Department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology, Hólar University College, research policy.
December 2017
1. Introduction:
This policy is built on the research policy of Hólar University College, as approved by the University Board on December 21st 2015. The research policy focuses on basic values in relation to research and the research support system of the university college. For decades, the Department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology has conducted powerful research, which has intensified considerably in the last years. This can be seen in the increase of external research funding, of publications of peer-reviewed papers and the number of graduate students (M.Sc. and Ph.D). The department is in possession of good research facilities, which have been systematically improved in recent years.
2. Basic values:
The department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology puts an emphasis on its faculty’s academic freedom in relation to the selection of topics for research. The department puts emphasis on that the research within the department builds upon three main factors of the university college’s research policy: collection of data, critical analysis and sharing of knowledge. At the same time the department emphasizes that its faculty and students participate in the international research community by attending international conferences and by publishing per-reviewed papers in recognized journals.
3. Building up of research:
The department’s academic faculty jointly shapes the focus of research within the department, e.g. by regular meetings, and thus forms the basis for its continuous development (Annex 1). Decisions on facilities’ development and recruitment of new faculty are based on this focus. Emphasis will be put on that the entire recruiting process, from advertisement until hiring, will be transparent, reflects the department’s focus of research and is in accordance with the recruitment procedures of Hólar University College. The department seeks to recruit the most qualified staff possible by advertising all positions, within Iceland and internationally. The department works systematically towards the building up its facilities in line with its research focus. This is to a large extent financed by external funding. All academic faculty participate in creating the departmental facility improvement plan (annex 1). The department supports research by developing its facilities and by input from the department’s support staff, which is partly financed by overheads on grants.
4. Support for research:
Hólar University College supports research of academic faculty through its traveling fund (see regulations) and by offering faculty opportunities to go on sabbaticals (see regulations).
5. Research quality management:
The Department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology puts strong emphasis on research within the department being of the highest quality and recognized within the international research community. The department puts emphasis on honest research, where the impact on organisms and environment is minimized. In general the Hólar University College Code of Conducts applies (http://www.holar.is/almennt_efni/sidareglur).
5.1.Archiving the results of research:
The department will create guidelines regarding storing and publishing of datasets (Annex 2) and emphasizes the importance of project leaders and student supervisors making sure that datasets are tried out and proof read in order to minimize errors. The department will create guidelines regarding storage and registration of obtained samples, which preservation is believed to be of importance (Annex 3). Such a sample collection will be made accessible for other scientists, in order to increase the utilization of research.
5.2.Collaboration and inner quality control:
The department emphasizes that those conducting research meet regularly to discuss progress and results of the research; to formulate aims for collaborative research and to provide critical support.
5.3. Outcome of research:
7. The visibility of research:
The department puts emphasis on that research conducted within the department be made visible, in regard to formal publication as well as on the Hólar University College web site.
December 2017
1. Introduction:
This policy is built on the research policy of Hólar University College, as approved by the University Board on December 21st 2015. The research policy focuses on basic values in relation to research and the research support system of the university college. For decades, the Department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology has conducted powerful research, which has intensified considerably in the last years. This can be seen in the increase of external research funding, of publications of peer-reviewed papers and the number of graduate students (M.Sc. and Ph.D). The department is in possession of good research facilities, which have been systematically improved in recent years.
2. Basic values:
The department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology puts an emphasis on its faculty’s academic freedom in relation to the selection of topics for research. The department puts emphasis on that the research within the department builds upon three main factors of the university college’s research policy: collection of data, critical analysis and sharing of knowledge. At the same time the department emphasizes that its faculty and students participate in the international research community by attending international conferences and by publishing per-reviewed papers in recognized journals.
3. Building up of research:
The department’s academic faculty jointly shapes the focus of research within the department, e.g. by regular meetings, and thus forms the basis for its continuous development (Annex 1). Decisions on facilities’ development and recruitment of new faculty are based on this focus. Emphasis will be put on that the entire recruiting process, from advertisement until hiring, will be transparent, reflects the department’s focus of research and is in accordance with the recruitment procedures of Hólar University College. The department seeks to recruit the most qualified staff possible by advertising all positions, within Iceland and internationally. The department works systematically towards the building up its facilities in line with its research focus. This is to a large extent financed by external funding. All academic faculty participate in creating the departmental facility improvement plan (annex 1). The department supports research by developing its facilities and by input from the department’s support staff, which is partly financed by overheads on grants.
4. Support for research:
Hólar University College supports research of academic faculty through its traveling fund (see regulations) and by offering faculty opportunities to go on sabbaticals (see regulations).
5. Research quality management:
The Department of Aquaculture and Fish Biology puts strong emphasis on research within the department being of the highest quality and recognized within the international research community. The department puts emphasis on honest research, where the impact on organisms and environment is minimized. In general the Hólar University College Code of Conducts applies (http://www.holar.is/almennt_efni/sidareglur).
5.1.Archiving the results of research:
The department will create guidelines regarding storing and publishing of datasets (Annex 2) and emphasizes the importance of project leaders and student supervisors making sure that datasets are tried out and proof read in order to minimize errors. The department will create guidelines regarding storage and registration of obtained samples, which preservation is believed to be of importance (Annex 3). Such a sample collection will be made accessible for other scientists, in order to increase the utilization of research.
5.2.Collaboration and inner quality control:
The department emphasizes that those conducting research meet regularly to discuss progress and results of the research; to formulate aims for collaborative research and to provide critical support.
5.3. Outcome of research:
- The outcome of research provides one way of measuring activity and, to some extent, the quality of research. The department emphasizes the importance that there is stability in research funding which should not become less than in years 2014/2015.
- The department aims for a minimum of one per-reviewed paper being published annually for each of its academic faculty members, as well as publications in Icelandic scientific journals. The department puts emphasis on the participation of faculty and research students in Icelandic and international scientific conferences.
- The outcome of the research within the department will be registered in the CRIS system of the Icelandic government. 6. Participation of research students: The department puts emphasis on the participation of research students (M.Sc. PhD. and internship research students) in research projects. An emphasis is put on that the participation and responsibility of these students, as well as their supervisors, is clearly defined in guidelines for supervision and supervision contracts, agreed upon by the division of graduate studies.
7. The visibility of research:
The department puts emphasis on that research conducted within the department be made visible, in regard to formal publication as well as on the Hólar University College web site.
- The department puts emphasis on the departmental web pages, in Icelandic and in English, clearly displaying its operation at any given time.
- The department puts emphasis on all academic faculty making their own research visible on personal web pages
- The department puts emphasis on news being regularly published, bringing information on the research within the department. The department puts emphasis on the results of research within the department being made accessible to everyone, re. the Icelandic government’s regulations on open access. Paragraph.
