Dear member organizations and temporary researchers in Norway,
Following the board election at the Annual General Meeting in November, the new SiN board has initiated several activities to strengthen representation and engagement at both national and European levels.
Organisational Developments
SiN has become an associate member of the European Universities Alliances – Doctoral Education Council. This provides access to a broader European network for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and shared advocacy on doctoral education. We also note with interest that Tanja Storsul, Pro-Rector for Research at OsloMet, is part of the steering group, further strengthening the Norwegian connection within this forum.
Policy Engagement and Sector Developments
SiN participated in the national contact conference on 20 January, where President Karl Henrik Storhaug Reinås and Advisory Board member Dimitris Polychronopoulos represented the organisation. Discussions focused on the dimensioning of the higher education and research sector in an increasingly uncertain global context.
A central concern for SiN is the reduction in PhD positions in Norway. Approximately one in seven positions has been removed compared to peak levels. This represents a structural challenge for research capacity, recruitment, and long-term knowledge development. SiN maintains that research funding must increase to ensure preparedness, innovation, and Norway’s competitiveness as a knowledge-based society.
The removal of national target numbers for PhD positions by the Ministry in 2023 has likely contributed to this trend, creating incentives for institutions to reduce recruitment as a cost-saving measure. SiN’s position is that PhD and other temporary research positions should not be subject to such reductions, as they are critical to sustaining the research ecosystem.
Internationalisation and Research Conditions
Internationalisation remains a key priority in Norwegian higher education. However, SiN is concerned that increasing geopolitical tensions may lead to stricter measures such as export controls and restrictions that could affect academic freedom and collaboration.
In dialogue with the Directorate for Higher Education and Skills, SiN emphasized the importance of providing good conditions for learning Norwegian as an academic language, while maintaining that such measures should remain voluntary and not interfere with research responsibilities.
Representation in National Processes
SiN has been invited to participate in the reference group for the expert commission on the dimensioning of PhD education in Norway. In this role, we will advocate for increased funding, expanded PhD recruitment, and recognition of internationalisation as a core strength of the research system.
At the same time, we note with some concern that temporary researchers remain underrepresented in these processes. Currently, Karl Henrik Storhaug Reinås is the only PhD research fellow represented across both the reference group and the commission, highlighting the need for broader inclusion of early-career perspectives.
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