Publication Points and the Working Time Agreement at INN
From 1 January 2027, publication points are used as a basis for determining individual R&D time in the Working Time Agreement (arbeidstidsordning, ATO) for employees in teaching, research, and dissemination (UFF) positions at University of Inland Norway (INN).
Working hours for employees in UFF positions (In Norwegian, Intranet)
When the reporting of scientific publications (NVI-reporting) for a calendar year is complete — normally in April/May — the University Library (UB) delivers an overview of the institution's publication points to the vice deans for research at each faculty, who in turn pass on information about individual publication points to each employee. The UB does not provide individual publication points directly to individuals.
An overview of scientific publications that have been reported as scientific can be found in the Norwegian Research Information Repository (NVA), but no information about publication points is available there.
This web page contains information about which publications generate publication points and how these are calculated.
What is a scientific publication?
For a research output to generate publication points, it must meet the criteria for a scientific publication as defined in NVI's reporting instructions. The definition of a scientific publication is in accordance with the Frascati Manual's definition of research, which states that "Research and experimental development (R&D) comprise creative and systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge – including knowledge of humankind, culture and society – and to devise new applications of available knowledge."
A scientific publication must meet four criteria:
- Be published in a channel (journal, series, or publisher) approved at level 1 or 2 in the Norwegian register of scientific publication channels (the Channel Register)
- Present new insight (in accordance with the Frascati Manual's definition of research)
- Be in a form that makes the results verifiable or usable in new research
- Be presented in a language and have a distribution which makes it accessible for the majority of researchers who may be interested in it
What is a scientific publication channel?
Approved scientific publication channels are journals, series, and publishers with a scientific editorial board and procedures for external peer review. All approved publication channels are indexed in the Publication Indicator. The channels in the Publication Indicator are divided into two levels:
- Level 1 provides standard credit and covers the channels that publish 80 percent of publications.
- Level 2 provides extra credit and comprises the most significant and quality-demanding channels, which publish 20 percent of publications.
The National Board of Scholarly Publishing (NPU), in consultation with scientific panels at UHR, determines which channels qualify as level 2 channels. All researchers in Norway can comment on individual journals and submit proposals for changes.
Proposing new channels at level 1
- Anyone can propose new channels for inclusion at level 1.
- The deadline for nominating new publication channels to level 1 is 30 November, but we recommend that everyone do this on an ongoing basis throughout the year.
- Proposals are processed on a rolling basis, and those that are approved will have retroactive effect for the same reporting year.
Proposing changes to level 2
- The national subject bodies determine which channels should be at level 2. All researchers in Norway can propose candidates for level 2 by submitting professional comments in the Norwegian Publication Indicator.
- Proposals/decisions in the subject bodies are processed by UHR-Publishing, and any changes take effect with a one-year delay. Example: When UHR-Publishing processes proposals for changes to level 2 in 2024, these changes take effect from 2026 onwards.
See the overview of the subject panels responsible for nomination
Calculation of publication points
When calculating points, author shares are weighted (multiplied) by a fixed numerical value. The combinations of publication type and quality level form categories that serve as the basis for weighting.
The weights used in the three sectors' funding systems are as follows:
- Scientific article in a journal or series (with ISSN): 1 (level 1) and 3 (level 2)
- Scientific chapter in an anthology (no ISSN): 0.7 (level 1) and 1 (level 2)
- Scientific monograph: 5 (level 1) and 8 (level 2)
No points are awarded for editorial roles in journals or anthologies.
For a publication affiliated with more than one institution, publication points are calculated as follows:
- Calculate the total number of author shares in the publication. An author share is any unique combination of author and institution in the publication.
- Calculate how many author shares the institution has, and divide by the total number of author shares.
- Calculate the square root of the number (fraction) from step 2.
- Multiply by the points for level and publication type.
- Multiply by 1.3 if the publication is affiliated with foreign institutions.
For publications affiliated with only one institution, only the points for level and publication type are used.