Faculty of Education and International Studies

Oslo Metropolitan University is Norway's third largest university with almost 22,000 students and over 2,500 employees. We have campuses in central Oslo and at Romerike. OsloMet educates students and conducts research that contributes to the sustainability of the Norwegian welfare state and the metropolitan region.

The Faculty of Education and International Studies (LUI) has approximately 550 employees and 7000 students and is located in Oslo and Akershus. The Faculty is comprised of four departments as well as the National Centre of Multicultural Education (NAFO). The Faculty educates tomorrow’s teachers from kindergarten through upper secondary school, in close cooperation with the field of practical training. The Faculty offers a PhD in Education. In addition, the Faculty offers development studies and studies in sign language and interpreting. Diversity is a core value for the Faculty and its activities. The Faculty’s research and development focuses on practical training and is both profession-oriented and internationally oriented.

MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowship Generating new knowledge about how technological transformations affect the everyday lives of children and young people 

Department of Primary and Secondary Teacher Education  

The Department of Primary and Secondary Teacher Education conducts high-impact research on a broad range of topics within national, European and international educational policy and practice. The research at the Department includes a focus on school subjects, educational sciences and digital competence with the main focus to educate teachers for the Norwegian school system in close cooperation with the field of practical training. 

Call for Expression of Interest for a joint application under the EU Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship funding programme 

We hereby invite top-class researchers of any nationality, who have obtained a PhD degree and up to eight years of research experience after PhD, to apply for an EU-funded Marie Skłodowska Curie Action Postdoctoral Fellowship (call MSCA-PF-2021) to conduct research at OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University for a period of two years. 

Area of research 

Through ongoing processes of technological development and digitalisation, the lives of European children and youth are undergoing a digital transformation. The ability of young people to engage with and use ICT will be critical for their future, both for leisure and for work. It is argued that children and young people (the Digital Generation) must not only be adept at using ICT, they must also understand the changes brought on by ICT as part of the fourth industrial revolution, and be able to build on the digital revolution. This revolution is characterised by a much more ubiquitous and mobile Internet, by smaller and more powerful sensors that have become cheaper, and by artificial intelligence and machine learning leading to an all-pervasive ICT environment at home, in schools and in the wider community.  

The ongoing revolution has generated both benefits and challenges for future generations. Europe is part of the fourth industrial revolution and people need skills and competencies (i.e. digital and media literacy, digital citizenship, innovation and creativity, learning skills and socio-emotional competencies and more specific labour-market skills) that will enable them to navigate and live with the ubiquitous technology permeating the fabric of their everyday lives.  

The research group, Digital Learning Arenas, at the Department aims to address this scenario by creating new knowledge, wellbeing and innovation for the future through interdisciplinary research and education. The candidates are invited to contribute to this work by better understanding the behaviour of individuals, communities and ecosystems vis-à-vis the development of digital technologies, especially within the education sector. The applicants may consider making use of the ecological momentary assessment (EMA) app developed by our research group to renew research methods in human sciences and to respond to new and rising questions as they relate to the Digital Generation.  

The overall aim of the research group where the candidate will be working focuses on understanding how children and young people use and are affected by technological transformations in their everyday lives. Further, the group aims to increase our critical understanding of the potential, opportunities, barriers and risks of using existing and emerging technologies for teaching and learning.  

Tasks and responsibilities 

The candidates may want to address questions such as: What are the everyday competencies and capabilities needed to live and learn in a society that is undergoing a digital transformation? What makes individuals, communities and ecosystems resilient? How is human resilience impacted by technologies and what potential role can new technologies play in developing resilience? How can individuals and technology be used to co-create overall wellbeing and contribute towards a sustainable future? How can the digital generation be empowered to participate in the co-creation of digital environments (the shaping and making of their digital futures)? How can teachers and teacher educators be actively involved in shaping and co-creating digital tools? How can teacher education institutions be supported in innovating their programmes for pre-service teachers to foster professional digital competence and ICT self-efficacy? How can educational institutions adapt and mainstream the pedagogical use of new and emerging technologies in order to foster 21st-century skills?  

Successful candidates will be supervised by Professor Halla B. Holmarsdottir. Professor Holmarsdottir has more than 20 years’ experience studying comparative educational policies and practices, particularly regarding marginalisation and social justice. She is currently the PI for an EU Horizon 2020 project entitled The impact of technological transformation on the Digital Generation (DigiGen)  

The successful candidate will primarily work on the Marie Curie funded project, but will be integrated in the Department in general, taking part in regular meetings and discussion groups; also the candidate will specifically be introduced with Prof. Holmarsdottir’s national and international network of researchers on comparative educational policies and practices and her networks in the area of marginalisation and social justice. In agreement with the candidate, he/she will also contribute with seminars focusing their Marie Curie funded project for Master- and Ph.D. students at the Department and the Faculty of Education and International Studies.  

Expected qualification of candidates 

Candidates must have a PhD in educational research, sociology, media science, anthropology or human-centred technology as the minimum requirement. We are primarily looking for experienced researchers who wish to use this period as an opportunity to further develop their research, and to develop longer term research collaborations with OsloMet and other institutions conducting research in the field. The candidates must be eligible for a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship (PhD successfully defended and a maximum of 8 years full-time equivalent experience in research).

We are looking for applicants who have 

  • Knowledge of policy context and quality and availability of quantitative or qualitative (also participatory methodologies) data in the field.  
  • An excellent track record in research and publications, necessary for being able to develop a competitive Marie Curie Fellowship application 
  • An open and cooperation-oriented nature, with strong abilities for independent academic work. 

Application process 

With this call for Expression of Interest, we invite postdoctoral researchers to apply; they must submit their CV, including publications list and a one-page description of the research project idea, that together with a virtual interview will be the basis for assessing and selecting two candidates with whom we will collaborate for developing competitive MSCA-PF grant applications.  

If you would like to apply for the position you must do so electronically through our recruitment system. 

Assessment and selection of candidates 

Candidates will be pre-selected based on an internal evaluation and the availability of suitable supervision. A maximum of five candidates will be invited for a virtual interview and a maximum of two candidates will be invited to submit a proposal to the EU funded MSCA-PF programme. Candidates will be informed of the results of the pre-selection to apply by 25 March 2021. The deadline for submitting the MSCA-FP proposal is 15 September 2021. 

Selected candidates will be invited and must participate in the MSCA-FP masterclass, a two-day online workshop organized by OsloMet on the first week of May 2021, exact date to be confirmed. In this first phase, the cooperation will be carried out remotely, with regular communication via email and online meeting platforms. If applicants are successful in their MSCA grant application, the place of work will be at the OsloMet main campus, Department of Primary and Secondary Teacher Education, located in the center of Oslo.

The postdoctoral position 

Successful applicants who obtain a MSCA-PF grant will be offered a position at OsloMet to be hired as postdoc researchers in conditions as explained below.   

Starting Date 

The EU informs the evaluation results on the MSCA-PF-2021 applications in February 2022. Successful applicants who receive the MSCA-PF grant are expected to be available to start in their postdoctoral position at OsloMet within the following two months of the evaluation results and no later than summer of 2022 

It is important for OsloMet to reflect the population of our region, and all qualified candidates are welcome to apply. We make active endeavours to further develop OsloMet as an inclusive workplace and to adapt the workplace if required. If there are periods where you have not been in work, under education or in training, you are also welcome to apply.  

We offer 

Initially, we offer assistance in developing competitive Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship proposals. Then, to successful applicants to the Marie Curie program, we offer: 

  • An exciting opportunity at Norway’s third largest and most urban university 
  • Participation in a dynamic professional environment and unique academic community 
  • Flexible working conditions 
  • An inclusive and friendly work environment 
  • Unique academic network the possibility for the right candidate(s) to pursue his/her academic goals under the auspices of Professor Halla Holmarsdottir  
  • Beneficial welfare schemes and a wide range of sports and cultural offers
  • Free Norwegian language classes to employees and their partners/spouses
  • Work-place in downtown Oslo with multiple cultural offers 
  • On-boarding assistance and other services 

OsloMet has implemented the Charter & Code for researchers and been granted the HR Excellence in Research (HRS4) by the EU Commission and is part of the EU network for mobility of Researchers EURAXESS. Practical information about relocation to OsloMet to at EURAXESS Norway. 

Remuneration and employment 

The competitive fellowship opportunities are 100% funded and include living and mobility allowances.  

  • Type of employment: Temporary position 
  • Contract type: Full time 
  • Annual Salary: Approx. EUR 60,000 
  • Starting day of employment: Expected starting date 1 April 2022 
  • Number of positions: 2 
  • Working hours: 37.5 hours/week 

Other information 

For more information about the position, feel free to contact:    

  • Karoline Aursland, R&D and External Funding Support, Karoline.Aursland@oslomet.no
  • Florissa Abreu, R&D and External Funding Support, Florissa.Abreu@Oslomet.no
  • Halla B. Holmarsdottir, Professor, halla-bjork.holmarsdottir@oslomet.no  

We only process applications sent via our electronic recruitment system and all documents must be uploaded for your application to be processed. The documents must be in English. Translations must be authorised. OsloMet performs document checks in order to give you as a candidate a proper evaluation and ensure fair competition.  

OsloMet has adhered to the principles in the DORA declaration and obliged the institution to follow the recommendations in this declaration. 

   

Deadline for application:       January 31, 2021

Ref.:     20/12110

 

 

 

Type of employment Temporary position (shorter than 10 days)
Contract type Full time
First day of employment Expected starting date 1 April 2022
Salary Annual Salary: Approx. EUR 60,000
Number of positions 1
Full-time equivalent 100%
City Oslo
County Oslo
Country Norway
Reference number 20/12110
Published 22.Dec.2020
Last application date 31.Jan.2021 11:59 PM CET

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