Gamlem named Honorary Fellow of research centre at top-tier university
The University of Melbourne is ranked in the world's top 20. Professor Siv M. Gamlem at Volda University College (VUC) has been named Honorary Fellow at one of its research centres. "This is a great honour, and it shows that VUC is being noticed internationally", says the professor in Education enthusiastically.
VUC Professor Siv M. Gamlem has been named Honorary Fellow at a research centre at the top-ranked University of Melbourne in Australia.
It may be a long way from the bustling city of Melbourne, Australia, to the small Norwegian town of Volda. But academically, Volda University College (VUC) has earned respect down under. This month, VUC Professor Siv M. Gamlem was appointed to the prestigious position of Honorary Fellow at the Assessment and Evaluation Research Centre (AERC) at the University of Melbourne.
This Australian university was recently ranked among the top 20 universities in the world (QS World University Rankings), outperforming prestigious names such as Yale in the US and EPFL in Switzerland.
"It was both a joyful and somewhat overwhelming experience to learn that I had been granted this honour. I'm humbled and grateful—and very pleased with the collaboration with the talented researchers at AERC", says Gamlem.
She now joins a group of Honorary Fellows at the research centre, including the acclaimed professor John Hattie.
A prestigious recognition of significant contributions
Professor Gamlem, who conducts research and teaches at the Department of Education and leads the research group Learning and Assessment at VUC, has become a recognised name internationally. Her research focuses particularly on feedback that promotes learning, and on how assessment can either support or hinder learning in schools. In recent years, she has explored how these processes intersect with digitalisation—and now, increasingly, with artificial intelligence (AI).
Gamlem is active on many fronts: Last year, she served as one of the national experts behind the report from Norway's Screen Use Committee, and going forward, she is among the VUC researchers participating in the Norwegian government's major new AI research initiative.
The University of Melbourne emphasises that the title of Honorary Fellow is a prestigious distinction. In its announcement, the university notes that the title is awarded to researchers who have made significant contributions to the AERC, and that Gamlem's work is helping to shape the responsible and effective integration of AI in education.
"I greatly value the collaboration with the researchers at AERC in Melbourne—the centre has a high level of expertise and a strong academic environment", the VUC Professor emphasises.
The Norwegian-Australian research collaboration is already bearing fruit: The researchers recently published the article "Exploring pre-service teachers’ attitudes and experiences with generative AI: a mixed methods study in Norwegian teacher education" in the prestigious journal Educational Psychology. Gamlem, the lead author, led the project and carried out the study together with VUC Associate Professor Synnøve Moltudal, three AERC researchers, and Professor Christian Brandmo from the University of Oslo.
Signals wider interest in VUC’s academic work
But what does it mean for Volda University College to have an Honorary Fellow on the other side of the world?
Professor Gamlem believes it provides a clear indication that the research conducted at VUC is gaining international attention.
"At VUC, we aim to be at the forefront of research, and this is an example of how we are on the right track. This provides inspiration to continue building bridges between learning, assessment, and artificial intelligence—both locally, nationally, and internationally", concludes a delighted VUC professor—now also an Honorary Fellow at one of the world's top universities.
