Management
Rannveig Øvrevik Skoglund
Head of Department
Birgit Kopainsky
Deputy Head of Department
Knut Bjarne Hidle
Head of Studies
Gro Aase
Head of Administration
Boards and committees
The Department Council
The Department Council considers matters and makes decisions on behalf of the department regarding research plans, educational strategy, budget matters, and organisational issues. The Council meets 2 to 4 times each semester.
The Department Council 2025-2029
The Department Council is chaired by the Head of Department, and the Head of Administration serves as secretary.
Chair: Head of Department Rannveig Øvrevik Skoglund
Secretary: Head of Administration Gro Aase
Group A: Knut Hidle, Svein Olaf Dahl and Birgit Kopainsky
Group B: Juan Ayala
Group C: Grethe Meling
Group D: Odd Egil Varøstrand Hagen (Bachelor's student in Geography) and Christopher Rindheim (Master's student in System Dynamics). Deputy member: Elisabeth Lindås (Master's student in Geography)
Educaction Committee
Terms of Reference
The Department's Educaction Committee serves as an advisory body to the Department Council on matters concerning changes to the Department's study programmes, curricula, teaching, examinations, and course and programme evaluations.
The Department Council may delegate decision-making authority to the Educaction Committee. The Committee shall actively promote the strategic development of the Department's educational portfolio and ensure academic coherence, high teaching quality, and a variety of teaching and assessment methods across the Department's programmes.
Composition
The Educaction Committee consists of four representatives from Group A, including the Head of Studies, two representatives from Group B, and two representatives from Group D. The Committee should be composed to ensure broad representation of the Department's various academic disciplines. Members are appointed by the Department Council upon nomination by the Head of Department.
The Head of Studies serves as Chair of the Committee and participates in the Faculty Education Forum. In collaboration with the Head of Department and the Department administration, the Director of Studies is responsible for handling day-to-day matters related to teaching, admissions and credit transfer, as well as preparing meetings of the Educaction Committee.
The Education Committee meets three to four times each semester.
Educaction Committee 2025-2029
Head of Studies: Knut Hidle
Secretary: Grethe Meling
Group A: Ragnhild Overå, Kristian Vasskog and Birgit Kopainsky
Group B: Kjersti Sollund
Gruppe D: Anders M.T. Bø-Ekren and Odd Egil Varøstrand Hagen. Deputy members: Markus Andre Engen and Mari Beatrice Halsaa-Østbø
Programme Boards
Programme Boards for Study Programmes at the Department of Geography
All study programmes must have a Programme Board. The Board shall include representatives of teaching staff involved in the programme (both Group A and Group B), student representatives from the programme, and a representative from the study administration.
The Programme Board is responsible for the academic content and quality assurance of the study programme. Its responsibilities include evaluating courses and proposing changes to the programme curriculum.
The Programme Board meets one to two times per semester.
Bachelor's Programme in Geography
The Department's Education Committee serves as the Programme Committee.
- Head of Programme Board: Knut Hidle
- Group A: Ragnhild Overå, Kristian Vasskog and Birgit Kopainsky
- Group B: Kjersti Sollund
- Group C: Grethe Meling
- Group D: Anders Tuxen and Odd Egil Varøstrand Hagen. Deputy members: Markus Andre Engen and Mari Beatrice Halsaa-Østbø
Master's Programme in Physical and Environmentarl Geography
- Head of Programme Board: Kristian Vasskog
- Group A: Svein Olaf Dahl, Gidske Læknes Andersen, Ole Reidar, Vetaas and Rannveig Øvrevik Skoglund
- Group B: Oskar Eide Lilienthal
- Group C: Grethe Meling
- Group D: Elisabeth Lindås (Deputy member: Simone Holme)
Master's Programme in Human Geography and Sustainable Development
- Head of programme Board: Connor Cavanagh/Ragnhild Overå (2026/2027)
- Group A: Knut Hidle, Grete Rusten, Håvard Haarstad, Odd Inge Steen and Connor Cavanagh/Ragnhild Overå
- Group B: Kjersti Sollund
- Group C: Grethe Meling
- Group D: Idun Bjorstad Hjermann (deputy member: Mathilde Pisani)
Master's Programme in System Dynamics
- Head of Programme Board: Birgit Kopainsky
- Group A: Ali Saysel and Saeed P Langarudi
- Group B: Jefferson Raja
- Group C: Anne-Kathrin Thomassen
- Group D: Christopher Rindheim