Overview of the intended process for reorganizing the faculty's nanoscience activities and the phasing out of iNANO as a department-like centre
On this page, you can follow the process related to the decision to phase out iNANO as a department-like center by the end of 2026.
In May/June 2025, a consultation was conducted at the faculty (link at the bottom of the page). The consultation parties included the Local Liaison Committees at iNANO, the Department of Chemistry, the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, and the Department of Physics and Astronomy, as well as the Academic Council and the Faculty Liaison Committee. The deadline for submitting consultation responses was June 11, and the faculty management team would like to acknowledge these responses. They are now being reviewed by the faculty management team, and will along with input from meetings with employee groups and various councils and committees be considered in the upcoming work.
The faculty management team is expected to make a final decision on the process for phasing out iNANO as a department-like centre on September 26, 2025. After that, communication will follow regarding both the decision itself and the upcoming process and its timeline. It is important for the dean's office and faculty management team to balance, on one hand, the need for a quick clarification of future department affiliation for current iNANO staff, and on the other hand, an individual assessment of each research group and their employees, as well as of the shared functions under iNANO, such as the secretariat and common infrastructure.
After the final decision, the faculty management team plans to establish a number of task forces that will address various themes connected to iNANO’s change in status. These include, for example, HR/employment matters, infrastructure, the PhD education, finances, educations, and shared facilities in Buildings 1590–1593. The task forces will be staffed with members of the dean's office, representatives of the leadership teams for iNANO, the receiving departments, and the Nat/Tech administration centre, and other staff will be involved where relevant.
The overall process is expected to be overviewed by a steering group consisting of the dean, the vice-dean for career development and innovation, the head of iNANO, and the head or deputy head of the Nat-Tech administration centre. The steering group will be supported by the faculty secretariat.
This page will be updated with more information as each step of the process is carried out.
Relevant links
- Consultation on the Proposed Restructuring of Nanoscience Activities at Natural Sciences (14 May 2025)
- OMNIBUS: Faculty management at Natural Sciences wants to phase-out iNANO as a department-like centre (25 June 2025)
- OMNIBUS OPEN LETTER: No real opportunity for staff to object to management's decision to phase-out iNANO (25 June 2025)
- OMNIBUS REPLY: Nanoscience is ready to continue at departmental level (25 June 2025)
The translation of this page is based on ChatGPT.
