Business Mentor

As a Business Mentor, you will play a pivotal role in facilitating invaluable connections and fostering open dialogues between students, academia, and the business world. Your guidance and expertise will provide students with a practical dimension to their theoretical knowledge, equipping them with real-world tools to thrive in their careers.

By immersing students in real business challenges, you offer them a unique opportunity to feel the heartbeat of working life and translate their skills and ideas into tangible projects. It's a win-win situation, enriching both the students' learning experience and your own professional growth.

The specific objectives of this programme are:

• Enhanced Collaboration: Increase collaboration between the academic community and businesses in Nordland, fostering a vibrant ecosystem of innovation.
  
  
• Research Advancement: Encourage greater participation in IPN and KPN projects, elevating the research landscape and expanding its impact.
  
  
• Relevance in Education: Elevate the practical relevance of study subjects, empowering students with skills that seamlessly translate into the working world.
  
  
• Increased Visibility: Showcase the vibrant businesses of Nordland to our diverse student body, stimulating interest and engagement.
  
  
• Talent Recruitment: Contribute to the growth of Nordland companies by attracting top-tier talent directly from our student pool.
  

Through this programme we are addressing the specific needs of companies in Nordland, enhancing study programmes, fostering networking opportunities, and driving collaborative research and development endeavors.

The objectives of this programme are aligned with Nordland's regional plan and strategies and Nord University's 2030 strategy.

This is a one year project which will end by 15 September 2024.

The total budget for one year is 600,000NOK. Nordland county is supporting by 50 % funding, and Nord University is providing the remaining 50 % through strategic funds.

For each mentor, the amount of support (salary and travel allowance) shall not exceed 100,000 NOK per year.

The programme will remain open until all the funds are used!

The main focus of this programme is to increase sustainability and the green transition in the Nordland region. Therefore, the mentors have to be only selected from the industries in Nordland. For this pilot project the business mentors will only be selected within the following export-oriented industries of Nordland:

• Seafood (fishing, fish processing, aquaculture, food, and related industries)
• Tourism and experience industries
• Manufacturing and process industry
• Renewable energy
• Space and satellites

The following are some of the examples of the mentor tasks:

• Research: project participation, proposal writing, and advisory
• Guidance and teaching
• Teaching, creative problem-solving, and case studies
• Development of study subjects and programmes
• Quality assurance of study programmes and relevance
• Strategic development work
• Networking with businesses
• Knowledge sharing: practical business operations
• Seminars, advice, and conferences
• Promotion of continuing education and digital offerings in their networks
• Mentoring for students
• Assignment writing and practical experience in companies

Note: Industry mentors should not be exclusively utilised for teaching, including responsibility for study subjects.

The faculties need to identify relevant educational and research programmes where they need business mentors to help them with. They then need to contact the mentors who can help them in these programmes.

If you are interested in the scheme, you can make direct contact with the contact persons at the faculty to have a discussion about what you can contribute.

Faculty representatives need to apply on behalf of the mentor. The mentor must be recommended by the Faculty Dean, Faculty Director, or Faculty Pro Deans. After the recommendation from the faculty, a contract will be established between the mentor and Nord University for the period of engagement.

Nord University Business School

Petter Sandstad

Senior Advisor

Nord University Business School

Office: Bodø, Hovedbygning A203

Email: petter.sandstad@nord.no

Phone: +4775517895

Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture

Marit Jendine Vik Bjørkmo

Senior Advisor

Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture

Office: Bodø, Hovedbygning 2479

Email: marit.v.bjorkmo@nord.no

Phone: +47 75 51 75 90

Faculty of Education and Arts

Dag-Arild Berg

Advisor

Fakultet for lærerutdanning og kunst- og kulturfag

Email: dag-arild.berg@nord.no

Phone: +47 75 05 78 70

Faculty of Social Sciences

Margit Konstanse Jensen

Advisor

Faculty of Social Sciences

Office: Bodø, Hovedbygning 3010

Email: margit.k.jensen@nord.no

Phone: 75517169

If you need further assistance, contact Umair N. Mughal or Tor Eivind Aaneland at the central adminstration.