Mapping a department’s identity to discuss implications on teaching and learning

Abstract

“Who are we, the Geophysical Institute?” This question was triggered among staff and students when the legally protected Norway-specific title ‘sivilingeniør’ was added to a traditional “Master of Science” degree. Will the department recruit more students, or also recruit students from a different student population? Can a possible change in the student population impact the institutional identity? But then, who are “we” now? Do we even agree on how to describe our department’s identity, its position in research, education, and society? Can we find a basic description that everybody can identify with? To explore the question of institutional identity and to capture our staff’s perceptions prior to changing the study program, we engaged the “all-staff” department retreat in December 2024 with 73 participants, which resulted in a short text describing “us” as a department and as educators. The activity supported good discussions among staff and provided valuable insight into questions concerning who we are as a department and what we strive to be. Here, we outline the process and discuss how establishing identity within a department could influence the sense of belonging and participation among staff and students.