Networks
On this page we present various networks and network activities for primarily female researchers and students in Norway. The networks are divided into the following categories:
Scientist networks: This is primarily networks established by female scientists in male dominated fields. Student networks: Associations and networks primarily established by female students in male dominated fields
Network activities organized by the institutions: The institutions organize different networks aiming for competence-building, gender balance and an increase in well-being.
Gender equality networks: Networks for equality advisors and others working with equality in the research sector.
Business networks: These networks aim to, among others, contribute to increase the percentage of women in their disciplines.
Scientist networks
Bergen Network for Women in Philosophy
The Bergen Network for Women in Philosophy (BNWP) aims to increase the proportion of women studying and working in philosophy. The network was established in 2009 to counterbalance the overwhelming number of men dominating the discipline.
One of the network’s central tasks is therefore to work to increase the proportion of women in philosophy at all levels, both amongst students and faculty members. The network's aim is to make visible the contribution of women to philosophy.
Contact: bnkf.info@uib.no
Daughters of Themis
The name of the network, Daughters of Themis: International Network of Female Business Scholars, is inspired by Themis, the Greek goddess of justice.
The purpose of Daughters of Themis is to bring together and foster a community of scholars who identify as female business scholars. Members are drawn from all areas of scholarship pertaining to business, including law, economics, management and administration, political science, sociology and natural sciences.
Female business scholars wishing to join Daughters of Themis may apply online. Facebook: You can ask to be added to the group Daughters of Themis: International Network of Female Business Scholars. Twitter: @DaughtrsThemis.
Contact person: Beate Sjåfjell
Feminist Philosophy Research Group (FemPhil)
FemPhil is a research group based at the Department of Philosophy, UiT The Arctic University of Norway. The group is composed by early career and senior researchers working from different traditions and areas within philosophy and across the discipline.
In the past years, FemPhil has been particularly preoccupied with normative analyses of structural and cultural conditions that hinder gender equality in academia and with a critical and historical reconstruction of the philosophical canon.
Contact: femphil@hsl.uit.no
Network for female design researchers
In 2012 IPD with Martina Keitsch got funding from KIF to establish at network for female design researchers. In October 2012, we arranged a seminar with the topic: Career planning. On that seminar we agreed on a common name for the network: Women in Design research (Wonder) and established a board group consisting of three Associate Professors from NTNU, The Oslo School of Architecture and Design and Lund University. We decided that the network should have open access and that it first and foremost addresses female researchers with a focus on industrial design.
Wonder is established but still feeble. A future challenge is to ensure a better foundation of the network in terms of management (structure, operation and members), planning of activities and dissemination (common research, information on positions, professional exchange etc.). Learning from other ‘women in design’ networks in Scandinavia and the rest of Europe would contribute to stabilize the network.
The goal of the network is raising awareness about women working in the design research field. The network establishes contacts and communications between female design researchers on different professional levels. It consists of an annual meeting, where key research- and research policy related questions are discussed, and of an interactive homepage for communication and dissemination of information, such as seminars, job announcements, scholarships and conferences. Particular themes of interest for the network are within the following areas:
- design research topics,
- career strategies,
- day-to-day issues in the departments,
- institutional policies.
Web site: Scandinavian Network for Women in Design Research
Contact person: Martina Keitsch
Department for Product Design: http://www.ntnu.edu/design
LIKE - Seminar at the Norwegian School of Economics and Business (NHH)
NHH organizes seminars on gender equality in academia. The aim is to give information about women's position in academia, explain the underrepresentation of women in academia and strategies to combat inequality. The seminar series focuses on diversity in academic institutions in general and at NHH in particular, with particular focus on gender equality, gender balance and internationalization. Managers and staff members in scientific positions are primary target groups. The seminars are open to external participants.
Contact person: Astrid Kunze
The Centre for Global Health at UiO is establishing a national chapter of the global movement Women in Global Health to become a platform to connect, further strengthen and advocate for gender equality in global health within academia, public and private sectors.
Women’s Network for Research on Technology and Communication in Health
The Women’s Network for Research on Technology and Communication in Health is an interdisciplinary network that includes researchers from the humanities, social sciences, informatics, design, medicine and health.
The network establishes contact between researchers. This is done through regular meetings and seminars where we discuss research ideas, and collaborate on research projects and publishing. Furthermore, the network constitutes a valuable arena to provide each other with support and feedback with regard to career development and academic exchanges.
An objective of the network is thus to contribute to more female professors and project managers of large, externally financed projects. Additionally, the network aims to foster relations with relevant academic communities both nationally and internationally who work at the intersection of health, communication, technology and organization.
Contact person: Heidi Gilstad
The Nordic Network for Diversity in Physics, NORNDiP
NORNDiP is a project launched at the end of 2017 by an international group of female physicists from Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. NORNDiP aims to establish a strong, wide, and inclusive network of women and men in physics and related sciences, who live, work, study or have scientific collaborations within the Nordic countries, in order to increase awareness on important topics such as equality, gender balance, and diversity and decrease the gap at all levels between male and female scientists. NORNDiP receives financial support from NordForsk.
The Forum for International Researchers in Oslo (FIRO)
The Forum for International Researchers in Oslo (FIRO) was launched in 2018 by five researchers at the University of Oslo. The increasing presence of international researchers in Norwegian universities has been a topic of public debate. Yet, there has been little focus on integration and the benefits of diversity in academia. The Forum aims to create arenas for policy debate and practical support. It is open to all international researchers and others interested in the topic.
Contact person: Mariel Aguilar-Støen
Student networks
Gender Expansive Philosophy
This association at Faculty of Humanities at University of Oslo will be a meeting point for students who want to explore and promote the diversity of gender within philosophy and will read and discuss questions about the role gender plays in philosophy.
Gender Expansive Philosophy will come together to read philosophy related to gender from marginalized voices, explore ideas about gender and philosophy, and advocate for marginalized voices within the philosophical community. The association will also host social meetings for the members.
Contact: genderexpansivephilosophy@gmail.com
Network activities organized by the institutions
Network meeting at the Department of Informatics at the University of Bergen
The administration at the Department of Informatics at the University of Bergen organizes annual meetings for women scientists and students. The main purpose is to establish social networks, but the gatherings are also used to inform female employees of arrangements or measures that might be relevant. In addition, it is an informal forum for discussing departmental matters.
Networks at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences at the University of Oslo
At the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences there is a gender equality network with one representative per institute. The network will support the dean's work and be a driving force for gender equality work at the faculty. There is also a network for female research leaders.
Equality director at the faculty is Solveig Kristensen.
Contact person: Linda Vagtskjold
The Girl Project Ada
The Girl Project Ada at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) works to recruit more girls to the ICT studies and prevent dropouts. It also offers a career network that provides exciting opportunities when students graduate.
Contact: ada@idi.ntnu.no
Women Nordic Music Technology (WoNoMute)
Women Nordic Music Technology (WoNoMute) is an organisation at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in partnership with University of Oslo (UiO). The organisation is committed to build a diverse community which aims to promote and make visible the work of women in the field of music technology. WoNoMute are committed to raise awareness of the underrepresentation of women in the field of music technology. They organize activities (e.g. seminars), and run a blog where you can find information and watch previous seminars. Here, the organisation's members and others can give suggestions to speakers and program for seminars. WoNoMute was founded in 2018.
Facebook: Women Nordic Music Technology (WoNoMute). Twitter: @WoNoMute. YouTube: WoNoMute - Women Nordic Music Technology. Mastadon: WoNoMute.
Contact person: Anna Xambó Sedó
University mentor programmes and networks
About the network activities: The universities of Oslo andTrondheim have mentor programmes in order to back women researchers. Several of the programmes focus on networking.
Read more about the mentor programmes:
Mentoring programme for female postdocs at the University of Oslo
Mentor programme for women at NTNU
Gender equality networks
The LUN network
The LUN network consists of gender equality advisers at the Norwegian universities. This network has existed for a number of years and acts as a forum for debate and sharing ideas.
Network meetings for gender equality workers in the research sector
Network for equality workers in the research sector was established by the Committee for Gender Balance and Diversity in Research (the KIF Committee) in 2006.
This network gathers gender equality advisers and others working with diversity and equality from different institutions in the research sector once a year. The institutions take turns organising the meeting.
Coordinator: Hege Løvbak
Contact KIF committee’s secretariat
Relevant business networks
Oda Network
Oda Network is the leading meeting place for women working in IT or in the IT industry in the Nordics. The network consists of enthusiastic volunteers who facilitate networking, mentoring and professional expertise with the overall goal to increase the proportion of women working in IT. Our network will help support, promote and inspire women in sales, technical and managerial positions. The network is run on a voluntary basis and with the support of our leading industry partners.
Tekna Women's Network, Stavanger
Tekna Women's Network Stavanger consists of a board that makes an offer open to all female members in the Stavanger department. Among other things, the board aims to retain and recruit new Tekna members, to contribute to networking and mutual motivation among Tekna Stavanger's female members, including female student members.
Contact person: Vibeke Ørn
European networks
The European Platform of Women Scientists supports the work of a whole range of existing national, European and international networks of women scientists from all disciplines (natural, medical and social sciences, engineering and technology, the humanities and arts).
See the list of networks that are members of the platform at their website:
Project report: About networks for female scientists
The KIF Committee has looked at the need for a collaborative effort to build networks for female scientists in Norway. The pilot project found that there was an interest in strengthening and co-ordinating the networks.