Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics (NorS)

Vision and strategy

Vision

At the time of the department merger 1st of September 2017 the new department vision has been adapted from the vision of the former Department of Nordic Research (NFI):

Our vision is to explore the fields of linguistic heritage and language technology in a broad sense, partly from a historical perspective in relation to where and how our language and names have evolved, partly in a contemporary perspective in terms of how spoken and written language today can be described and processed under conditions such as urbanization, globalization and new digital forms of communication.

We explore new approaches to language and textual heritage within the broad terms of digital humanities and data science. We develop strong profiles within those areas which are internationally well-known and which can attract collaborative research projects and research groups both nationally and across countries.

We aim for a cross-institutional, international and interdisciplinary research approach. We collaborate closely with relevant institutions in Denmark and the Nordic countries which manage linguistic heritage or work with humanities research infrastructure, and we are in close dialogue and cooperation with research institutions and enterprises nationally and abroad which work with language technology.

Our vision is to achieve excellency within our disciplines and to attract the best international scholars as visiting professors, postdoctoral fellows and PhD students; for instance via EU programs such as Marie Curie and ERC. We wish to continue our extensive participation in EU research and infrastructure projects and thereby maintain and extend our large number of international contacts.

We wish to offer high-quality educations/courses - preferably international - in language technology, data science, cognition, sociolinguistics, digital humanities and manuscript studies. We aim for a dynamic learning environment where students collaborate closely with NFI's researchers in research projects and thereby achieve strong and relevant skills which are in demand in society.

Strategic plan for 2012-2016

At the time of the department merger 1st of September 2017 the department strategy has been adapted from the strategy 2012-2017 of the former Department of Nordic Studies and Linguistics (INSS). A new strategy will be conceived following the development of the Strategy 2023 of the University of Copenhagen.

The Department has drawn up its goals on the basis of the three selected focus areas of the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) and the 12 transversal commitments of the Faculty of Humanities. The Department’s strategic plan defines the following focus areas that contribute to the fulfilment of the strategy:

Improving education

PhDs: continuing the PhD agenda of 2010; contributions from the Department to the Faculty’s didactic courses for PhD students.
Synthesising research and education: committing the research centres and groups of the Department to formulating educational activities; students’ participation in research projects via traineeships and employment as assistants while earning ECTS.
Further training/tertiary education: expanding the Department’s courses offered under the auspices of the Open University.
Study efficiency: a supportive study environment offering study facilities, facilitating study groups and scholarly events; study guidance initiatives; streamlined study programmes; continuing the work under the auspices of an UCPH project aimed at quality in education.
University didactic commitment: contributing to the establishment of a centre for university didactics in the Faculty.
IT in teaching: continued cooperation with ITMEDIA within the Faculty regarding streaming; IT-support for teaching and examination; IT certification of the study programmes of the Department.
Language commitment: participation in the Centre for Internationalisation and Parallel Language Use; continuing the cooperation with external partners on offering courses in Danish to foreign students; contributing to the Faculty’s language strategy commitment.

Strengthening external collaboration worldwide

National and international research and educational collaboration: continuing the Department’s existing partnerships (link); establishment of new partnerships by supporting research groups’ intention to seek funding to enable the internationalisation of the research environment; building a research support team.
Strengthening the Department’s partnerships with cultural organisations, linguistic and audiologopedic organisations and the rest of the business community: continuing the collaboration with external partners and other departments/faculties that has led to business-oriented elective studies at the Department, giving the students a business network and a practice dimension to the studies and the affiliated research.

Strengthening internal collaboration and a shared identity

Strengthening the educational and research partnerships at the Faculty and across the faculties at UCPH: proceeding with the Department’s participation in centre partnerships at the Faculty.
Developing administration and cooperation at the Faculty: generating models for cooperation within the Faculty; generating budget models; communicating the Faculty’s management information to relevant boards and committees at the Department; working to improve the study’s financial basis; keeping the strategy for the workplace in operation; offering younger researchers at the Department courses in research leadership; implementing the academic staffing schedule; strengthening and improving the efficiency and service of the departmental administration.