WORK EXPERIENCE
- Initial work experience in the field of international research co-operation, strategic research planning and technology policy while serving in Norwegian ministries and research councils (1987-93).
- From 1993, four years in Brussels, working in and for the European Commission in matters of education and training; first in the COMETT programme (university-enterprise co-operation and technology training projects), and later in the European Commission unit for vocational training policy (1995-98).
- 1999-2001, at the EU Institute for Prospective Technological Studies, Joint Research Centre in Seville, notably working on a feasibility study to set up a web portal for lifelong learning resources.
- When working as researcher at Fafo, Institute for Labour Social Research, (2003-2011), co-edited a background report on demand and supply mechanisms in Norwegian further and continuing education.
- Also co-edited the in itinerere evaluation of the Competence Development Project, forming part of a Norwegian reform for lifelong learning.
- Co-ordinated Fafo’s contribution to two projects financed by the EU research framework Programme, “LLL2010: Towards a Lifelong Learning Society in Europe: The Contribution of the Education System” and “EURONE&T: Towards the European Society: challenges for education and training policies and research arising from the European integration and enlargement“.
- Since 2002, continuous assessments of proposals from various strands of the EU Lifelong learning programme (Leonardo da Vinci, Jean Monnet, Key activity 4 on dissemination and exploitation). Concerning the latter experience, between 2002 and 2008 member of the “Expert Group on Valorisation” of programmes administered by European Commission services for Education and Culture.
- From 2014, assessment of proposals submitted to the EU programme Erasmus+; including centralised actions handled by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) in Brussels. O. B. Ure has notably assessed proposals for Sector Skills Alliances, Knowledge Alliances between universities and enterprises; for the European Universities initiative as well as propoals to Erasmus Mundus Development Measures. On behalf of the Norwegian national Erasmus+ Agency (Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills), he is regularly assessing proposals for and final reports from Erasmus+ cooperation partnerships. This work includes projects in the field of vocational training, higher education as well as adult education.
- From 2016, assessing proposals to the EU research programme Horizon 2020/Europe (Science with and for Society), including International Training Networks; European Universities – Research&Innovation pilots; WIDERA (Widening participation and strengthening the European Research Area, the Calls: European Excellence Initiative (2023) and ‘ERA Chairs’ (2024) aiming to support universities or research organisations to attract and maintain high quality human resources).
Assessing proposals under other Calls for proposals under Horizon Europe: Innovative research on Democrazy and Governance (2022), Efficiency and effectiveness of investment in high-quality education and training (2023), Effective education and labour market transitions of young people (2024). - Reviewing articles for the following scientific journals: European Journal of Education; International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Traning; International Journal of Lifelong Education; International Journal of Public Administration; Vocations and Learning (cf. https://publons.com/researcher/1631320/odd-bjorn-ure/).
- Reviewing abstracts of conference papers to VETNET, which is one of the networks around which the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER) is set up. This network, devoted to vocational education and training, has its own programme at ECER. Abstracts of the conference papers are evaluated by researchers before the papers are presented at the annual event, in 2023 held in Glasgow.
Education and training
| 1978 | Preliminary courses at the University of Bergen |
| 1978-80 | Intermediate subject (political) philosophy. |
| 1980-82 | Intermediate subject: public administration and organisational theory |
| late-82 | Intermediate subject at elementary level: political sciences (economics, sociology, comparative politics). |
| 1983-84 | Main subject-> honours degree in public administration and organisational theory. |
| 1984 | ” Arbeidsdeling og interesseorganisering i norsk verkstedsindustri. Om framveksten av verkstedsindustriell forskning i etterkrigstiden".*(Thesis for honours degree. Translation of the title into English: "Division of labour and organised interests in the Norwegian engineering industries. The evolution of engineering research after the 2nd world war”.) |
| • Name and type of organisation providing education and training | University of Bergen (a Norwegian state university) |
| • Principal subjects/occupational skills covered | Public administration and organisational theory To achieve an honours degree: write a thesis based on extensive interviews and on analysis of data as well as written material. Combine theory and methodology throughout the work. |
| • Title of qualification awarded | Cand. polit. |
| • Level in national classification | Master in political sciences |
Language Competencies
| Mother Tongue | Norwegian |
Other languages | |
| English | |
| Reading skills | excellent |
| Writing skills | excellent |
| Verbal skills | excellent |
| French | |
| Reading skills | excellent |
| Writing skills | good |
| Verbal skills | excellent |
| Spanish | |
| Reading skills | excellent |
| Writing skills | basic |
| Verbal skills | good |
| German | |
| Reading skills | excellent |
| Writing skills | basic |
| Verbal skills | basic |