The goal is to give the assistant professors advice on how they can develop their expertise in the strongest possible way and in doing so the Faculty of Science strengthens the quality of the faculty’s research as a whole. 

The guiding group consists of 5-10 colleagues who have the experience of teacher appointment at the relevant section at the faculty (Mathematics-Physics Section, Chemistry Section, Section for Earth and Environmental and Sciences or Biology Section) and it will be lead by the vice chairperson of the relevant academic appointment committee.
The head of the department where the assistant professor is employed at or another representative of that department should always be included in the guiding group. 

The halftime guidance should take place approximately three years after the employment as assistant professor has begun. The assistant professor gives an approximately 25-minute-long presentation where she or he presents results, progress and development during the time as assistant professor in view of the criteria for the overall assessment of the promotion application to be submitted later. 

The presentation should also be focused on the future and include the candidate’s plans for the remaining time as assistant professor as well as a vision for the time following a possible promotion to associate professor (universitetslektor). 

On the basis of the group members’ experience of teacher appointment, especially of associate professors, the guiding group will identify strengths and weaknesses regarding the candidate’s scientific expertise, independence and teaching expertise. The group will ask questions, and then have internal discussions with the aim to identify areas that need to be strengthened during the remaining time as an assistant professor. 

The vice chairperson or another appointed person/s will communicate the guiding group’s unofficial, but specific collegial advice orally to the assistant professor. (In order to avoid that the vice chairperson who leads the halftime guidance at a later point also takes part in the faculty’s formal promotion board, representatives who take the formal decision on promotion to associate professor should not have participated in the earlier, informal, halftime guidance event.) The goal is that clear advice and recommendations will help the assistant professor to identify the areas that need to be strengthened.