Knowledge is one of the strongest forces of change in Norwegian society. In 1950, only 3% of the population had obtained a university level degree. By 1990, this figure had increased to 15%. Today, 40% of the students who have completed upper secondary school embark on university level education.
In 1995 approximately NOK 10 billion will be spent on institutions of higher education in Norway involving approximately 160,000 students. About half of these students are enrolled in the university sector, comprising the four universitites and six university colleges. These institutions are all subject to the existing University Law and are co-operating through the Norwegian Council of Universities.
The Norwegian system of higher education is undergoing continous change and development. A major objective during the nineties is the establishment of a "Network Norway" which will link all universities and colleges. The objective is to increase the overall quality of education by strengthening the individual disciplines through better utilisation of resources, and by establishing a network of national centers of competence. This will necessitate not only closer co-operation, but also a better division of labour between the institutions. The Norwegian Council of Universities is playing an important role in this process.
Graduate teaching and research training will represent special priority areas for the universities and university colleges in "Network Norway".
Institutions offering higher educaton may be divided into two major sectors: the university sector and the college sector.
The university sector includes the universities and the university colleges with an estimated total of 78,000 students in 1994/95. These institutions carry out research and offer university-level instruction at undergraduate and graduate levels, leading to academic degrees. There are four universities in Norway. The University of Oslo, founded in 1811, is Norway's oldest university and largest institution with respect to the the number of students, staff and study programmes offered. Approximately 34,400 students were registered there in 1993. The remaining three universities, the University of Bergen (1946), the University of Trondheim (1968), and the University of Tromsø (1968), had respectivly 16,400, 16,600 and 6,500 students in 1993.
There are six university colleges, each offering specialized professional degree programmes at university-level. These are the Agricultural University of Norway, the Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration, the Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education, the Norwegian State Academy of Music, and the Oslo School of Architecture. The university colleges have a total of approximately 6,000 students.
After a reorganisation finalized in August 1994, there are 26 state colleges with approximately 70,000 students (1994/95). These offer 1-4 year study programmes leading to qualifications in teaching, engineering, public administration, social work, music, health education, etc. In addition there are about 12,000 students in private colleges.
The aim is that the state colleges, through a new law of higher education, will have a common regulation structure with the institutions in the university sector.
Studies at the state colleges may also be combined with educational programmes at other institutions of higher education. They can also provide the basis for fulfilling the entrance requirements for graduate studies at the universities and/or university colleges.
All institutions of higher education are subject to the authority of the Ministry of Education, Research and Church Affairs, except for the Agricultural University of Norway and the Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, which are both under the Ministry of Agriculture.
Higher education and research are given increased importance as tools in the authorities' policy for economic, social and cultural development. Reorganisation within "Network Norway" ensures that all higher education forms an integrated totality. Against this background the Ministry of Education, Research and Church Affairs proposed a new law for higher education (presumed to take effect in January 1996). The law will provide a common foundation for universities, university colleges and state colleges. In addition to regulating the relationships between the central authorities and the institutions, the proposal gives a common framework for the institution's internal control and organisation, and for matters affecting students.
The Board constitutes the highest governing body of each institution. It is chaired by the institution's "Rektor" (Vice-Chancellor) and is charged with the overall responsibility for the running of the specific institution, and ensuring that legal framework, rules and regulations are abided by. Each institution has in addition to the Board, a Council elected by representatives from the permanent staff and the students. The Council gives advice on matters of internal regulations, guidelines and objectives for the institution.
The University Director is responsible for the daily administrative running of the institution. The University Director serves as Secretary for the Board and implements the Board's decisions.
According to the law, the Ministry of Education, Research and Church Affairs has the authority to define the general criteria required to qualify for student status. To gain access to a university or a university college, an applicant has to have general study competence. A secondary school leaving certificate normally satisfies this requirement. It is issued upon completion of a three-year general study in natural sciences, humanities, or in technical and vocational subjects, giving a total of 12 years education below university level.
Access to certain studies may be restricted due to lack of capacity. Most studies have certain specific requirements which means that general study competence alone does not guarantee acceptance into every specific programme a university or university college offers.
At Norwegian universities courses are measured in "vekttall", the Norwegian term for credit units. The normal work load for one semester is 10 "vekttall" which is equal to 30 ECTS Credits.
In Norway the following undergraduate degrees exist:
"Høgskolekandidat":
A final diploma/title awarded at the state colleges upon completion
of two to three year study programmes.
Candidatus/Candidata magisterii (cand.mag.):
An undergraduate degree offered at the universities and regional colleges
and the professional state colleges after a total of 3½-4 years of study.
The cand.mag. degree may be obtained at all the universities in fields within the humanities, natural sciences, social sciences, or through a combination of these. The cand.mag. degree requires exams totalling 80 credit units after an estimated four years of study (240 ECTS Credits), the natural science degree is an exception and requires 70 credit units, or 3½ years of study (210 ECTS Credits). This includes a preparatory course in philosophy called Examen philosophicum. The cand.mag. degree implies a "general" education, which means that the students have considerable choice options when selecting subjects leading up to the degree. The minimum requirement is that one subject must have a study duration of at least 1½ years, and one other subject must involve study over at least one year.
Examinations from state colleges, may alternatively be included in the university cand.mag. degree. A professional education of 2 or 3 years' duration from the state colleges may be "topped off" with additional courses to form a cand.mag. degree. Examinations from private colleges and from institutions abroad may also be included in the degree on the recommendation of the Norwegian Council of Universities. The degree system thus enables degree candidates to combine credit units from both universities and colleges.
Graduate degrees are awarded by the universities, university colleges and in special cases by state colleges (non-university fields of study). These are awarded on completion of 1½*- 2 additional years of graduate study beyond the cand.mag. or equivalent degree. These degrees include independent research and a thesis.
Mathematics and natural sciences:* Candidatus/candidata scientarum (Cand.scient.)
Professional degrees have a more rigid structure with fewer options for choosing general subjects. These studies are normally composed of modules which must be completed in a given sequence.The universities and university colleges offer integrated study programmes for professional degees of 4½-6 years in the following fields:
Degrees in engineering and business administration are also awarded by some of the state colleges.
Graduate degree studies may be followed by a doctoral study programme (dr.scient., dr.art., dr.polit. etc) lasting 3 or 4 years. This assumes a successful application to the doctoral programme, which is essentially a research programme. In addition to completing a doctoral thesis under contract-bound supervision, the candidate has to undergo obligatory training in scientific theory and method. There is also a "general" doctoral degree, doctor philosophiae (dr.philos.) requiring no obligatory training, but with even higher requirements for the doctoral thesis.
Internationalization of higher education is given high priority by the Norwegian authorities. In 1993/94 about 7,600 Norwegians studied abroad mostly at educational institutions in the USA, the United Kingdom and Germany. Most of these students take their entire university studies abroad. The State Educational Loan Fund offers help towards tuition fees and additional costs from studying abroad.
The number of students who attend higher educational institutions in Norway and who take part of their study abroad is increasing. This is the result of efforts presently being made to recognise and grant credits at Norwegian universities for foreign courses. Norway participates in Nordic and European fora established to identify equivalents for educational courses, examinations and degrees.
Participation in international educational programmes such as the European exchange programme ERASMUS/SOCRATES is important if the objective that most Norwegian students should obtain part of their educational training abroad is to be met. Nordic co-operation is further developed through participation in NORDPLUS, a programme designed for the exchange of students and teachers.
Under the so-called NUFU* programme the Norwegian Council of Universities organizes, together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a co-operative scheme between Norwegian universities, and universities in developing countries. The aim of the programme is the promotion of academic competence at the universities in the developing countries. Similarly, the Council of Universities also administers co-operative programmes with Eastern and Central Europe and with South Africa.
* NUFU: Norwegian Universities Committee for Development Research and Education.
The Norwegian Council of Universities has established a special Centre for International University Cooperation (SIU) for university co-operation programmes. This office serves as secretariat for the NUFU programme and also administers Norwegian participation in ERASMUS/LINGUA programmes etc.
A few universities and university colleges have also introduced degree programmes (Master of Philosophy, Master of Science, Master of International Business) modelled on the English system. In these programmes, the language of instruction and examination is english.
Responsibility for information about Norwegian education and co-ordination of applications for recognising foreign education in Norway, is placed with the National Academic Information Centre (NAIC), located at the University of Oslo.
The student welfare organisations are independent organisations taking care of a wide range of student welfare matters. The most important welfare services offered are:
Special government support schemes exist for building student flats and running kindergartens. Moreover, the student welfare organisations receive some public support for their overall costs.
Norwegian law ensures Norwegian students economic support from the State Educational Loan Fund, in the form of loans and stipends. Most support is in the form of loans. Foreign applicants will only be supported for special programmes at individual institutions, however, foreign students may study in Norway without paying tuition.
In order to obtain a stipend and/or a loan, the student must demonstrate that he or she will be able to complete the studies within the normal time span defined by the State Educational Loan Fund. The accumulation of loan interest and repayment do not normally take effect before the studies have been completed. Outstanding loans are usually repaid over a period of 20 years. Students who complete major degrees (studies normally lasting five years or more) may have a portion of their loan reduced as a bonus.
It is estimated that NOK 6.6 billion will be channelled through the State Educational Loan Fund to help finance student loans and an additional NOK 2.5 billion for stipends for the academic year1993/94. Parts of these sums involve loans and stipends to pupils in the secondary schools.
The National Union of Students in Norway, "Norsk Studentunion" (NSU) is the largest of its kind in Norway. NSU has approximately 85,000 members, most of them at the Norwegian Council of Universities' member institutions. The students become members automatically when they pay their semester fee. (The fee is for the student welfare organisation).
Each educational institution has a local Student Union leader and a branch which takes care of the daily tasks. The students are also represented in the elected governing bodies at all universities and colleges.
Norwegian authorities view scientific research as an important prerequisite for cultural development, economic growth and increased social welfare.
In 1993, the total public budgetary allocations for research and development amounted to NOK 8.6 billion. More than 40% of the public research expenditures are channelled through the Ministry of Education, Research and Church Affairs primarily through the financing of universities and colleges. Areas given special priority in Norwegian research are:
The Research Council of Norway "Norges forskningsråd" was formally established, January 1994, after the re-organisation and merging of five research councils. The Research Council of Norway is a national strategic research agency with responsibility for promoting and funding basic and applied research in all fields, and advises the Norwegian government on questions of research policy.
Areas given special priority in Norwegian research have been identified based on specific concerns, such as research offering a basis for growth and development in industrial and business sectors. The universities, university colleges and to some extent state colleges are extensively involved in most such areas: information technology, biotechnology, oil and gas related research, aquaculture, enviromental technology, management, organization and government, health, environment and living conditions, research on the dissemination of culture and tradition.
The institutions are free to take on externally financed research projects and programmes which go beyond what their ordinary budgets can cover. This type of research activity is organised either by fringe institutions or under the institution's own auspices according to specific rules and regulations. For most universities and universitiy colleges the amount of externally financed research constitutes more than 10% of the total budget for the institution.
The concept of "Network Norway" presupposes that the universities, the university colleges and the state colleges will be developed into a single national integrated system. High-level knowlege is to be developed further through national centres of competence, forming nodes in a comprehensive national network. "Network Norway" will require closer co-operation, and better division of labour, between the various institutions of higher education.
The universities provide a research-based education, combining scholastic bredth and high educational standards at the uppermost disiplinary levels. The universities have special responsibility for graduate and research training and for basic research.
The university colleges offer education leading to the highest competance level within their specialities, and are responsible for basic research and research training within these fields.
The college sector has recently been consolidated and re-organised (August 1994), with fewer and larger institutions (now 26). Within the new model each state college covers a wider disciplinary spectrum. Each state college is developing its own disiplinary profile, with specialisation in at least one area. By utilizing modern data technology and mass media, the linkages between the institutions are taking on a new dimension. Thus an important element in "Network Norway" is to forge a Norwegian electronic network of knowlege.
The new law, covering both universities and colleges will formalise the new structure.
The Norwegian Council of Universities is a coordinating, common body for the four Norwegian universities and six university colleges:
The institutions have themselves initiated the formation of the Norwegian Council of Universities. The Council has a Board which offers recommendations to member institutions and to the government authorities in matters of common concern and interest. In 1991, the Council established its permanent secretariat in Bergen.
The major objectives of the Council are:
The Norwegian Council of Universities has close contact with its member institutions, the Research Council of Norway and the Ministry of Education, Research and Church Affairs.
Contact with foreign and international institutions and organizations is also given high prority, and the Council is working actively on behalf of its member institutions to enhance Norwegian participation in international university co-operation.
Norwegian Council of Universities:
Secretariat
Harald Hårfagres gate 17, N-5007 Bergen
Tel. 47 55 90 27 37, fax 47 55 90 27 48
Centre for International University Cooperation
N-5020 Bergen
Tel. 47 55 54 67 00, fax 47 55 54 67 20
University of Bergen,
N 5020 Bergen
Tel. 47 55 21 30 50, fax 47 55 32 85 85
University of Oslo,
N-0316 Oslo
Tel. 47 22 85 50 50, fax 47 22 85 44 42
University of Tromsø,
N-9037 Tromsø
Tel. 47 77 64 40 00, fax 47 77 64 49 00
Norwegian University of Science and Technology,
Universitetsadministrasjonen, N-7034 Trondheim,
Tel. 47 73 59 50 00, fax 47 59 80 90
The Oslo School of Architecture,
P.O Box 6768 St. Olavs plass, N-0130 Oslo
Tel. 47 22 20 83 16, fax 47 22 11 19 70
The Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration,
N-5035 Bergen-Sandviken
Tel. 47 55 95 90 00, fax 47 55 25 83 83
The Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education,
P.O. Box 40 Kringsjå, N-0807 Oslo
Tel.47 22 18 56 00, fax 47 22 23 42 20
The Agricultural University of Norway,
N-1432 Ås
Tel. 47 64 94 75 00, fax 47 64 94 75 05
The Norwegian State Academy of Music,
P.O. Box 5190 Majorstua, N-0302 Oslo
Tel . 47 22 46 40 55, fax 47 22 46 70 74
The Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine,
P.O. Box 8146 Dep., N-0033 Oslo
Tel. 47 22 96 45 00, fax 47 22 56 57 04
Ministry of Education, Research and Church Affairs,
P.O. Box 8119 Dep., N 0032 Oslo
Tel. 47 22 34 90 90, fax 47 22 34 95 40
The Research Council of Norway
P.O. Box 2700 St. Hanshaugen, N-0131 Oslo
Tel. 47 22 03 70 00, fax 47 22 03 70 01
The State Educational Loan Fund
P.O. Box 195 Økern, N-0510 Oslo
Tel. 47 22 72 67 00/47 22 72 69 10,
fax 47 22 64 26 36
National Academic Information Centre (NAIC),
P.O. Box 1081 Blindern, N-0371 Oslo
Tel. 47 22 85 88 60, fax 47 22 85 88 69
The National Union of Students in Norway
Sagveien 21, N-0458 Oslo
Tel. 47 22 71 47 20, fax 47 22 35 24 05