PROFRES is a national research school within the professional disciplines of health, welfare and education which aims to enhance both professions-oriented and practice-near research.
University of Agder, Nord University, University of South-Eastern Norway and University of Stavanger
Director: Birgitta Haga Gripsrud Administrative contact: Camilla Melhuus Line
PROFRES aims to be an arena for research on changing professional practices in the areas of health, welfare and education

This includes doctoral work which is based on “research issues” especially relevant to professional practice – which is potentially but not necessary inter-professional in nature. Such research issues often presuppose an interdisciplinary approach both in research and in practice. The research school’s primary goal is to educate researchers who are then positioned to develop critical, constructive and action-oriented knowledge about and for professions and professional practices in a state of change.
The research school’s programme comes in addition to the universities doctoral programmes and ensures that PhD candidates can avail of a high-quality meeting place that is focused on professions-oriented and practice-near research.
The four partners fund the project for the period from January 2017 through December 2020. In 2020, the possibility of continuing PROFRES will be considered.
About PROFRES
The research school PROFRES is the result of a collaboration between the University of Agder, University of Stavanger, Nord University and the University of South-Eastern Norway.
PROFRES will be coordinated from the University of Stavanger by a secretariat consisting of a full-time administrative position at UiS and part-time administrative support at the University of Agder, University of South-Eastern Norway and Nord University. PROFRES shall:
- Contribute to increased knowledge and reflection on interdisciplinary and interprofessional research about professional practice in relevant contexts
- Contribute to increased knowledge and contribute to reflection on conditions and what characterizes cooperation between practice oriented professions
- Develop the ability to identify, analyse and evaluate practice-near research questions
- Contribute to increased understanding of the differences and similarities between professions in a state of change
- Contribute to increased understanding for- and development of- a knowledge based practice
- Increase the ability to implement relevant knowledge for the various professions
- Function as a meeting place where doctoral candidates can gain qualifications and prepare themselves for national and international research careers
- Improved completion rates in doctoral programmes
The research school aims to have relevance to both the PhD candidates and the higher institutions they are recruited from. In addition, it may provide the health, welfare and education sectors with important expertise with regards to developing more knowledge-based services, and consequently be an important venue for developing professions as a research field.
Through collaboration between researchers and candidates from the health, welfare and the educational sectors, PROFRES aims to be a multidisciplinary arena for strengthening professions oriented and practice-near research. Mutual meetings between doctoral candidates and researchers from different professional backgrounds, as well as participation in courses and symposia, will give candidates insight into issues relevant to practice in a professional landscape undergoing change. It also provides knowledge of comparative approaches. The research school will furthermore contribute to develop a joint academic and research fellowship in order to improve services within the health, welfare and education sectors (critical-constructive).
Institution | Contact person | |
---|---|---|
The University of Agder | Professor Solveig Botnen Eide | solveig.b.eide@uia.no |
The University of South-Eastern Norway | Dean Heidi Kapstad | heidi.kapstad@usn.no |
Nord University | Professor James Nicholas McGuirk | james.mcguirk@nord.no |
The University of Stavanger | Associate Professor Birgitta Haga Gripsrud | birgitta.h.gripsrud@uis.no |
Academic content
How to meet changing professional practices?
Changing professional practices refers to the constant changes within the welfare state related to profession’s regulatory framework, governance, and the development of knowledge. This development demands an increasing knowledge-based practice and assurance of quality in welfare services. These changes provide a greater complexity in the professional practices we wish to study (health, welfare and education). Facing these changes, the following key topics stand out.
Admissions
Find information regarding admissions to PROFRES research school.
- PhD candidates that are registered as PhD candidates at the University of South-Eastern Norway, Nord University, Universities of Stavanger or Agder or at a research institution, either national or international that enter an agreement of cooperation with one of the four patrtners.
- PhD candidates working with a research approach and dealing with issues in line with the thematic profile of the research school.
It is estimated that approximately 70 doctoral candidates will participate in the research school.
Please contact camilla.line@uis.no or profres@uis.no if you are interested in applying.