What the committee does
The mandate sets out four main tasks:
- Serve as the university's advisory committee on language policy and raise awareness of language policy questions
- Maintain an overview of, and advise on, the university's role and obligations in promoting the Norwegian language and its development
- Work to ensure that UiB's language guidelines are implemented
- Propose measures that can strengthen the quality of language practice and develop the university's language policy further
The committee was established as an instrument for following up UiB's language policy after the University Board adopted the guidelines in 2019.
What the committee can decide
The committee does not make decisions. Its advice goes to the university leadership, which decides. The committee submits an annual report on its work.
What the committee works for — language policy at UiB
The University of Bergen aims to have a clear language policy and to set an example for Norwegian education, culture and public life.
Norwegian is the main language. This means that the language of teaching, administration and everyday work is, for the most part, Norwegian. The principle of plain language underpins language use at UiB.
The university is also an international academic meeting place, where publication and outreach take place in English. UiB therefore practises parallel language use: English is the most widely used foreign language, but other languages are used as well.
Developing Norwegian academic language is part of UiB's mission. Staff take part in international research, but their academic work also gives them a significant role in developing and preserving the Norwegian language. Developing and communicating Norwegian academic language and terminology is an important part of UiB's remit.
Nynorsk has a central place. Linguistic equality and tolerance are core principles at UiB. Nynorsk is one of the two written standards of Norwegian, and the university has a particular responsibility for ensuring that it remains an important language in Norwegian higher education. The many Nynorsk users at UiB are a significant resource for the language and for the development of Norwegian more broadly.
How a matter reaches the committee
The committee is broadly composed, with members from several faculties, from the Division of Human Resources and from the students. If you have a matter you believe the committee should look at, contact the member from your own academic community, or the secretariat in the Communication Division.
If you need help with translation, proofreading or terminology in your own work, UiB's language services are the right place to go — not the committee.
Members of the committee
- Associate Professor Marita Kristiansen, Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies — chair
- Professor Endre Brunstad, Department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies
- Professor Rune Johan Krumsvik, Department of Education
- Associate Professor Anna Svingen-Austestad, The Grieg Academy — Department of Music
- Senior Adviser Ingrid W. Solhøy, Faculty of Science and Technology
- Associate Professor Magnus Vollset, Faculty of Medicine
- Head of Section Janne Marie Solheimslid, Division of Human Resources
- Rasmus Tennø Loe, student representative
Meetings and minutes
The committee submits an annual report to the university leadership.