Creating a research group page
When creating a new page for a research group, select the folder type "Research group" in Vortex. New folders for research groups should be placed in the /groups/ folder (English) and /grupper/ folder (Norwegian), located under the /research/ (English) and /forskning/ (Norwegian) menu items on the unit's website.
Folder name
UiO faculties/museums may have different naming conventions for group folders. Check what applies to your unit before naming the folder.
Avoid capital letters, special characters and spaces in folder and file names. Use a hyphen between words.
Language versions
All research groups must have pages in both Norwegian and English. You do not need to mirror all content in both languages, but a minimum of information is required for each version. See more details in the language guidelines for uio.no (in Norwegian).
Default folder content
The folder you create will automatically include an index file of the "Research group" type, which serves as the main project page.
It also includes a published "images" folder and two unpublished folders for events and news.
The events and news folders should only be kept if the project plans to use these formats regularly. Otherwise, delete them.
Choosing a structure
The research group template can be used either as a one-pager, where nearly all information is shown on the index page, or as a front page with multiple subpages.
The subpage structure should generally follow UiO’s current information architecture for websites, see IA for research group pages (point 1.4 in the IA template for institutes). The addition of content folders beyond those listed should always be assessed by a web editor.
Filling in the template content fields
This section goes through the content fields of the group template (index document) as sorted in the editor interface, with guidelines for each field.
Please note: The page must have the "Back link" navigation option under visual profile (not "Left menu") for the content to display correctly.
Title
Enter the name of the research group in the title field.
Acronym
If the group has an acronym, use this field to display it in an accessible and visible format on the page.
Note that the acronym is shown alongside the group name in group lists and by search engines.
Introduction
The introduction should briefly describe the group’s research focus in plain language and be no longer than 160 characters.
More detailed information should be added to the main content field below, or to subpages if the page has a more complex structure.
Image
Adding an image is optional. Images shown at the top of the project page should be of high quality and in the recommended size: 1000 x 562 pixels (16:9 format). Make sure to include an alternative text and credits.
If you have access to local photographers, consider taking a dedicated photo for the group page. Subjects might include research equipment in use, researchers in action or discussion, fieldwork, labs or atmospheric photos.
Group portraits or collages are not recommended. The members field is designed to display individual member photos.
See UiO's guidelines for using images online.
Contact
All group pages must include contact information. You can list up to three contact persons at the top of the page.
For each contact, include their full name, affiliation (institution), link to their personal page and their role in the project.
Some tips:
- For UiO staff, use the image URL from their personal page.
- For external contacts, upload a photo in the images folder. Recommended portrait size is 400x300 pixels (3:4). The face should be in the upper half of the image.
- If different contacts serve different audiences, use the "role" field strategically (e.g. "press contact," "administrative lead").
- If you prefer not to include images, leave the image URL field empty.
- Alt text for images is generated automatically.
If you need to include other types of contact information, such as location or postal address, use the main content or related content fields.
Navigation menu
Group pages with subpages can include a navigation menu below the contact section.
There is no specific field for the menu: It appears automatically when the folder has subfolders set to be shown in menus. To hide a menu, set subfolders to "hide from menu" in the folder's Edit tab.
Recommendations:
- If "events" or "news" are the only subfolders, use the custom fields instead of menu links.
- If there's only one subfolder, like "partners," consider linking to it from the main content instead. Central content like publications and projects is fine to have as a sole menu item.
Main content
This field should provide a more detailed presentation of the group. While content structure can vary, we recommend covering:
- About the group: what you research
- Goals: what the research aims to achieve, including innovation potential
- Background: theoretical basis, methods, earlier research, etc.
Some groups may also want to include teaching activities.
Keep paragraphs short, ideally 100–200 words per topic. Write for an audience unfamiliar with your field.
If your group page includes subpages and a navigation menu, keep main content on the front page brief.
Members
Use this field to list project members.
For UiO staff:
- Enter their UiO username. Name, image and affiliation are auto-filled.
- To add their role, use the role field next to the username field.
- Use up/down arrows to reorder members if needed.
- Alt text for images is generated automatically.
For external members:
- Under "External participants," add name, affiliation and a link to their profile.
- To show a photo, upload it to the images folder. Recommended size: 400x300 pixels (3:4). The face should be in the upper half. Ensure image rights are in place.
- Alt text is generated automatically.
- Use the arrows to sort order. Note: external members cannot be sorted before UiO staff.
You can choose to show or hide member images. This setting applies to both internal and external participants.
Show/add research projects
If you’ve linked the group to one or more UiO research projects, you can show those links on the group page. Check "Yes" under "Show associated UiO projects."
You can also list other projects with a name and link, such as projects hosted outside UiO.
Feeds for news and events
Groups that regularly publish news or hold events may want to include a feed for these.
To activate feeds, choose "Yes" under either or both "Show feed from" options in the editor.
When you select "Yes," a field appears for your desired feed title.
Feeds pull documents from the "events" and "news" folders created with the group folder. This cannot be changed.
Feed management should be part of regular page maintenance to avoid empty headings on the front page.
Related content field
Use this field for content that doesn’t fit the other fields and shouldn't be in the main content field.
It works well for long lists, e.g. of affiliated researchers or partner organizations. See tips for formatting lists below.
Suggestions for selected content types
Teaching and courses
Many research groups want to include information on teaching or courses. There’s no dedicated field, but you can use the main or related content fields.
You can also add "teaching" as a menu item if the group page has subpages.
Publication lists
Due to the Cristin/NVA data structure, it's not possible to retrieve publications automatically for all groups.
Groups with their own location code can use the template that automatically lists the last 100 publications from Cristin/NVA.
Groups creating manual publication lists should always link to each publication so users can easily access them.
Long lists
Many group pages include long bullet lists (> 5 items) of partners, researchers, boards, etc. Split these into two columns for better desktop layout.
See how to format lists in columns in the design manual.
Partner logos
If you want to show partner logos, see this guide for setting up project pages.
News
If you have the capacity, news stories are a great way to share group activities and results. Content should be relevant to external audiences and spark interest.
See more tips for news stories on group and project pages
Group pages and communication
Goals and tarhet audiences
The research group page supports communication of goals, activities and results, and highlights contacts, members and partners. It may also assist with recruiting students or staff.
Key audiences include
- other researchers and institutions, nationally and internationally
- funders (RCN, EU and others)
- master's students
- interest groups, patients and prospective students
Page goals should be specific and action-oriented, e.g. to:
- initiate collaboration
- click to view publications
- explore the group's research projects
- subscribe to newsletters or social media
- check available master's projects
General advise for good content
- Think about your audiences: What matters to them? What will grab their attention? What terms will they search for?
- Use clear language. A readable, well-structured text benefits all readers.
- To build credibility, avoid poor-quality images and text in varied colors.
For more guidance on creating great online content, see these resources: