Mandate for the Committee for Gender Balance in Research 2010–2013

To promote equality between women and men in the university and university college sector, the Ministry of Education and Research established the Committee for Mainstreaming – Women in Science in 2004 for a three-year period. The committee was then reappointed for the period 2007-2010. On 1 April 2010, it was continued for a third term under a new name, the Committee for Gender Balance in Research (KIF Committee). The committee’s term has been extended to four years and runs from 1 April 2010 to 31 December 2013.

The mandate for the KIF Committee is as follows:

Objectives of the committee

The KIF Committee shall provide support to and recommendations for measures that promote the integration of gender equality efforts at the institutions in the university and university college sector and the independent research sector, thereby enhancing equality between women and men. Further, the committee shall work to raise the overall awareness of issues related to the uneven gender balance in academia and the research system.

The committee shall offer assistance and advice to players and institutions in the university and university college sector and the independent research sector, the ministries and the Research Council of Norway upon request. It may also initiate measures and assess the impact of these. The committee’s primary tasks must be incorporated into the areas of responsibility under the Ministry of Education and Research.  International perspectives must be reflected in the committee’s activities.

Organization

The KIF Committee is appointed by the Ministry of Education and Research. Members and deputies may be reappointed, but no member may serve longer than two consecutive terms. Representatives from the student organizations are appointed for one year at a time.

The Ministry of Education and Research finances the committee’s activities within the framework of the annual national budgets. The allocations cover the costs of the committee’s operations and secretariat, and provide support for gender equality measures implemented within academia and the independent research institute sector.

The committee is appointed from 1 April 2010 to 31 December 2013. An evaluation of the committee’s work will be conducted at the end of this period. The board of the Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions is given the strategic and organizational responsibility for the committee and its secretariat. The committee is to work in close cooperation with the Research Council of Norway and the Information Centre for Gender Research in Norway (KILDEN). The committee itself, in consultation with the board of the Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions, is given responsibility for the ongoing formulation of guidelines for the committee’s efforts.

The committee shall submit reports on its activities to the Ministry of Education and Research and to other relevant players on a regular basis.

Composition of the committee

The committee shall be comprised of the following members:

  • Four members and one deputy from the university and university college sector, to be recommended by the Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions.
  • One member and one deputy from the Research Council of Norway, to be recommended by the Research Council of Norway.
  • Two members and one deputy from the independent research institute sector (one member must be from a technical-industrial institute), to be recommended by the Norwegian Association of Research Institutes (FFA). 
  • One member and one deputy from the student organizations, to be recommended by the Norwegian Association of Students and the National Union of Students in Norway.

In addition, the Ministry of Education and Research and KILDEN may have one observer each on the committee.

The committee’s members should hold sufficiently high-level positions at the institutions and have a strong commitment to gender equality efforts at the institutions. The committee must be comprised in accordance with the provision of the Gender Equality Act regarding the representation of both genders on public committees, boards and councils, cf. Section 21.

If a member can no longer serve on the committee for various reasons, such as illness or a change of employer, and can no longer represent the institutions/organizations listed above, the Ministry of Education and Research shall appoint a new member in consultation with the institution/organization which has recommended him/her.

Adopted by the Ministry of Education and Research, March 2010

Trond Fevolden
Secretary General