Molde 20-23 October 2025
Navigating Practice-Near Research: Opportunities and Challenges

Practice-near research can be conducted within one’s own professional domain or in collaboration with other fields. This means the researcher may operate in a context that is either familiar or unfamiliar. Developing knowledge in such settings requires close collaboration and dynamic interaction between the researcher and practitioners. This, in turn, demands the ability to navigate the delicate balance between closeness and distance - a complexity that researchers must learn to manage thoughtfully.
At the Molde Symposium, we delve into the nuances and challenges of practice-near research and its significance in advancing knowledge about professional practice. What defines a “field,” and how do we understand the diversity within it? These questions raise important ethical, methodological, and practical considerations. From 20–23 October 2025, the symposium aims to foster a broader, deeper, and more reflective understanding of the field itself, the researcher’s central role, the dynamics of collaboration, and the ethical and epistemological implications of knowledge production.
Another key theme of the symposium is research communication —how we share and translate research into professional and public contexts. In dedicated workshops, PhD candidates will explore and practice strategies for effective communication of their research.
This year, the Molde Symposium also introduces the Research Fair, where PhD candidates and members of the PROFRES Think Tank are invited to present the relevance of their research to working life and professional practice. This will be followed by a Think Tank session for deeper dialogue and reflection.
We warmly invite all PROFRES candidates to take part in this collaborative knowledge exchange, where themes will be explored through lectures, group discussions, and hands-on activities.
Programme
MONDAY 20 OCTOBER 2025, campus (link to MazeMap):
12:20 Bus from the airport to campus . For shuttle bus, see FRAM
12:30 - 12:40 Welcome and introduction to Work in progress by Professor Birgitta Haga Gripsrud, Director of PROFRES, UiS. Place: Canteen
12:40 – 13:30 Lunch in the canteen
13.30 – 17:00 Work in progress
15.45 – 16.00 Coffee break
17.10 Bus from campus to hotel
18.00 – 19.15 Philosophical salon with James McGuirk at Scandic Hotel Seilet
19:15 Shared departure from hotel to dinner venue
19.30 PROFRES organized dinner, self paid (aprox 395,-). Glass Restaurant, adr: Torget 1
TUESDAY 21 OCTOBER 2025 - Scandic Hotel Seilet and campus:
06:30 - 08:30 Suggestions for morning activity: Morgensvømming Moldebadet
09.00-10.00 Keynote: Establishing a field – a historical account of nursing in the Nordic countries by Terese Bondas, Professor Emerita UiS
10.00 – 10.15 Coffee break
10.15-12.00 Keynote: Practice research in your field – appreciative, critical, and constructive by Catrine Torbjørnsen Halås, Professor Nord
12.00 – 12.45 Lunch
13.00 – 15.45 Workshop parallell sessions: Presentation Techniques (coffee break 14.45-15):
- WS1: Presentation and Performance with Professor Nils Harald Sødal, UiA/KHiO (In Norwegian). Place: Hotel
- WS2: Pitching with Protomore grunderlab (In English). Place: Kunnskapsparken. 12.45: Shared transportation from hotel to Kunnskapsparken.
- WS3: Research Presentation with PowerPoint with Professor in Norwegian didactics Karianne Skovholt, USN (In Norwegian). Place: Hotel
- WS4: The Presentation Role with actress Linn Christine Wennersten (in Norwegian). Place: Hotel
- WS5: Improvisational research dissemination with Jørgen Moltubak (in Norwegian). Place: Hotel
- WS6: Podcast – presentation of own research with Yngve Hustad Reite (in Norwegian). Place: Innbyggerlaben, Molde kommune. 12:45: Shared departure from hotel to Innbyggerlaben.
Evening at own disposal.
- Dinner suggestions: Glass restaurant, Guru (indisk), Smile (thai og sushi), Køl, Rød (Bare blå), Egon restaurant ved Thon hotel Moldefjord, Sabrura (Amfi Roseby).
- Suggestions for physical activity: Molde climbing center, sauna with sea bath (please book in advance: Nausta.no Roabadstue), stroll along the seafront/Sjøfronten, walk through the green corridor/den grønne korridor.

- 16:30: Opportunity to join a trip to Storlihytta/Varden (407), from the hotel via the green corridor. It is a steady climb to Molde's panoramic view with 222 mountain peaks, and the hike goes along a nice gravel path. The hike up and down will take about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Meet at the hotel reception at 4:30 PM. Those who do not want to do the whole hike can turn around at Storlihytta, which is about halfway along the hike, and also has a beautiful view. We recommend a headlamp and weather appropriate clothing.
WEDNESDAY 22 OCTOBER 2025 - Scandic Hotel Seilet:
10.00 – 12.00 Keynote: Exploring the Future of Interprofessional Collaboration: Insights from the PINCOM Model and Mixed Methods Research, by Atle Ødegård, Professor HiM
12:00 -13:00 Lunch
13:00 - 15:00 Free time for working, writing, leasure, swimming, shopping or whatever
15:00 - 19:00 Research fair - Shaping future welfare, led by Charlotte Wegner, Professor Aalborg University and leader of PROFRES ThinkTank. Includes tapas serving and mingling.
19:00: Celebratory Dinner at Hotel (tapas)
THURSDAY 23 OCTOBER 2025 - Scandic Hotel Seilet:
06:30 - 08:30 Suggestions for morning activity : Morgensvømming Moldebadet
09.00 – 11.45 The Insider Researcher: Travel Tips on the Journey from Practitioner to Researcher by Karianne Nyheim Stray, Postdoctor USN, Jeanette Varpen Unhjem, Associate Professor HiM and Mariya Khoronzhevych, Associate Professor HVO (coffee break included).
- 09:00 - 10:00 Introduction (incl. presentation of reflection task for walk and talk)
- 10:00 - 11:00 Walk and talk
- 11:00 - 11.45: Plenary session
11.45-12.45 Lunch + Candidates’ corner/Staff meeting
12.45 - 13.00 Summary of the symposium by Birgitta Haga Gripsrud
13.00 Departure
Organizing Committee:
Johanne Alteren, Ingunn Mundal, and Ingrid Johnsen Hogstad, Molde University College. Phd- Candidates: Laila Solli Reitan and Anette Dalmo Moltubak. Administrative advisors: Camilla Melhuus Line, Øyvind Nystøl, and Bjørn Eikrem, University of Stavanger, University of Agder, and Molde University College.
Terese Bondas
Establishing a field – a historical account of nursing in the Nordic countries

In this lecture, I will draw some historic lines on establishing a field of research and scientific development in professional practice. The case is nursing, especially focusing on qualitative research in the Nordic countries, which is part of my scientific heritage. The development has been intricately connected to the professional and academic education and organization of health care. The pioneer nurse researchers’ strivings towards autonomy in science and research, education and practice have encountered challenges both inside and outside nursing. Divided views on both ontology and epistemology, and subsequent ideals of nursing topics and doing research have led to side-taking and conflicts. The outer challenges reside from (allowing) major impact from other disciplines and the new public management with economic pressures and education policies. Once again, nursing science and education risk a fading independence. A new era is awaiting to take on the legacy of the nursing pioneers.
Biography:
Terese Bondas is Professor Emerita of Health Sciences at University of Stavanger, Norway, and Adjunct Professor (methods, health research) at University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio. Her research profile is based on a professional background as a registered nurse, public health nurse and nurse leader, and an academic education in nursing and caring sciences, health care administration and education. Terese conducts research and publishes in different areas such as childbearing, leadership and culture, method development and recently child neglect. In her research she has applied different qualitative approaches and developed meta-ethnography. She is the author of more than one hundred publications, and she has planned and provided doctoral and post doc education and supervision in several countries.
Catrine Torbjørnsen Halås
Praksisforskning i eget felt - Anerkjennende, kritisk og konstruktiv

I denne forelesning vil jeg ut fra min bakgrunn fra praktisk kunnskap og sosialt arbeid, sette søkelys på praksisforskning i eget felt. Praksisforskning involverer ofte samarbeid mellom flere interessenter og søker å ta hensyn til maktdynamikken mellom aktørene med hensyn til deltakelse, åpenhet, etisk refleksivitet og kritisk refleksjon. Når forskeren i tillegg forsker i sitt eget felt, kan dette både være en styrke og samtidig gi særskilte utfordringer. På den ene siden kan nærheten gjøre det lettere å forstå kompleksiteten i en praksis, og få tilgang til feltet, samtidig som det kan gjøre det vanskeligere å forholde seg kritisk til den.
Forelesningen bygger på erfaringer fra ulike tverrfaglige forsknings- og utviklingsprosjekter som jeg har vært delaktig i, som involverer både profesjonelle og barn og unge. Særlig vil jeg bruke eksempler prosjekt Ungdom i svevet, der forskere samarbeidet med ungdom og fagfolk over flere år om fagutvikling og forskning. Videre bygger jeg på erfaringer som veileder og opponent på prosjekter, der forskeren er forsker i eget felt, enten egen og/ eller andres yrkespraksiser.
Jeg vil ta utgangspunkt i en forståelse av profesjonspraksiser som komplekse og verdibaserte virksomheter, som utspiller seg og læres i dynamiske samspill mellom den enkelte yrkesutøver og ulike historisk og kulturelt betingede praksisfelleskap.
Et vanlig mål med praksisforskning er å utvikle kunnskap om et fenomen og/ eller en praksis, slik at denne kunnskapen kan bidra til å utvikle og forbedre yrkesutøvelse eller praksis på et mer allment plan. For å lykkes med dette, må forskeren kunne forstå praksisen slik den fremstår for de ulike aktørene i feltet. Videre må forskeren kunne forholde seg kritisk til og undersøke praksisens handlinger, rasjonale og begrunnelser. Til sist handler det om å kunne forholde seg til spørsmål om hva som er å anse som en god praksis.
I forelesningen vil jeg belyse sammenhenger mellom ontologiske, epistemologiske, aksiologiske og metodologiske spørsmål i praksisforskning, og drøfte hva slags implikasjoner dette kan få for denne formen for forskning. Forankret i perspektiver på praktisk kunnskap, vil jeg også se nærmere på hvordan begrepene "anerkjennende, kritisk og konstruktiv " kan være fruktbare når man på den ene siden skal utnytte den fortroligheten man har som forsker i eget felt, og samtidig kunne forholde seg til utfordringer som følger med en slik posisjon.
Biografi:
Catrine Torbjørnsen Halås er professor i sosialt arbeid ved Nord Universitet og leder for PrepChild, som er et tverrfakultært Forskningssenter for barn og unge og sosial beredskap. Hun er utdannet sosionom med erfaring fra kommunalt sosial - og barnevern og Statsforvalteren. Med en plassering innen praktisk kunnskap og sosialt arbeid som fagfelt, har hun i sin forskning vært særlig opptatt av flerfaglig arbeid med barn og unge i sårbare livssituasjoner og ulike spørsmål som omhandler kunnskapsutvikling og læring i, av og med praksis. Hun er blant annet vært en av redaktørene for antologiene "Sett, hørt og forstått. Om profesjonelle møter med unge i sårbare livssituasjoner", "Humanistiske forskningstilnærminger til profesjonspraksis", "Innføring i praktisk kunnskap. Anerkjennende, kritisk og konstruktiv praksisforskning." og "Prøvd erfaring- En vitenskapelig tilnærming til erfaringslæring i akademia."
Atle Ødegård
Exploring the Future of Interprofessional Collaboration: Insights from the PINCOM Model and Mixed Methods Research.

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) is increasingly recognized as a cornerstone of effective practice in health, education, and social services. In this presentation, Professor Atle Ødegård explores the evolving landscape of IPC research, drawing on recent studies that apply and refine the PINCOM framework—an analytical model developed to better understand the psychological and organizational dynamics of collaborative practice.
Using a mixed methods approach, Ødegård highlights how combining qualitative depth with quantitative scope can enrich our understanding of collaboration across professional boundaries. Particular attention is given to the concept of validity in IPC research, including methodological and conceptual challenges that arise when studying complex human interactions in real-world contexts.
Finally, the presentation outlines future directions for research and practice, emphasizing innovation, methodological pluralism, and the need for stronger theoretical underpinnings in interprofessional education and service development.
Biography:
Atle Ødegård is a specialist in clinical psychology and a professor at Molde University College. His research interests include interprofessional collaboration in both practice and education, as well as the development of new research methodologies within these fields. From August 1, 2025, he will hold a position as Professor II at Volda University College.
Karianne Nyheim Stray, Jeanette Varpen Unhjem and Mariya Khoronzhevych

The Insider Researcher: Travel Tips on the Journey from Practitioner to Researcher
Once seen as problematic due to potential conflicts of interest, emotional involvement, and questions of objectivity, the dual role of practitioner and researcher has long been debated. Insider research has often struggled for academic legitimacy, criticised for lacking scholarly rigour and rarely making its way into peer-reviewed journals. But the landscape is changing.
Transitioning from practitioner to researcher within your own professional field demands a high degree of reflexivity. What happens to knowledge production when professional and academic identities merge or contradict? How do we navigate the blurred boundaries between insider insight and critical distance? And what about the issue of academic freedom?

Drawing on our own experiences as insider PhD candidates, we invite you to reflect on your own research journey. Together, we’ll explore questions such as:
- How does your background and position shape how you understand and collaborate with informants?
- How can you work constructively with your preunderstandings?
- What are the benefits—and the pitfalls—of being close to your research field?
- And how can you develop strategies to uncover your blind spots?
Our session will include short lectures, a walk-and-talk activity, and a plenary discussion.
Biographies:

Karianne Nyheim Stray is an associate professor at the University of South-Eastern Norway. With a professional background in NAV, she completed a Public PhD in 2022 on frontline discretion in the organisation. Her research interests include welfare governance, work inclusion, migration, and public sector innovation. As the leader of the PROFRES alumni network, she is particularly passionate about strengthening the ties between academia and the field of practice.
Jeanette Varpen Unhjem is an associate professor at Molde University College. Intrigued by her own experiences as a nurse in forensic psychiatry, her PhD explored professional boundaries between nurses and patients in mental health care. Unhjem is currently involved in research projects concerned with dual relationships and patient safety issues.
Mariya Khoronzhevych is an associate professor in the Department of Social Work at Volda University College. She holds a PhD in Social Work and Social Policy from OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University. Her doctoral research examined the personalisation of employment-oriented interventions for immigrants within the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (Nav). Before pursuing her PhD, she worked for several years as a caseworker at Nav.