FACULTY OF BIOSCIENCES AND AQUACULTURE LOCATED IN NORTHERN NORWAY

FACULTY OF BIOSCIENCES AND AQUACULTURE The Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture (FBA) is one of five faculties at

Nord University, and has two campuses: Main campus Bodø (located north

of the Arctic Circle in Northern Norway) and campus Steinkjer (600km

south from our main campus). We are privileged to be a leading academic

milieu for marine biosciences in Norway. The faculty offers forward

thinking education and research opportunities within biosciences, with

special emphasis on aquaculture, ecology, and genomics, as well as animal

science, production and welfare.

Dean Ketil Eiane

VISION AND MISSIONOUR VISION

Blue-green knowledge for a sustainable future

OUR MISSION

Promoting a sustainable society through education and research

in biosciences related to aquatic, coastal and terrestrial northern

environments to meet future challenges and contribute to

blue-green growth

Professor Jorge Fernandes

AT A GLANCEThe faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture (FBA) is one of the leading academic institutions for marine biosciences in Norway.

FACTS • In 2011 the university was established as Norway’s 8th university,

and after a merger in 2016 the university has approximately 12,000 students

• Nord University has nine campuses - FBA is located at main campus Bodø (hub for marine biology) and at campus Steinkjer (hub for terrestrial biology)

• The faculty has more than 1,000 students and 150 members of staff from over 25 countries

FACILITIES • Cutting edge research facilities including modern wet and dry

laboratories and an advanced genomics platform

• New and modern library and lecture rooms

EDUCATION • Eleven degree programmes at Bachelor, Master and PhD level

• Four English-taught degree programmes across all academic levels

• Flexible semester programmes for exchange students

• Small class size and close teacher supervision

RESEARCH • Research within aquaculture, ecology, genomics, and animal

science, production and welfare, all supporting research-based education

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OUR ASSETS IN BIOSCIENCES

Being located on the coast of one of the most productive cold-water

regions in the world, campus Bodø offers an ideal environment for studies

and research within marine biosciences and aquaculture.

Campus Steinkjer, in turn, is situated 60km inland from the coast. Its rich

farmland and countryside is the perfect setting for animal science and

terrestrial research.

The faculty is equipped with state-of-the-art wet and dry laboratories at

the main campus and at the nearby located marine research station.

The leading-edge activities at the faculty nurture the talents of the students

and prepare them for an exciting career in marine sciences.

DIVERSITY AT FBA The faculty is proud of its multicultural environment, with highly qualified

members of staff from Norway and abroad. More than one quarter of

students and staff are from 25 countries around the world, which bring

invaluable international perspectives, experiences and expertise to the

faculty.

Our students enjoy high quality lectures with close supervision and

tutoring in small-sized classes.

RESEARCH AT THE FOREFRONT Aquaculture, ecology, genomics, and animal science, production and welfare are our major research domains. Activities relevant to industries focus on aquaculture, coastal and terrestrial ecosystem development in a sustainable manner. We aspire to establish expertise to contribute to the development of the bioeconomy.

We address fundamental questions related to biological processes and

mechanisms and the effects of climate change on marine and terrestrial

biotopes. In addition, we focus on biotechnological applications relevant

to food production.

Our funding sources include prestigious national and international

programmes like FRIPRO, BIOTEK2021 and HAVKYST (the Research

Council of Norway), Horizon2020 and ERC Consolidator Grants (EU).

Research at the Faculty is conducted by highly qualified teams

continuously pushing at the frontiers of knowledge. Our researchers

publish papers in reputed international journals, and present their findings

at international conferences and network meetings.

We are committed to training the next generation of researchers.

Currently, there are more than 30 PhD students enrolled in our PhD

programme in Aquatic Biosciences. They are involved in research projects

in three of our strategic research groups at the faculty: Aquaculture,

Ecology and Genomics.

OUR STRATEGIC RESEARCH GROUPS

AQUACULTURE

The research group Aquaculture focuses on key parts of the aquaculture

value chain; covering fish nutrition and feed development, fish welfare, fish

immunology, reproductive biology of new fish species, new production

technology, and seafood quality and safety. The activities span from

basic studies unravelling biological mechanisms at the molecular level to

applied research for improved fish health and product quality. Microalgal

biotechnology is also a key research area, developing varieties of microalgae as

sources of high-value products for food and feed applications.

THEMATIC RESEARCH AREAS

• Evaluation of new feed ingredients, including microalgae and their

potential benefits on growth, health and product quality

• Immune system of fish focusing on intestinal health

• Stress physiology of fish for improved welfare

• Biological approaches for controlling sealiceduring handling of fish

• Water quality and fish welfare

• Fish microbiome

• Reproductive biology of wolffish

• Quality of fish produced in semi-closed rearing systems

• Metabolic processes of cold-adapted microalgae

GENOMICS

The research group Genomics studies the genes and genomes of aquatic

organisms. Research focuses on genes related to development, growth,

reproduction, and the immune system. Zebrafish is the major organism model

for functional studies. Molecular markers are used to study biodiversity, explore

the genetic variation in natural populations, and assess how it is affected

by environmental change. An advanced, in-house high-throughput DNA

sequencing facility supports our activities.

THEMATIC RESEARCH AREAS

• Innovative epigenetic markers for fish domestication

• DNA metabarcoding and transcriptomics of benthic communities

• Controlling reproduction in farmed salmon

• Characterisation of the genomes of marine species

• Population genetics and environmental adaptation

• Implications of green fish feed for consumer safety

• Regulatory genetic elements and epigenetics related to the effects of

temperature

• Behavioural ecology of sticklebacks and arctic char

• Transcriptomics and proteomics of immunity and growth in aquaculture

species

• Genomics of cold-adapted corals and sea anemones

ECOLOGY

The research group Ecology works within the fields of benthos ecology,

biophysical interactions, molecular ecology and terrestrial ecology. Our

multidisciplinary research focuses on using new technologies to enhance

the understanding of ecosystem responses to environmental changes and

the basic functioning of the high latitude ecosystems: on land, in the fjords,

and in oceanic waters. One common theme is to relate traditional ecological

observations to genomics, providing insights into key biological processes,

distribution dynamics of species and habitats, as well as anthropogenic

impacts on biodiversity in coastal zones.

THEMATIC RESEARCH AREAS

• Benthic diversity and functioning of fjord ecosystems

• Speciation, adaptation and biogeography of brown algae

• Sub-arctic seagrass: ecology, evolution, adaptation and epigentics

• Ecological effects of marine aquaculture

• Modelling hydrodynamic and biogeochemical regimes in sub-Arctic fjords

• Biogeography and population genetics of zooplankton in northern fjords

• Dial and seasonal vertical migration by Arctic zooplankton

• Zooplankton ecology in the Lofoten-Vesterålen region

• Biodiversity and ecological adaptations in terrestrial boreal ecosystem

• Sustainable wildlife management

• Systematics and taxonomy of lichens and fungi

ANIMAL SCIENCE, PRODUCTION AND WELFARE

The Animal Science division has an emphasis on research related to animal

husbandry. Our research contributes with knowledge about precision livestock

farming with focus on animal welfare and efficient production systems

including feed production, optimal animal nutrition, grazing, stocking

methods and housing systems. The objective is to contribute to a sustainable

animal production through increased profitability, safe food production,

employment and value creation combined with high animal welfare standards

within the industry.

THEMATIC RESEARCH AREAS

• Effects of management routines, uterine environment and maternal

behavioural traits on piglet mortality.

• Strategies for optimizing grazing in dairy herds with automatic milking

systems

• Production systems for increased meat production from beef cattle herds

• Improved cost-efficiency in roughage production

• Effect of novel feed ingredients on fish health, with special focus on the fish

liver and gut histology

• Infectious and non-infectious diseases of fish

• Parasites in reindeer

• Products from macroalgae and other marine organisms as sources of

ingredients for animal feed.

RESEARCH-BASED EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURESituated at the unique coastline in northern Norway, campus Bodø attracts

national and international students interested in marine biosciences. The

countryside location of campus Steinkjer, in turn, makes an ideal home for

studies in animal sciences and terrestrial biosciences.

The faculty provides an inspiring study environment with high quality

research-based education.

Future efforts in education will be reflected in the ongoing research in

aquaculture, ecology, genomics, and animal science, production and

welfare, all supporting Nord University’s commitment to ‘blue-green

growth’.

Our continous efforts to improve the quality of the study programmes

ensure that the students receive relevant education, preparing them for

future challenges in a changing world.

STUDY PROGRAMMES AT FBAThe Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture offers a comprehensive range

of academic programmes. Students can choose between English-taught

programmes across all academic levels, in addition to Norwegian-taught

programmes.

Bachelor in Biology (Bodø)

Master in Biosciences (Bodø)

PhD in Aquatic Biosciences (Bodø)

Joint Bachelor Degree in Animal Science (Bodø)

Bachelor in Aquaculture Management (Bodø)

Bachelor in International Marketing (Bodø)

Bachelor in Veterinary Nursing (Bodø)

Bachelor in Nature Management (Steinkjer)

Bachelor in Animal Sciences - Welfare and Production (Steinkjer)

STUDY EXCHANGE OPPORTUNITIES AT FBA

Semester packages offered at the faculty have a unique and flexible

structure, allowing international undergraduate students to study subjects

of their interest. We also offer exchange students a choice of independent

courses, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Exchange students may come to our faculty through the following

established exchange programmes: Erasmus+, BarentsPlus and

North2North.

The Norwegian government has waived tuition fees for publicly funded

higher education institutions to provide free education for all students in

Norway, including international exchange students.

SEMESTER PACKAGESSPRING SEMESTER / Undergraduate levelECOLOGY AND ARCTIC MARINE BIOLOGY (30 ECTS)

This semester programme provides exchange students with a

comprehensive understanding of current topics in ecology and marine

biology, giving a solid background for future studies in different aspects of

ecology and biology.

The programme combines teaching on campus with exciting excursions

where you experience the spectacular arctic marine life and nature in

Arctic Norway.

Students may choose any three of the following 10-credit courses:

• Marine Biology • Evolutionary Behavioural Ecology • Ecology 2 • Molecular Ecology • Zoophysiology

AUTUMN SEMESTER / Undergraduate levelAquaculture and Marine Biosciences (30 ECTS)

This semester package consists of the following 10-credit courses:

• Aquaculture • Oceanography • Fish Physiology

Molecular Biosciences (30 ECTS)

Students may choose any three of the following 10-credit courses:

• Molecular Cell Biology • Microbiology • Genomics and Bioinformatics • Biotechnology • Scientific Methods

NB: The time schedules of the classes must be considered when selecting courses.

INTERNATIONALISATIONFBA is a research-driven faculty with a strong international orientation. Our international strength is based on our external networks and partnerships with universities, institutes and companies in the private sector within Europe and across the world, as well as our international students and staff. They bring international perspectives, experiences and expertise to the faculty’s classrooms, research and community.

Internationalisation is one of the core features of the faculty’s strategy for

improving quality in education and research. We are actively engaged in

facilitating student and staff exchange, as well as developing further joint

programmes at all degree levels. We currently have a Joint Bachelor’s Degree

in Animal Science with the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy

in Kosice, Slovakia.

FBA has many partner universities around the world which spurs not only

student exchange, but also research cooperation. We have close cooperation

with institutions in countries such as Japan, South Korea, China, Germany,

Netherlands, France, Spain, USA and Canada.

Exchange is reciprocal, and we have designed semester packages for

international exchange students, and also offer a choice of independent

courses, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

We are an active member of the UArctic Network and

Barents Education Network.

CONTACT US

Kristine Vevik // International CoordinatorFaculty of Biosciences and AquaculturePh: +47 75 51 74 37Email: kristine.vevik@nord.no

www.facebook.com/ArcticBiosciencewww.nord.no/en/fba