International JGOFS - Organisational Structure

Location and sponsors

The JGOFS International Project Office was located at the University of Bergen, Norway, between January 1996 and December 2003. This office was sponsored by the Research Council of Norway and the University of Bergen.


The Research Council of Norway plays a vital role in developing and implementing the Norwegian research strategy, and as a government adviser, in identifying present and future needs for knowledge and research. It is also a funding agency for research projects, strategic programmes at research institutes, and Norwegian participation in international research; and a co-ordinator, initiating and promoting co-operation between R&D institutions, ministries, business and industry, other sources of funding, and end-users.		The University of Bergen, the second of the main Universities in Norway, was founded in 1946. Its history, however, goes back to 1825 when the Bergen Museum was founded. It is a modern university with a wide range of subjects and courses, and is attended by more than 17,000 students. Natural history and environmental sciences have a long tradition, which is reflected in current activities.

Offices for the JGOFS International Project Office in Bergen are provided by the Centre for Studies of Environment and Resources (Senter for Miljų- og Ressursstudier, SMR) located in the former Bergen-Tidende building. SMR was established by the Senate of the University of Bergen in 1989 to serve as an interdisciplinary and interfaculty centre. The aim of the Centre is to stimulate and co-ordinate research and education for environment and resource problems of national and international relevance.

IPO Mission

The responsibility of the International Project Office (IPO) is to assist the JGOFS Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) in planning and carrying out its Terms of Reference. It also serves as a much-needed channel of communication between scientists working in different countries on various aspects of global change research. Other important tasks of the IPO are: (1) to assist the SSC in collating information on national and regional programmes of global change research relating to the project and (2) to ensure that there is no unnecessary duplication of effort and that the project makes effective use of existing knowledge in its analysis of processes and change at global scales.

The IPO Staff (July 2002) and one of the posters prepared for the Amsterdam 2001 Conference.

For those who need to claim reimbursement for official JGOFS business, please find below the needed forms (in pdf format):

Please, send them back with all necessary proofs of expenses to:
JGOFS IPO
Centre for Studies of Environment and Resources
University of Bergen
P.O. Box 7800
N-5020 Bergen
NORWAY