PROFRES - The Interdisciplinary, Interprofessional and Practice-Near Research School

PROFRES 2.0 is a national research school for practice-near research within the fields of health, welfare and education. PROFRES is funded by the Research Council of Norway in the period 2022-2030.

About PROFRES

PROFRES 2.0 is a national research school profoundly preoccupied with conditions in working life, as evident in our remit for practice-near research problems in the fields of health, welfare and education.

logo PROFRES

The research school was established in 2014 to strengthen research in the areas of health, welfare and education. In 2022, the Research School was granted funding from the Research Council of Norway for an eight-year project, PROFRES 2.0.We recruit up to 60 PhD candidates from a consortium of eight Higher Education institutions in Norway: the University of Stavanger, the University of Agder, the University of Southeast Norway, Nord University, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Volda University College, and Molde University College, with Østfold University College as an associated partner. International partners include Roskilde University and Tallinn University.

We offer our candidates a social arena for their personal and academic development. Our educational content encompasses participation in an integrated academic programme, the purpose of which is to improve the quality of practice-near and professions-oriented research through interdisciplinary and interprofessional approaches, and cross-collaboration. This is our contribution to strengthen knowledge development within these “young” fields of professions research.

A further purpose is to increase the relevance of research for the labour market, in line with Higher education policy directions in Norway. Consequently, PROFRES 2.0 will establish a ThinkTank as a space for co-creation between Academia and the labour sector’s practice fields, cultivating interplay between knowledge-based professional practice and practice-near research mutually.

Participants in the research school become part of a dynamic multi-disciplinary community holding advanced scientific, theoretical and methodological knowledge and expertise. An important task for PROFRES 2.0 is to contribute to the formation and development of our candidates as researchers and practitioners. We believe this is achieved through the cultivation of our candidates’ ability for critical reflection and fine-tuned ethical sensitivity in their encounters with various academic, practice-near and professional challenges. Further to this, PhD candidates in the PROFRES 2.0 research school will also get opportunities to develop transferable, creative and collaborative skills. These will equip and enable our participants to meet challenges and shape practices in the future Welfare State - whether within or outside academia - even after their PhD trajectory is completed.

PROFRES is an interdisciplinary and interprofessional research school with the aim of developing and strengthening practice-near research within the three major fields of the welfare state: health, welfare, and education. We shape the future of welfare.

Birgitta Haga Gripsrud , director

Admissions

The research school has admissions twice a year, and the application deadlines are January 15th and August 15th. Participation in the research school normally applies for a period of three years.

Skrive på papir

You can find the digital application form for admission to the PROFRES research school here. In the application, you should explain how your research project relates to PROFRES's profile and objectives. This allows you, as an applicant, to demonstrate the relevance of your project and your motivation for seeking admission. A project presentation (see recommended content below) should be included with the application.

Applicants must be registered in a Ph.D. program or have confirmation of funding for Ph.D. studies from one of the collaborating institutions: Nord University, University of Agder, University of Stavanger, University of South-Eastern Norway, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Molde University College, Volda University College, Østfold University College, or VID (associate partner).

An admissions committee consisting of staff members and a representative of the PhD candidates in the research school assesses the applicants based on the applications' academic quality and relevance to the research school's profile. A balance is sought in the candidate pool between institutions and disciplines. Public sector/Industry PhD projects that meet all of the above criteria are prioritized for admission. Responses to applications are normally provided one month after the application deadline.

  1. Confirmation of Admission to a PhD programme
  2. Source of funding and financing period
  3. Letter of Recommendation from supervisor
  4. Statement on the project's relevance to PROFRES
  5. Personal motivation for admission to PROFRES
  6. Project Presentation (4-6 pages)

The project presentation should include:

  • Brief Project Summary (Abstract): 100-150 words
  • Introduction
  • Background and Knowledge Gap/Knowledge Needs
    Placement of the project in research literature
  • Research Questions and Design
  • Theoretical Perspectives
  • Methodology, Methods (Data Collection and Analysis)
  • Potential Research Contributions and Possible Implications for the Academic/Practice Field, e.g., healthcare, welfare, and education (and/or across disciplines/practice fields)

Organisation

Contact persons

Professor
Faculty of Health Sciences
Department of Caring and Ethics