Diversity and Internationalization at Nord University – Balance+

The project is a collaboration at Nord University between the HR department and three faculties: the Faculty of Education and Arts (FLU), the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSV), and the Business School (HHN). The goal is to promote ethnic diversity and address the challenges related to the increasing number of employees with international backgrounds.

Statistics show that employees with international backgrounds often experience slower career progression, partly due to the lack of diversity perspectives in recruitment, personnel management, and career guidance. Many also experience exclusion both academically and socially.

Through the project, systematic efforts are being made to strengthen the inclusion of employees with international backgrounds, both academically and socially, and to improve the facilitation of their career development.

The project is organized into four work packages:

1. Diversity in the organization: To aim is to increase awareness and competence on diversity among the university's and faculties' leadership.
   To help employees with international backgrounds feel a greater sense of belonging, and to ensure that new employees are integrated more quickly into Norwegian work life and social systems.
2. Diversity i recruitment and the Phd program: The aim is to provide PhD candidates with international backgrounds knowledge and insight into the Norwegian labor market and career paths in Norwegian academia.
3. Diversity in top positions: The aim is to improve career development opportunities for employees with international backgrounds and ensure that more associate professors attain professorial qualifications.
4. Knowledge about diversity: The aim is to contribute to increased insight and knowledge about diversity work and conditions from the perspective of a new regional university.