Bodø University College has singled out a challenging goal:

Bodø University College shall become the leading centre for education and research within theoretical and practical knowledge, adjusted to the demands of the region and the country. This is to take place through diversity and flexibility within education and through originality and specialisation within research.           

Board of Bodø University College – Bodø 06.03.00.

Bodø University College (BUC) is to:

• Be a leading centre of competence for research and R&D dissemination within the chosen fields of endeavour: business, aquaculture, practical knowledge and sociology. The knowledge developed through research is to satisfy the requirements set to high standard international research and furthermore, be well-adapted to the nation’s and the region’s needs.
• Facilitate R&D work in all subject fields in which we provide bachelor and master education. The academic activity is to build on active participation in national and international research networks and to include research at a high scientific level. The University College’s researchers are to publish in relevant periodicals, and academic staff members are to be actively exchanged with other internationally well-rated institutions.
• To educate highly qualified researchers who can contribute to assuming the responsibility the institution has for the regional creation of worth. In co-operation with private and public institutions, the University College’s various academic environments are to contribute to developing the region’s society, trade and working life. In this way, Bodø University College wishes to stimulate innovation in today’s going concerns and also the establishment of new activity.

In order to realise its main goals, Bodø University College will co-operate with local, regional and international partners and be an active partner in projects financed from, amongst others, The Norwegian Research Council and The European Union. BUC is, along with their international co-operation partners, to develop common research expertise through effort on large-scale research projects. Along with local and regional partners, BUC wishes to focus on the needs of society, trade and working life and contribute towards the further development of competence and the creation of worth in the region.

The most important objectives for the period 2004-2007 are to:

• Realise the University of Bodø
• Establish PhD study programmes in practical knowledge and aquaculture and to further develop the PhD study programmes in sociology and business.
• Increase the research effort as measured in the number of publications, personnel with PhD degrees and large-scale research projects involving society, trade and working life, and last but not least, in the number of projects with other national and international research institutions.
• Make the necessary arrangements for:
• Allowing active researchers to use time on research (amongst other things by developing the current research semester programme)
• Developing programmes to assure that young researchers at Bodø University College develop into excellent researchers, through e.g. post- doctoral arrangements
• Allowing staff members who are not active researchers to be given the opportunity to develop further through participation in our PhD study programmes.
• Increase the percentage of women in the assistant professor and professor group.