Global challenges

The global challenges we face cannot be confined to a single discipline. For that reason, UiB is breaking down barriers between faculties and promote interdisciplinary research and education.

An academic steering group with representatives from all faculties leads this work and acts as a driving force to create interdisciplinary collaboration and activity across the university.

The ambition is to contribute knowledge that matters, not only through research and education of high international standard, but also by bringing that knowledge out to the public through meeting places such as Bergen Global (external link) and Bergen Summer Research School.

What the initiative is

The initiative on global societal challenges brings together researchers and students from all faculties around questions no single discipline can answer alone, from inequality and health to migration, democracy, and sustainability. Society therefore needs people with knowledge from multiple disciplines.

UiB combines strong academic environments with a broad offering of master’s programmes and courses for students who want to contribute to sustainable development and improve people’s living conditions. From 2025 onward, “inequality” is the unifying theme of the initiative.

Read more about our work in the 2025 annual report (external link) (pdf).

Inequalities are at the core of global challenges today. We experience pervasive disparities in access to resources, health, safety, education, and rights. ​

Inequality is understood in many contexts as unreasonable or unfair differences. Inequality in power and influence shapes processes and institutions both nationally and globally. Inequalities affect people’s freedom, opportunities, and choices.

Teaching, research, and action on inequality must be informed by the many dimensions of the phenomenon and how these vary across contexts and disciplines. Inequality also touches on differences and variations that are significant for agency and cultural expression.