Staff Spotlight
Therese Marie Uppstrom is a Senior Executive Officer at the University of Oslo and oversees the administration of the Hedda network and the two master programmes in higher education, as well as serves as administrative coordinator for the HEEM programme. Therese started this position 6 years ago when she was a graduate student at the University of Oslo. Here is a short interview with Therese and we wish her the best as she takes off for 1 year of maternity leave.
Job highlights, what do you enjoy about your job?
The Hedda network was just officially established when I started working here. It has been truly fascinating to be a part of Hedda as it has developed into what it is today. We have started several new projects, like the HEEM programme, and no year has been the same as the year before. It is also a joy working in an international environment, with colleagues and students from all over the world.
What do you want to be when you grow up/future career ambitions?
My short term plan is to spend one year at home with my newborn baby. As for long term plans I would like to continue to work within the international dimension of higher education.
Briefly describe the master programme and your thoughts on the growth
& development of this programme over the last 5 years.
When Hedda was established, the network formulated a set of aims and goals for its activities. One of these aims was to develop a European master programme in higher education that could meet the growing need for expertise on higher education. Experts from different fields in higher education studies gathered in Oslo, where they developed the study plan.
At the start of the programme we wanted students to have the opportunity to travel between universities throughout their studies, but we quickly discovered that this wasn't economically feasible for many students. Instead, we established the programme at the University of Oslo where the teachers would travel to the students.
In 2004, the European Commission launched the Erasmus Mundus programme. Participation in this programme grants scholarships for students and we saw that this would give our students the needed finances to be mobile.
We applied and were accepted in the first round. The fall of 2004 we started the joint HEEM programme where students travel between the universities of Aveiro, Tampere and Oslo during their studies. The year after we expanded our master programme network, giving our students the opportunity to go to the University of Obirin, Japan and the University of New England, Australia, as part of the programme. Next year we are
expanding even further to include the University of Western Cape, South Africa, and the University of Makerere, Uganda.
What higher education issues are you most interested/passionate about?
I think any international issue is exciting to look into, like the Bologna process. Related to this, I also think it is very interesting to study how higher education policy is developed and implemented. The latter has made it very interesting to be a part of the Erasmus Mundus programme, as joint degrees is a new venture in Europe that has
challenged national policy on several issues. I also think it is interesting to study the role of higher education and research in the development of society, both with respect to the so called knowledge society, and with respect to issues concerning developing countries.
Comments
Today is the Women's Day and it is very interesting that I have chance to know something about Ms. Marie Uppstrom, "an outstanding staff" is all i wish to describe about her. Through this chronicle, i know more about the heavy workload she and her colleages have been taking charge of in order to give students the best opportunity to pursue their desires. I would like to take this occasion to send my finest wishes of health, happiness and success to Ms. Marie Uppstrom as well as all UiO's female staff on this memorable day.
Best wishes & Cheer!!!
Posted by: Diep Thanh Vuong | March 8, 2007 06:52 AM