hege Nedberg, the Norwegian Mapping Authority,
- Nichole Silva Elgueta, the University of Agder
- Martine Lorentzen, Kristiania University of Applied Sciences
The main task of the academic team is to develop, plan, and execute the content in dialogue with the Research Council, higher education institutions, and other societal actors to ensure user involvement and co-creation.
The academic team engages in knowledge exchange with NARMA's international sister organizations such as EARMA, ARMA, INORMS, among others, and also gains experience and competence through participation in networks and conferences to create current and relevant courses.