This text is translated from Norwegian using UiO GPT.
Both the Vice-Rector, the new rector candidates, the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, friends from the administration, the business community, and other partners – and of course staff and students – participated in TIK’s anniversary seminar in early December. The green transition was on the agenda, but throughout the year, TIK has organized seminars and debates to mark 25 years, focusing on the themes the center represents: Technology, Innovation, and Culture.
– The concrete research that has emerged from TIK is, of course, the most important contribution. But on a broader level, I also believe that TIK has played a very important role in promoting the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, says Mette Halskov Hansen, Vice-Rector for Climate & the Environment and Cross-Disciplinarity.
She advises the center to continue in its current direction and to collaborate with other interdisciplinary initiatives, such as Centre for Global Sustainability.
– It would also be great if TIK continues to develop the important contributions to teaching about sustainability, innovation, technology, and culture that they have already made great strides in, says Mette Halskov Hansen.
Research on other themes
– TIK's most important contribution over these 25 years is research and teaching on topics that no one else at the faculty researches or teaches. TIK has also developed a productive collaboration with academic environments at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, which is beneficial for both faculties, says Anne Julie Semb, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences.
For the future, the SV Dean believes it will be important for TIK to further develop the cooperation patterns between the center and other units both internally at the faculty and externally.
– It will be important to reduce the vulnerabilities that come with being a small core unit, she says.
– We have turned outwards
Kristin Asdal is the center director, and she also highlights TIK's ability to be interdisciplinary and pioneering.
– TIK has been absolutely crucial in institutionalizing the two central research fields of innovation studies and science and technology studies (STS). Here, TIK has become a very central and internationally highly recognized research environment. At the same time, we have been pioneers in terms of interdisciplinary collaboration.
– In particular, our collaboration with natural science and technology environments has been innovative and important. Our interest in turning outwards – beyond our own disciplines and beyond the university – has been important, says the center director.
– How has UiO and the world noticed that TIK has made a mark? What have been the most important milestones?
– It is indeed a significant milestone to turn 25! And really, we are even a bit older if we include our prehistory. In this year's celebrations, I feel that we have managed to showcase a lot of what we are good at. For example, being a place some of our most central and engaging social researchers internationally often come to.
– The honorary doctorate to Marion Fourcade and the Eilert Sundt lecture with Timothy Mitchell, all to full houses, are something I would gladly highlight. Another very important sign that we getting noticed and making an impact is that students are demanding our courses. Many more want to study with us than we have been able to accommodate. I have often thought that TIK is far more known beyond the SV faculty than within, but maybe that is changing a bit? That we have become better at being visible and recognized for what we are also here?
Quite similar to a regular department
– What has been most challenging?
– Maybe I can rephrase that? TIK and what we do should be somewhat challenging! We should put issues up for debate, work a bit differently, often across disciplines. TIK is a center in name, but in practice, it is quite similar to a regular department. That can sometimes be a bit challenging to fully convey.
– We offer education at the lower level, but our PhD program and PhD students are a large and central part of TIK, and a part that has grown significantly in recent years. But the PhD students come to us, that is not where the challenge lies. The main challenge is gaining the financial capacity to admit more of the very well-qualified students who want to study with us.
Environment also a question of innovation
– You highlighted the green transition at the anniversary conference, and asked, among other things, whether the Nordic green transition has gone off course. Has it? And how important is this issue?
– It was really fun that both deans who wish to run for rector came to discuss the green transition with us. That says something about the significance of this issue. At TIK, we frame this question in important ways: As an interdisciplinary challenge and as a question that touches on our core agenda: The significance of science and technology.
– Last, but not least, we show how the environmental question is now often framed as a question of innovation. This is something that TIK both wants to and can speak on. So we are highlighting the foundation that the green transition rests on.
– As the center leader, what do you see as TIK's most important role moving forward?
– We must continue our current path, maintaining both the breadth of our teaching and the high quality.