Minister Ola Borten Moe (Sp) says that the university NMBU can expect as big a cut in their budgets as the million they will spend on a sustainability project from the sister company of the PR agency First House.
–
Before the weekend wrote Khrono that the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) has entered into an agreement with Sustainability AS, a sister company of the communications company First House, to contribute to the university’s goal of becoming a leader in sustainability.
The agreement has an upper limit of NOK 1,625,000 the newspaper.
Minister of Research and Higher Education Ola Borten Moe believes the agreement testifies that NMBU has too much money if they can afford consultants.
– NMBU will be better at sustainability. It is an ambition I share, says Borten Moe to VG.
What Borten Moe, on the other hand, does not share is NMBU’s choice to bring in external help to achieve its objectives.
Threatens with money cuts
I november cut the government several million in grants from other universities such as NTNU and the University of Bergen – precisely because they had spent large sums on hiring external consultants.
At that time, NMBU did not get cuts in its budgets due to this. They can get it now.
Borten Moe emphasizes that the desire for fewer consultants applies to the entire sector.
– Seen in the light of what we have done before Christmas, NMBU has come up with a strong application to have cuts in its framework, says Borten Moe.
– In this case, they have obviously chosen to go across what have been very clear management signals from the ministry, ie owner, he adds.
The Minister will not state whether the cuts he wants for NMBU will come in the current period or in the next state budget.
– But NMBU must probably expect to get a cut in the framework in line with the agreement that has been entered into, he emphasizes.
Critical for consulting use
Ola Borten Moe believes that communication work is not the solution when it comes to conducting sustainability work at universities.
– Questions about sustainability are not solved with communication work. It is about finding good, practical solutions for everyday life, says Moe.
Before Christmas, the Ministry of Education and Research asked NMBU and other educational institutions to «Work to reduce the use of consultants in areas where it is possible to use internal resources and expertise»In an award letter.
Borten Moe questions NMBU’s decision to enter into the million agreement.
– I really think there are few universities that are as well prepared for the problem as NMBU, the minister says. He elaborates:
– Here they have worked with soil, forest and fish for 150 years. This is the core of what NMBU should have competence in.
– Not communication work
NMBU Rector Curt Rice believes the agreement between the university and Sustainability is important to bring about a green transition. He writes this in an e-mail to VG.
– NMBU possesses important professional resources that are of great importance to Norway, for the government’s work with sustainability, and for the green transition. At NMBU, we have taken the initiative for a process that will result in a new strategy that will affect the way we manage the organization. This is not PR and communication work.
–– Surprised
Rice is “surprised” that the minister is taking this criticism in the media. He believes Borten Moe’s statements were made on the wrong basis.
– It was surprising to me that the Minister chooses to go out in the media about this now and I think he is doing it on the wrong basis. Of course, I agree with him that we have the country’s best expertise in sustainability, he writes and adds:
– This is precisely why we are so well positioned to let the theme of sustainability permeate our strategy work.
Worrying
On Monday, Rice contacted the Ministry of Education and offered the ministry full access to the agreement between the University and Sustainability, he writes to VG.
The principal believes Borten Moe should not have gone straight to the media. He calls the grip “worrying”.
– That the Minister chooses to take this directly in the media after such an offer is worrying. I experience that the Minister is now adjusting the allocation letter and giving signals about reduced management rights for the educational institutions. It is unfortunate that this happens without dialogue with the individual institution or a process with the sector, Rice concludes.
VG has also been in contact with Sustainability AS and First House. The latter has not responded to VG’s inquiry. General manager and senior advisor in Sustainability, Ingrid Aasaren, repeats Rice’s message about PR and communication.
– Sustainability is not a PR or communications agency. Our task is to assist the management at NMBU with advice when they now have to develop their strategy and organize their work with sustainability in the business, the general manager writes to VG.
– NMBU has a fantastic professional environment that we look forward to working with and which we assume will be central in the implementation of the strategy after our assignment is over, adds Aasaren.
–
