NTNU2060 VISIONS FOR CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT ENGLISH SUMMARY Main report in Norwegian www.ntnu.no/campusframtid JANUARY 2014 NTNU - REPORT VISION 2060 INTRODUCTION The report «NTNU Vision 2060 – Campus Development» is the result of a development project at NTNU during the autumn of 2013. Former Rector Torbjørn Digernes made the initiative in May 2013. Together with the new Rector, Gunnar Bovim, they initiated the NTNU Vision Project. The task for the Vision group with 15 members from NTNU, has been to compile visions for campus development for NTNU in a 50-year perspective. The report details how campus development can contribute to sustaining and developing NTNU as an attractive university, based on its distinctive character. The report investigates important perspectives and relations for a better understanding of the opportuni- ties and challenges related to campus development. The university in general, and NTNU specifically, faces changing demands and challenges. How to meet these challenges depends on a clear understanding of the university’s distinctive character, and how this character establishes important premises for campus develop- ment. Important conditions for the analysis were challenges created by new circumstances – like the need for more flexibility, a new digital reality for education and increased internationalisation of higher education – and how a strategic approach to campus development can support further development of the institution. The work is founded in NTNU’s strategy for 2011–2020, ”Knowl- edge for a better world”. NTNU’S DISTINCTIVE CHARACTER AS A UNIVERSITY The Norwegian Parliament established clear provisions for the new institution when NTNU was established on 1 January 1996. As the name suggests, the university should assume a national responsibility for research and education in technology and natural science – this is NTNU’s main profile. At the same time, NTNU should be a diverse university including humanities, social sciences, medicine, and architecture and arts, where 2 the subjects are developed on their own terms. Finally, WHICH FACTORS AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE • An international knowledge triangle NTNU should assume a particular responsibility to de- UNIVERSITIES? • New education forms and learning environments velop interdisciplinary cooperation and knowledge. One of the major changes over the last decades is an • Attractiveness in a world without borders increased internationalisation of economy, politics and • The university in the society NTNU today is characterised by a strong experimental science. There is reason to believe that this develop- • Strategic campus development activity, interdisciplinary, and based on interaction with ment will continue, and it could affect even more parts the business sector and the society in general. NTNU’s of our society. Internationalisation is driven by many An international knowledge triangle – research, distinctive character is a strength, both nationally and factors, such as growth in world trade, investment and education, innovation internationally. In an academic world that is quickly de- education. However, internationalisation is first and The European Union has placed focus on starting syner- veloping and changing, a distinct profile is important. At foremost a result of new technology for communication gies within what they refer to as the ”knowledge trian- the same time, the institution must be dynamic enough and transport. The world becomes ”smaller”, and geog- gle”, consisting of research, education and innovation. to adapt to new requirements and needs. Campus de- raphy and time are not the large barriers for interaction This will also be important for NTNU. Internationalisa- velopment is an important tool in this regard. An impor- they once were. tion of education and research is an important objective tant part of the group’s work has been to analyse how The Vision Group has identified five development char- for most institutions in higher education. A university NTNU’s distinctive character affects the requirements acteristics that are particularly interesting to assess offers real international education if it can document a for construction of buildings and infrastructure. with regard to shaping the future strategies of universi- significant number of international students and lectur- ties. They are divided under these headlines: ers, internationalised programmes of study and a good There are different strategic approaches to research, education, work with arts, communication and innova- tion based on today’s main profile. This report describes different perspectives on the future NTNU, based on questions like: • Which global changes are affecting us? • How will new technology change education and research? • Which consequences will the massive increase in web-based education cause in terms of teaching and student influx? • What happens to public funding and other framework conditions? • Which factors are important when future students and researchers choose where to study and work? The superior objective of this work has been to analyse how the construction of the campus can support NTNU’s attractiveness in a future of increased competition in research and higher education. TrondheimSolistene consists of current and former music students from NTNU 3 NTNU - REPORT VISION 2060 provision of student exchange and studies at foreign is the ”third generation university”, characterised by Europe, the increasing globalisation of higher educa- universities. The aim for education internationalisa- assuming an active role in utilising the knowledge it tion, together with the effect of the Bologna declara- tion is to increase the quality and relevance, attract the develops. tion, can be seen as a powerful motivation to develop a best students and researchers, generate income and common, explicit and attractive identity for European promote diversity. Strategic campus development universities. In this lies the acknowledgement that one Currently, a dialogue is taking place between Euro- has to consider possibilities beyond developing common New education forms and learning environments pean universities about their own place in the society. programmes of study and research. In relation to this, Digital and mobile technology is transforming the way The core of these discussions is determining how to synergies between the university and city qualities are education is communicated and received, and how approach the conflict between the more introverted often emphasised as an important factor for attracting values are created by providers of higher education. For academic tradition, versus an extroverted strategy students. This is related to a more general challenge for universities, these can form the basis for an upheaval with an increased focus on knowledge applicability. In European universities, namely recruitment in natural on the same level as what happened almost 600 years ago, when Gutenberg’s technique for printing books was put to use. A virtual world for studies and research is developing, together with a rapid, massive increase in information available online. This creates an opening for a global democratisation of knowledge, and an infinite knowledge market where private actors can position themselves along world-leading universities. Attractiveness in a world without borders In many countries, the approach to education and re- search is changing. Universities and university colleges are competing over students, staff and public funding, more than ever before. The biggest challenge for univer- sities is to appear attractive in a research and education environment where the rules are changing. The university in the society New efforts in education and research focuses on the social benefits of suggested activities. This can be seen in relation to an increased interest for national and international innovation strategies as tools for meeting the present global, financial and political requirements and changes. As an example, the Nordic countries are promoting innovation strategy as an important tool for meeting regional and global societal challenges, increasing value and renewing the future’s welfare and social services. Parallel to this development, many universities are changing from research-based, state-funded institu- tions to becoming international ”knowledge hubs”. This The new Knowledge Centre at St. Olav’s Hospital in Trondheim. 4 science and technology. Campus development has grad- FOUR DIFFERENT FUTURES ually been recognised as an important strategic tool. Growth Elite PERSPECTIVES ON CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT: NTNU now has a significantly larger number of Norwe- NTNU has made a purposeful effort to develop world- NTNU 2060 gian and foreign students than in 2013, and the educa- class academic environments. The academic depth Even with historical statistics and thorough prognoses, tional activity has nearly doubled, with a larger scope of has been somewhat reduced, and the emphasis is on planning a university campus for ten or fifteen years possibilities offered. Trondheim has also experienced research and graduate education. There is an equal ahead is a demanding task. Even more difficult is look- significant population growth. City development has number of Norwegian and foreign students and employ- ing fifty years ahead and anticipating the needs for hard meant that NTNU’s activities are still scattered in dif- ees. The campus is concentrated in the centre of the and soft infrastructure for education and research,