PhD Programme in Innovation for Sustainability Programme description

The PhD programme in Innovation for Sustainability at OsloMet is a full-time, 180 ECTS credit programme based at the Faculty of Technology, Art and Design (TKD), in cooperation with The Centre for Welfare and Labour Research (SVA). The goal of the programme is to qualify candidates for research, teaching, development work, and other highly qualified work in the field of innovation for sustainability. The programme is based on core competence from the departments of Product design, Art, design and drama and Computer science at TKD, and SVA.

The courses are also offered to other PhD programmes at OsloMet and to candidates outside OsloMet, provided there are vacant places.

The overall aim of the PhD programme is to contribute to sustainable development and welfare for all through human-centred and cultural research and innovation strategies. The programme combines theoretical and practice-oriented perspectives through a social constructivist approach with various types of knowledge suitable to a diversity of contexts and professional practices. It is thus rooted in OsloMet’s position as a university directed towards professional studies, with close links to the community and working life outside academia. The PhD programme will prepare the candidates for societal needs, related to private and public sector as well as academia.

The programme’s unique approach is its combination of design and aesthetics with computer science and social sciences in an interdisciplinary setting. The programme is characterized by interdisciplinarity and ethical awareness, and by theoretical and methodological pluralism. It offers 3 mandatory courses, each 5 ECTS, in philosophy of science, method, and innovation, which introduce basic theories and practices with a special focus on sustainability and interdisciplinarity. Additionally, the programme offers 5 elective courses addressing different perspectives on sustainability: place-based, social, individual, aesthetic, and educational.

Sustainability is understood as a result of cultural, social, artistic, technological, economic and environmental factors and contains an awareness of ethicality and responsibility. Culture, defined here as human thinking, behavior, habits, and attitudes, is regarded as the foundational component. Innovation, understood as ideas or inventions that are practically implemented for value creation, is necessary to achieve transformation to a sustainable development. The programme will push the candidates to develop new and improved products, systems, and processes through interdisciplinary approaches and various technologies. Design thinking, creativity and entrepreneurship are key elements, and interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and problem - based methodologies that involve a broad spectrum of societal stakeholders in defining and executing research, are central. Sustainability science is an emerging field of research dealing with the interactions between natural, social, and cultural systems, and with how those interactions affect the challenge of sustainability. The field is in constant development, and the programme will therefore be continuously revised and updated.

Interdisciplinarity is a foundational factor in the programme, both as a competence and a skill. The courses constitute a main factor to develop interdisciplinary skills. Multidisciplinarity, transdiciplinarity and co-design will also be included. Multidisciplinarity will constitute a starting point for developing interdisciplinarity and transdiciplinarity. In this way the candidates will be able to share their own fields of interest and thereby learn to integrate their competences in larger projects with different participants.

Innovation is understood as new or improved solutions and practices that are practically implemented to create value or to meet societal needs or challenges. The values can be ecologic, economic, social, cultural, or ethical. Innovation is recognized as necessary to achieve a transition to a more sustainable society. The programme will enable the candidates to find improved solutions.

The programme will have a certain flexibility within its frame and scope. The content of the courses will be adapted to the candidates' field of interest, and thereby subject to minor variations. It will also be developed according to response from the candidates, teachers and external stakeholders as well as the scientific development of the topic and the research agendas of the departments and research institutes involved in the programme.

The PhD programme consists of an educational (coursework) component (30 ECTS credits) and a research component comprising the doctoral thesis (150 ECTS credits). The programme is intended to be completed within an effective researcher training period of three years, alternatively four years including mandatory duties such as teaching and applications for external funding. The requirements for the PhD degree are established in the Provision for the Degree of Philosophiae doctor (PhD) at OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University.

Upon completion and passing of the programme, the candidate will be awarded the degree “PhD in Innovation for Sustainability”. The candidate’s specialization will be named on the transcript and diploma. Reference is made to Section 2 of the Regulations Relating to the Degree of Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) at Oslo Metropolitan University (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations relating to the PhD Degree at OsloMet).

The target group of the programme consists of those who wish to achieve research competence in sustainability studies, within the areas of design, arts, computer science, cultural and social studies, social sciences, urban and regional planning, and others, in order to be qualified for business, public sector, research, teaching and other positions that place high demands on professional competence.

The requirements for the PhD degree are established in the Provision for the Degree of Philosophiae doctor a (PhD) at OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University

To be admitted to the PhD programme, you must have completed a relevant bachelor's degree (180 ECTS) + master (120 ECTS) or equivalent education in the fields of human centred technology, art, design, social sciences, the humanities, and/or other fields relevant to the specializations in the PhD programme. The application must document the applicant's educational background and completed research work.The average grade awarded for the master's degree must not be lower than a B. A minimum grade of B must be awarded to the master's thesis.

Applications for admission must also contain a plan for the applicant’s doctoral project. This includes:

- project description

- plan for the training component

- progress plan

- funding plan

- proposal for academic supervisor(s)

The project description shall describe the topic, research question, theoretical basis, and choice of method. In addition, the applicants shall provide information about their needs for infrastructure and the language in which they wish to write their doctoral thesis and may be asked to provide information pertaining to possible problems in accordance with rights to intellectual property. In the case of comprehensive data collection, financing for this must be clarified.

Admission is based on a total assessment of the application, including the relevance and quality of the project description and on funding. The quality of the applicant's master's degree thesis/thesis and other written work can also be taken into consideration. Decisions on admission are made by the Doctoral Committee at the Faculty of Technology, Art and Design, supported by a representative from SVA. Upon admission to the programme, the Doctoral Committee will assign the candidate a minimum of two supervisors. If the main supervisor is not employed at TKD or SVA or otherwise formally associated with the programme, normally a co-supervisor who is employed at TKD or SVA will be assigned the candidate. The admission is formalized through a contract between the doctoral candidate, the supervisor, and the university, and if relevant also with other professional groups and institutions. The contract regulates the parties' mutual rights and obligations for the contract' s period in accordance with paragraph 3 in the Regulations relating to the PhD Degree at OsloMet and is based on the outline developed by the University and College Board (UHR). Admission is granted subject to funding being approved.

The PhD program is an organized research education, and candidates shall participate in research groups. Externally funded candidates participate in research groups at their own workplace or in one of the faculty's research groups.

Rejections of applications for admission can be appealed pursuant to the Regulations Relating to Studies and Examinations at Oslo Metropolitan University (https://lovdata.no/dokument/SF/f orskrift/2012-08-28-841).

After completing the PhD programme, the candidates are expected to have gained the following knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge

The candidate

• is at the cutting edge of knowledge within his/her field of specialization and can relate relevant sustainability issues to philosophy of science
• can evaluate the expediency and application of different methodological approaches and/or artistic research to the development of innovation for sustainability
• can critically reflect on implications in practice of various epistemological perspectives to contribute to the development and production of new knowledge, theory, and methods for innovation in sustainability

Skills

The candidate

• can function as an independent researcher planning and carry out research in his/her field of sustainability, including formulating problems and research questions and assessing the appropriateness of various theories and methods for innovation
• can carry out research for innovation in sustainability at a high international standard and in an interdisciplinary context
• can deal with complex academic questions in advanced collaborative sustainability projects that challenge existing knowledge and practice in the specific field of sustainability and innovation in the professional field

General competence

The candidate

• can identify and reflect on ethical issues in his/her own and others’ research and carry out his/ her research with scholarly integrity to contribute to responsible research and innovation (RRI)
• can undertake or contribute to complex interdisciplinary assignments and projects
• can disseminate research through recognized national and international scholarly and/or professional publication channels, and to the professional field(s) and the general public in popular science form
• can participate in debates in the field in international forums and present research at national and international research conferences in the field of sustainable innovation
• can assess the need for, initiate and practice innovation for sustainability in a policy relevant context

References

Correct use of source references and verifiability are required in all research.

• candidates must comply with the guidelines for correct referencing and use of quotations in both their training component and research component. Inadequate references can be deemed to constitute plagiarism and cheating and can constitute a breach of research ethics guidelines, cf. the Act relating to Universities and University Colleges Sections § 4-13.

Teaching and learning methods will vary, but most PhD courses will comprise lectures, workshops, discussions, oral presentations, and written assignment(s), with individual feedback. The seminar form supports the candidates’ training in presenting their own research, both to fellow PhD candidates in their own programme and to external participants. A seminar form with a dynamic structure and with PhD candidates from different programmes requires active engagement. This combination of teaching and learning forms enables candidates to engage themselves in multiple ways and thus enhance their learning outcomes. A unique feature of the programme is a practice-oriented and innovative approach, where research is tied to innovation, interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and problem-based methodologies. The mandatory course in innovation and some of the elective courses will thus involve collaboration with relevant societal stakeholders in defining and executing research, and presentations outside the university. Syllabus in these courses will include policy documents and guidelines on sustainable developments in the candidates’ different fields of research.

The work on the PhD thesis consists of active research under supervision. The duties of the supervisors are regulated by the Regulations relating to the PhD Degree at OsloMet Section 3. The main supervisor should normally come from the programme' s department or research centre. If not, a co-supervisor from the department will be appointed upon admission. The total time the supervisors spends on the candidate is estimated to be 210 hours, including contact with the candidate, preparations, reading, follow-up work, etc. The standard distribution between the main supervisor and a co-supervisor is 140 and 70 hours respectively. If there are more co -supervisors, a different distribution will apply. The candidate is entitled to a total of 70 hours of direct supervision during the programme. Upon admission to PhD education at OsloMet, a written PhD agreement is formalized regarding their duties and rights during the admission period, cf. the PhD Regulations at OsloMet, § 2-6. A progress schedule is drawn up at the first supervision meeting. The candidate and the supervisor shall submit progress reports annually, cf. the PhD Regulations at OsloMet, § 3-3.

Midway assessments are arranged for each candidate. Here the candidate presents her/his dissertation project and receives comments from an opponent. Supervisors and researchers in the study's research communities are invited to participate. The mid-term seminar is a central arena for the presentation of the candidate’s progression and professional development and represents an important milestone for the candidate.

The programme will host an information seminar about submission and dissertation at least once a year. Seminar meetings can be held on ‘suplementary introductory chapter’ writing, which can complement corresponding seminars at OsloMet. Regular research seminars will be organized at the departmental/ research unit/ research group levels, where candidates may also participate and present their own research

Candidates are required to keep up to date about international research in the subject area and to network with foreign colleagues in the field. Periods of study abroad will be facilitated, and the department will invite researchers from foreign institutions to give lectures.

In a sustainability perspective the PhD candidates will be encouraged to find new and low carbon footprint ways of communicating with the international research community in their field, such as alternative forms of exchange and meetings on digital platforms and long term stays instead of frequent short-term ones.

Candidates are encouraged to present at least one paper at an international conference. Candidates are also encouraged to communicate about their projects via relevant forums and channels.

The fundament of the PhD is independent work. Candidates must take an independent and active role in his/her learning process, both in the doctoral thesis and in the educational component/coursework. All courses therefore require the active participation of candidates in a multitude of ways, such as identifying relevant research questions and problems, deducing the best way to analyse problems, and structuring and writing a research paper. All courses in the training component are intended to underpin the PhD candidates’ own research.

The courses are seminar-based and have a standard duration from three to five days, with an ideal participation level of 10-15 candidates. Candidates are expected to actively participate in the course, via advance preparation (doing the readings and other preparatory work), participation in course discussions, and respectful engagement with other candidates’ ideas and work. Participation is mandatory, and candidates are expected to attend all days of teaching. Unless stated otherwise in the course descriptions, a minor absence (up to 20 percent of the course duration) can be accepted in special cases such as documented illness/ sick leave (upon application). In the event of absences that are not approved, candidates will lose their right to have their essays assessed. Digital attendance can be offered to candidates if possible. Course requirements are assessed as confirmed or not confirmed.

Assessment of examinations in the educational (training) component will be conducted in accordance with the provisions regarding examinations and cheating in the Regulations relating to Studies and Examinations at OsloMet; see the PhD Regulations, section 4.3. The form of assessment for all courses will be a pass or fail.

In all courses, the PhD candidates must hand in a paper based on their own research project, of typical lengths of 4000-5000 words. In the courses with a portfolio exam the candidates must also document the development and execution of a practical workshop.

The standard expectation is that the essay must be submitted within 2 months of course completion, although specification is found in each course description. In addition to passing the essay, course requirements (participation) must also be confirmed to be awarded the ECTS credits.

The form of assessment for the doctoral thesis (including assessment of the thesis by a committee and completion of a trial lecture and public defence) is as follows. Upon submission, the doctoral thesis will be examined by an assessment committee comprising two external members and one internal (OsloMet) member. OsloMet’s existing guidelines for assessment of the doctoral thesis state: To be approved, the doctoral thesis should be of a standard that would justify publication as part of the scientific literature in the given field of research. The thesis must satisfy the minimum requirements of research expertise, expressed through requirements pertaining to formulation of research questions, precision and logical stringency, a good command of relevant methods of analysis and an ability to reflect on their possibilities and limitations, as well as an overview and understanding of, and a reflective attitude to, other research in the field. When evaluating the thesis, emphasis is placed on determining whether the thesis represents an independent and comprehensive piece of scientific work of high academic standard. It is particularly important to consider whether the material and methods applied are relevant to the questions raised in the thesis, and whether the arguments and conclusions posited are valid. If the thesis is found worthy of public defence, a trial lecture and public defence will be held at OsloMet and chaired by the Rector, or someone appointed by the Rector.

The PhD degree is obtained by fulfilling the following requirements:

• approval of the educational component
• approval of the doctoral thesis
• approval of the trial lecture on a given topic
• approval of the public defence of the thesis