FACULTY FOR BIOSCIENCES AND AQUACULTURE ANNUAL REPORT 2016 We educate for the future! MILESTONES IN 2016 NEW UNIVERSITY FIRST CLASS TO GRADUATE AS DOCTORS Nord University was established on 1 January 2016 as OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AT UVMP a result of a merger between the former University of The cooperation with the University of Veterinary Nordland, Nesna University College and Nord-Trøn- Medicine and Pharmacy (UVMP) in Slovakia is part of delag University College. It was a big milestone. The FBA’s international profile. The joint degree of Joint Board adopted a new faculty structure with five Bachelor in Animal Science constitutes the corner- faculties in June 2016. The “old FBA” in Bodø and stone of the cooperation. The first 11 veterinarians the “green” sectors in animal science and nature graduated in 2016. They started their studies in Bodø management at Steinkjer became a new Faculty of in 2010 and completed their bachelor’s degree in Biosciences and Aquaculture (FBA). Formally, the 2013. In June 2016 they got their degree in veteri- new faculty was established on 1.1.2017, and gave nary medicine, and were ready to start practice in FBA a solid growth both in number of employees Norway or other countries they wish to work. All and students. graduates had relevant work to go to the day they received their diploma. In the coming years, this Several processes and meetings among new collea- cooperation between FBA and UVMP, with study gues were carried out at both university and faculty starting in Bodø, will educate ± 25 veterinarians - a level during 2016. FBA arranged a joint faculty semi- professional group where only 50% of the national nar in Steinkjer where the various bioscience groups demand is educated in Norway. at Nord met. In addition to becoming familiar both professionally and socially, the focus was on edu- ERC PROJECT TO FBA AND NORD cation and research. The program included external UNIVERSITY FOR THE FIRST TIME and internal presenters who covered topics related to It is a pleasure to work for an institution that has best practice in teaching, exchange of results from the ability to turn quickly when it is necessary. research projects, and a lecture from a representative This is probably the strength of Nord University – from the University of Hohenheim, Germany, who a small university with a short distance to the top talked about their commitment to bio economics. management when major decisions are needed. The participants quickly became familiar with each In December 2015, it became known that Professor other through good discussions. The seminar was a Jorge Fernandes had been awarded a research pro- big success, and Trøndelag offered beautiful weather ject funded through the ERC Consolidator Grants for the event. - the most prestigious grant program in the EU. A great accomplishment when considering such ARTICLE IN NATURE funding is based on the researcher’s own CV, the There were several other bright spots in 2016. One originality of the proposal, and not least what effects of the biggest was when Nature accepted an article the results of the project can have if the hypotheses co-authored by postdoctor Alexander Jüterbock for turn out to be true. When submitting the application, publication. Jüterbock is one of the younger resear- Nord had to commit to cover the start-up costs if the chers at the faculty and he collaborated on the article project was granted ERC funding. with a large group of internationally acclaimed rese- archers. Other researchers at FBA also co-authored The project uses tilapia as model fish – a tropical fish articles which were published in reputable journals. species with short generation ranges. Producing as Such publications help to put FBA and the research many generations as possible in a short period of conducted at the faculty on the international map - a time is critical, as the objective of the project is to crucial position if researchers at FBA should invite study if the gene expression changes in wild fish that others to participate in major national or interna- is taken into farming, e. g. until the fifth generation tional projects, or participate in work packages in has been studied. Investments were necessary, and large projects. with great thanks to the university management, two new recycling facilities were established at the faculty’s research station in 2016. The project will run for five years, then the facilities can be reused both 3 for salmonids and tropical fish species. The faculty signed a cooperation agreement in June 2016 to will thus be attractive to foreign partners as well as ensure close dialogue between the faculty manage- Norwegian, and it gives researchers at the faculty ment and Nugla, good follow-up of students and a unique opportunities to work with comparative pro- high satisfaction level among our students. jects in the facilities. With these investments, FBA is in a unique position to attract new projects. BLUE AND GREEN GROWTH The merger has led FBA to expand its profile, which STUDENT RECRUITMENT is now turning to blue and green growth – two FBA experienced great interest in the studies offe- complementary areas. The faculty is located in an red by the faculty. Both targeted recruitment and area that covers 40% of the Norwegian coastline. It profiling, including advanced research, has been is a rich agricultural region and has vast uncultiva- important for increasing the number of applicants ted areas. This is very attractive for both students for the studies offered at FBA. Dedicated employees and collaborators. The location can give the faculty have given this work a lot of attention. The faculty benefits when it comes to networking, student has also benefited from great student ambassadors. recruitment, applications for research projects, and The recruitment camp arranged in March for the wmobility projects. Rector of Nord University has newly established master’s programme in Biology strong confidence in the profile area “blue and green and Aquaculture can be mentioned as an example growth”. It’s being invested in an innovation center of good efforts. The initiative will be continued in for the green sector at Steinkjer that will have room 2017, and it should be noted that FBA has never had for both the university and businesses. In Bodø, the more applicants for a master’s programme. A series planning of a Blue building on campus continues – a of other recruitment events, which also included building that will move all the blue activities under student ambassadors, led to the possibility of setting one roof, providing room for advanced laboratories, a lower grade limit for five out of FBA’s six bachelor’s modern facilities for researchers, and offices for the degree programmes. This is in stark contrast to the administrative staff at the faculty. These investments situation in 2011 when only the Animal Science study are supported by national and international strategies had limited admission. The fact that the faculty can and research priorities which has focus on bio pro- recruit good students means a lot for the lecturers, for duction and bio economy – an interdisciplinary area the production of credit points, for graduates, and not that has a foundation in both life sciences, econo- least for the job market, which gets good candidates mics and innovation, social science and technology. who have a solid academic foundation. With this On the basis of a strong partnership both internally growth in the number of students, the faculty is well at Nord, nationally and internationally, FBA has an on its way to reach 1000 students by 2020. Nugla is exciting future where only the imagination limits the student union at FBA. It plays an important part the possibilities. both in student recruitment and in creating a good Reid Hole Nina Ellingsen Høiskar student and learning environment. FBA and Nugla Dean Faculty Director Cooperation agree- ment signed! From left: Faculty Director Nina E. Høiskar, dean Reid Hole, head of Nugla Assad Munir og Nugla repre- sentative Kristine Solli. 4 THE MANAGEMENT TEAM OF FBA The management team at FBA is composed of the Dean, Faculty Director, Pro-Dean, the leaders of the three strategic research groups as well as Offi ce Manager and Operational Manager of the faculty research station. The management team is the Dean’s advisory board, and processes matters of strategic and operational nature. The group meets every two weeks. Dean Reid Hole Faculty Director Nina Ellingsen Høiskar Pro Dean Kiron Viswanath Aquacultur Research Group Mette Sørensen Marine Ecology Research Group Ketil Eiane Marine Genomics Research Group Truls Moum Offi ce Manager Irene Stork Research Station Manager Robert Eliassen NEW MANAGEMENT TEAM after merger with Nord Trøndelag University College (per 3.1.2017) Dean Ketil Eiane Faculty Director Nina Ellingsen Høiskar Pro Dean Education Associate Prof. Marit Bjørnevik Research Station Manager Øivind Torslett Pro Dean Research and Development Offi ce Manager Prof. Steinar D. Johansen Irene Stork Research Group Research Group Research Group Research Group Aquaculture Animal Science, Welfare Genomics Ecology Associate Prof. and Production Prof. Truls Moum Associate Prof. Margarita N. Garrido Associate Prof. Geir Næss Henning Reiss 5 ECONOMY 2016 The Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture has a so that the BOA activities are in accordance with the dual economy. It consist of the basic grant from the contractual plan. Overall, it was applied for NOK 89.5 Ministry of Education as well as revenue from exter- million of which NOK 15 million was granted – an nally funded activities. The basic funding from the acceptance rate of 17%. The faculty aims to incre- Ministry of Education includes a block grant and an ase the number of externally funded projects.