BI Norwegian Business School in 2017

BI’s adopted strategy describes six “must wins” – six priorities where BI must succeed in order to achieve its objective of having an impact on international research, the students’ learning and on general practice in businesses and society at large. All of BI’s activities in 2017 can be linked to one or more of these prioritised goals:

• Ranked among the five best in Europe within at least four academic disciplines
• Internationally preferred MSc, EMBA and PhD programmes and candidates
• Delivery models in line with the students’ high expectations
• Distinct candidate profile that combines academic strength, skills and values
• Professional delivery of high-quality programmes that are relevant to large student groups within bachelor and continuing or post-graduate education
• Preferred partner for businesses and the public sector

BI has worked systematically on all six must wins as target areas throughout 2017. The Board of Trustees finds that the organisation’s work on the prioritised goals has been good, although there is still a ways to go for some of the ‘must wins’ before we can be fully satisfied with the status. The same target areas form the basis for BI’s budget prioritisations in 2018.

Role and impact

BI Norwegian Business School has chosen to take an active role in the societal development in general, and within academia in particular. The organisation has prioritised participating in networks, forums and work groups for development of new education methods, for quality development and for knowledge development within the business school subjects. Throughout 2017, BI has been a driving force for development in both a Norwegian and international context. This is a role and social mission that BI takes very seriously.

Digital transformation

Digitalisation helps set the premises for how BI’s employees work, for the content of BI’s programmes and for how the programmes are taught. This requires a proactive and future-oriented BI. Today’s students know that they need digital expertise as a part of their degree, regardless of which education or career path they have chosen. This applies both in the youth market and among those with many years of work experience. BI responds to the changed expertise requirements that accompany this technological development, and will make sure that students have good reasons for choosing BI, also for the future.

Over the last few years, BI Norwegian Business School has made substantial investments in technology for digitalisation of its core operations and for support functions, to the benefit of students and employees.

A decision was made to establish a new position as Chief Digital Officer at BI in the autumn of 2016. Elin Borrebæk filled this position, which is a part of BI’s Management Team, in February 2017. The position includes leadership responsibility for BI’s Digital Department and digital student administration. The addition of this position has strengthened the strategic focus and operative implementation of BI’s digital efforts.

Renewed term for President

In 2017, the Board of Trustees at BI Norwegian Business School decided to extend President Inge Jan Henjesand’s term. Henjesand will thus enter into his second term in 2018, which will last until 2022.

About the enterprise

BI Norwegian Business School is one of Europe’s largest business schools with more than 20 000 students every year. The enterprise is organised in a self-owned foundation, whose sole purpose is education and research. All financial profits are used to strengthen BI’s academic and learning environment.

BI is an independent specialised university institution with headquarters in Oslo and four campuses in Norway; Oslo, Bergen, Trondheim and Stavanger.

Thank you

The Board of Trustees would like to thank our employees, students, alumni, partners and everyone who has contributed - large and small - to BI’s development in 2017. Good interaction is crucial for the quality of BI’s research and education. The Board is convinced that the relationships formed and strengthened over the past year will have a positive impact on BI’s development in the future.