National Network for IT-Research and Competence in Education (ITU)

ITU is an academic and administrative unit, which is a part of the Faculty of Education, at the University of Oslo. ITU shall be proactive and help put relevant ICT topics on the education policy agenda. Its main functions are dissemination and research from the user perspective. ITU shall also play a network-creating role within its field in relation to other relevant academic communities.

The Network for IT Research and Competence in Education (ITU) was founded in 1997 as a key project in the Ministry of Education and Research's first action plan, "Information Technology in Education 1996-1999" and was continued in the second action plan "Information and Communications Technology in Norwegian Education. Plan for 2000-2003". ITU was originally founded as a national research and competence network for information technology (IT) in education, under the administration of the University of Oslo (UiO).

In 2003, ITU was evaluated by the Norwegian Institute for Studies in Research and Higher Education (NIFU). NIFU's evaluation report states: "Our main conclusion is that ITU has lived up to its mandate in a constructive manner within the constraints of the resources that were provided." The evaluation concluded with the need to promote the further development of the ITU community as a separate organisation from 2004. On 1 January 2004, ITU was established as a permanent national academic unit at the University of Oslo.

ITU has been given the following mandate:

• ITU shall contribute to national knowledge building about digital education and digital skills.
• ITU shall be an innovative national R&D unit in the field of ICT and education.
• Through its R&D activities, ITU shall develop and disseminate knowledge to relevant players in the education sector within the main focus areas outlined below.

ITU's goals are to:

• Initiate and foster innovation in the academic and pedagogical use of ICT in learning and education - in primary and secondary education and teacher training
• Contribute to the development of a national knowledge base relating to the development of pupils', students' and teachers' digital education and digital skills
• Ensure the development of R&D-based knowledge about the development and use of digital learning resources within the framework of the Programme for Digital Competence 2004-2008
• Stay abreast of international development trends in the field of digital skills
• Initiate and coordinate national programmes and projects in the field of digital education and digital skills
• Enter into agreements with collaborating R&D institutions and other relevant communities and establish collaborative forums and learning arenas that promote ITU's dissemination and networking roles