Rune Brautaset

Letter of motivation – Candidacy for Dean of Education at Karolinska Institutet

Rune Brautaset, professor, CNS

I am running for the role of Dean of Education with a strong conviction that my long experience of educational duties at all levels (from course leader, via PD (2004-2016) and GUA (2016-2022) to Vice Chair and Acting Vice President), strategic competence and passion for pedagogical development together with almost 6 years as Vice Chair of the Committee for Education make me well equipped to take on the assignment as Dean of Education at KI.

I am a professor of optometry and have been a teacher at KI since January 2000. During these 25 years, I have combined clinical research with a deep commitment to education. For my commitment to education, I was awarded KI's Pedagogical Prize in 2015.

I have also had other central education-related assignments at KI, including the development of criteria for degree projects, work on educational plans for the medical program, as well as investigations that resulted in UoL and central financing of specially equipped educational facilities.

I am passionate about developing education that is both research-based and pedagogically innovative. With my broad experience, strategic insight and strong commitment to KI's educational mission, I am ready to take the next step and lead the work as Dean of Education. Together, we can create an educational environment that meets the demands of tomorrow while taking into account increased demands for student focus, flexibility, mental support and work-life connection.

I am also motivated to address all the challenges of education, which include teacher supply and the merit value of engaging in teaching, the financial conditions for high-quality research-based education, as well as the need for lifelong learning and digital competence – a combination that will require smart priorities and choices in the future.

Assignments and appointments relevant for the position as dean of education

2004-2016     Program director for Optometry (PD)

2004-2018     Head of Unit of optometry

2016-2023     Departmental head of higher education (GUA)

2017-2018     Board member of university board for higher Education (Utbildningsstyrelsen)

2017-2018     Chairperson for the working committee at KI evaluating how to organize pedagogical training and development within KI, resulting in the establishment of UoL

2017-2019     Member of the KI steering group for Executive education

2018 -            Head of division for Eye and vision

2018 -            Member of the KI Nomination Committee of the Nomination Assembly

2019 -            KI chairperson of the KI-SLL FoUU Committee for St. Erik Eye Hospital

2019 -            Board member Committee for higher education (Kommittén för utbildning)

2020 - 2025   Vice chair of education (Vice ordförande Kommittén för utbildning)

2021 -            Member of the recruitment board at KI

2025/12 -      Acting Academic vice president for education (Tf Vicerektor för utbildning)

Previous text:

I got my license as an optometrist (Norway) in 1998 after studies in Norway and England. Started working at KI as an assistant professor in 2000 in parallel with doctoral studies in Manchester where I took my doctorate in Optometry and Neuroscience in 2003. In 2003 I became a senior lecturer at KI and took over as head of unit for the Unit for Optometry (CNS) and then became program director for the optometry program in 2004. In 2008 I became an associate professor at KI. After initiating a master's degree in clinical optometry in 2008, I had the assignment as program director for both programs until 2016 when I took over as head of undergraduate education at Clinical Neuroscience (CNS). An assignment I still have. As of July 1, 2018, I am Head of the Division of Eye and Vision at CNS. We are located at St. Erik Eye Hospital, where we conduct education and research in ophthalmology, optometry, eye nursing and orthoptics. In total, the division has about 80 employees (employees, co-opted, affiliated and doctoral students). I joined the Board of Education / Committee for Education 2017 and was appointed vice chairman of the committe in the spring of 2021. I also hold a seat in the Nomination Assembly's Nomination Committee (since Spring 2018).

Education
- 1994-1996: First two years of BSc program in optometry at Buskerud University Collage, Kongsberg, Norway
- 1998: BSc (Hon) in Optometry, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), Manchester, UK
- 1999: MPhil in Optometry and Vision Science, University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST), Manchester, UK
- 2003: PhD in Optometry and Neuroscience, University of Manchester Institute of Science and technology (UMIST) [UMIST has merged and has become part of Manchester University], Manchester, UK

Academic honours, awards and prizes
- 2006: KI's Pedagogical Honorable Mention
- 2015: KI's Pedagogical Award