7004312491_bca6588168_oMH Source: UiB
In the Earth and Marine Science category the University of Bergen (UiB) is ranked as number 42 in the world. In total 3,500 universities worldwide were rated by QS as part of this ranking (see FACTS). Never before has UiB achieved a QS ranking this high in any subject.
Perfect promotion of the faculty
“This fits perfectly into how we want to promote the faculty and reflects the academic disciplines in which we are most present in scientific journals,” says Dean Helge K. Dahle at the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences.
According to Dahle, the faculty in particular gets favourable profiling thanks to its focus on biology and earth science.
“We are heavyweights in these subjects and this contributes to our high international standing,” suggests Dahle. “In the years ahead, the faculty plans to focus even more on marine, climate and energy research. These are three fields in which UiB researchers are already heavily involved.”
A good reputation and ERC grants
UiB’s strong standing in earth and marine science could also attract international talent to Bergen and the strong marine science environment in the region.
In November 2014, Researcher Nele Meckler at the Department of Earth Science was awarded with the European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant.
In the first quarter of 2015, Researcher Andreas Hejnol at the Sars International Centre for Marine Molecular Biology and Professor Noel Keenlyside at the Geophysical Institute and the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research both were awarded Consolidator Grants from the ERC, the two first researchers at UiB to receive this particular EU grant.
“I would say that the Sars Centre, the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research and the Centre for Geobiology are spearheading our efforts in marine research and earth sciences,” says Dahle pointing to the awards researchers in this field have received in the last few years.
Securing grants from the ERC or the Research Council of Norway, in particular the latters highly regarded Centre of Excellence (SFF) status, has become increasingly important. The Centre for Geobiology currently holds SFF status, whereas the Bjerknes Centre held SFF status for a ten year period from 2002 to 2012.