Police Academy (Politihøgskolen)

The Police Academy offers basic and ongoing education for police professionals and sheriffs and conducts research in police matters. Its principal facility and head office are in Oslo, and it has facilities at Stavern and Bodø. Contact Politihøgskolen, Slemdalsveien 5, PO Box 5027 Marjorstua, 0301 Oslo, Tel: 23199900, Fax: 23199901, www.phs.no, postoslophs@phs.no.

Primary and lower-secondary schools (Grunnskolen)

Primary and lower-secondary schooling for 10 years is compulsory, and children start at age six. There are some 3,300 schools, together with 67,000 teachers teaching 600,000 pupils. In alphabetical order, the principal subjects taught are arts and crafts, English, home economics, mathematics, music, Norwegian, physical education, religion, science and the environment, and social studies. Pupils may choose one of three electives: a second foreign language in addition to English, supplementary language study or practical project work. Deaf pupils have Norwegian sign language as a first language, supplementary studies in Norwegian sign language, and selected studies in Norwegian, English and drama. Day-care facilities before and after school hours are provided for children in the first four classes. For specific information on nearby schools, contact the local school department (skoletaten) listed in the Pink Pages under the name of the municipality where you live. For general information on schools in the country, contact the Directorate for Primary and Secondary Education (Utdanningsdirektoratet) at its offices in Hamar or Molde, listed in the Pink Pages, or at its head office, PO Box 294 Tøyen, 0608 Oslo, Tel: 23301200, Fax: 23301219, www.utdanningsdirektoratet.no.

Private higher-education institutions (Private høgskoler)

There are 26 private colleges with approved curricula in a range of studies including anthroposophic education, architecture, basic medicine, Christian media, missionary activities and teaching, dance, Diaconal activities including nursing, management and marketing, music, nursing and welfare nursing, polytechnics, pre-school teaching, retail trade, theology and tourism. For addresses of and links to all the colleges, contact NOKUT.

Religion classes (Undervisning i religion)

Evangelical Lutheranism, the faith of the Church of Norway (Chapter 6), is a compulsory subject taught in all public schools and non-sectarian private schools. Accordingly, the subject is entitled Christianity (kristendom). Upon parental request, children of other faiths may be excused from Christianity class. The school may then substitute another subject, such as alternative beliefs (alternativ livsynsorientering), which deals with religions and beliefs in general and also teaches ethics (etikk). If you are of another faith and object to your child being taught Evangelical Lutheranism, you should ask the school about the options offered.

Research Council (Forskningsrådet)

The Research Council of Norway promotes and supports basic and applied research in all fields of science, technology, medicine and the humanities. Its principal goals include raising public understanding of research in society as a whole, supporting top-level research and encouraging innovation throughout business and industry. It also acts as a principal research policy adviser to the government and as a meeting place and network-builder of research in the country in all sectors and branches of industry. Moreover, it is the central point for international activities, including the European Cooperation in the Field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST), international fellowships, Nordic cooperation and bilateral agreements with other countries. For further information, contact the Council, Stensberggata 26, PO Box 2700 St Hanshaugen, 0131 Oslo, Tel: 22037000, Fax: 22037101, www.forskningsradet.no, post@forskningsradet.no.

Research system (Forskningpolitikk)

The country’s research activities take place at three levels: policy, strategy and performance. The policy level comprises the Parliament, the Council of State and the Ministries and departments (Chapter 20). The Research Council is the linchpin at the research strategy level, although the universities and colleges also act in strategic planning. The performance level consists of academic and independent research institutes as well as industrial research facilities. There are several hundred research institutes and other facilities, most governmental and many academic. For an overview, contact the Research Council.

Scholarships (Stipend)

In addition to the governmental educational grants and loans, more than 2,300 grants of various sorts are available. Most are awarded on an annual basis and consequently have one application deadline each year, but many are awarded two or more times a year and have a corresponding number of application deadline dates. Notices of most grants along with their application deadlines are published under kunngjøring in the classified advertising section of newspapers, but many are not widely publicised.

Fortunately, there is an annual publication listing all grants across the country: Legathåndboken (”legacy handbook”), in print and online. In it, grants are divided into six major groups: 01: Educational discipline stipends and legacies (Utdanningsstipend og –legater, fagorientert), 02: Educational stipends and legacies abroad (Utdanningsstipend og –legater, utlandet), 03: Research grants (Forskningsstipend), 04: Social stipends and legacies (sosiale stipend og legater), 05: Geographically defined stipends and legacies (Geografisk begrensede stipender og legater), and 06: Miscellaneous stipends and legacies (Diverse stipend og legater). You can buy the printed version in bookshops or order it online at www.legathandboken.no, which also is the website for the searchable online database version. For further details, contact the publisher, Cicerone Forlag, Hamag Terasse 81, 1336 Sandvika, Tel: 67520106, kroeri@c2i.net.

Schools (Skoler)

All primary and lower-secondary schools as well as upper-secondary schools are mixed with boys and girls studying together in the same classes. Primary and lower-secondary schools supply schoolbooks (skolebøker), and primary schools supply writing materials (skrivesaker). Parents need only supply a school bag (veske) or knapsack (ransel) and a small pencil case (pennal), make a packed lunch (matpakke) each school day, and ensure that a child has the proper clothing whenever there are lessons in physical education (kroppsøving), including swimming (svømming). In primary school, physical education classes are mixed: boys and girls are together in a class, but have separated changing rooms and showers. Ordinary clothing is worn at school; there are no school uniforms.

Schooling is egalitarian, with equal rights and opportunities for all children. Consequently, children with learning difficulties (sœrlige vansker) and handicapped (funksjonshemmede) children are integrated (integrert) as much as possible into ordinary classes through special programmes provided by the educational-psychological service. Likewise, classes are not divided by ability, and there is no streaming in public schools.

Children usually attend the school nearest home. If you have school-age children and settle in a municipality (kommune), contact the local school department (skoletaten under the name of the municipality in the Pink Pages) to enrol them. If a child does not speak or understand Norwegian, notify the school department who can arrange for mother tongue education (Chapter 28) and enrol the child in classes for Norwegian as a second language (Norsk som andrespråk). During the school year, notify the school whenever you must keep a child at home due to illness or injury or whenever a child cannot participate in physical education or other outdoor activities. Apply for permission in advance if you intend to travel abroad and take the child with you. Be sure to notify the school department if your child moves to another municipality, to another school district within a municipality or out of the country.

School year schedule (Skolerute)

The school year starts in the latter half of August and finishes before Midsummer’s Day in late June. In that period, there are 38 weeks of school and six weeks of holidays, including an autumn holiday (høstferie), Christmas holiday (juleferie), winter holiday (vinterferie) and Easter holiday (påskeferie). The summer holiday lasts eight weeks. Schools are closed on all public holidays. Most public holidays are included in the holiday weeks, but three are not: two fixed holidays, the 1st of May, Labour Day (1. mai) and the 17th of May, Constitution Day (Grunnlovsdag), and one variable church holiday, Ascension Day (Kristi himmelfartsdag).

Science parks (Forskningsparker)

A science park is a zone, usually near institutes of higher education, and having buildings for hi-tech and science-oriented companies. There are 12 science parks across the country, from Grimstad in the south to Tromsø in the north, and together they are home to some 400 hi-tech and science companies. For further information on the parks, contact The Norwegian Science Park Association (Forskningsparkene i Norge, FIN), PO Box 1262, Pirsenteret, 7462 Trondheim, Tel: 73545102, Fax: 73545110, www.fin.no.

Social services financial support for students (Økonomisk sosialhjelp i studietiden)

If you need financial aid for your college or university studies, you should apply for one of the educational grants and loans. However, as a student you can receive social assistance in acute situations, both while a student and afterwards, when you repay your student loan. Likewise, in some cases, parents who cannot afford to meet their child’s upper-secondary school expenses may also receive support. For further details, contact an office of the National Insurance (Chapter 21) scheme.

Space-related activities (Romvirksomhet)

Norwegian space activities are more extensive than meets the eye, principally because being small, the country is not active in space ventures that gain international media attention. Nonetheless, in the commercial sector, Norwegian companies are global actors in satellite broadcasting and satellite communications. Public and private-funded satellite-aided scientific research and education are strengths of international rank.

Space-related activities in the country are coordinated by the Norwegian Space Centre (Norsk Romsenter), which is the country’s liaison with the European Space Agency (ESA). For further information, contact the head office, PO Box 113 Skøyen, 0212 Oslo, Tel: 22511800, Fax: 22511801, www.spacecentre.no, space.centre@spacecentre.no.

Special education (Spesialpedagogisk støttesystem)

Special education, as for children with physical or mental impairments or for children having minority languages as their mother tongue, is provided by municipal primary and lower-secondary schools. In turn, these schools are supported by 14 local units and 17 State centres for special education. For further details on special education in your municipality, contact the school department (skoletaten) listed in the Pink Pages under the name of the municipality where you live. For general information on special education across the country, contact the National Support System for Special Education (Statlig spesialpedagogisk støttesystem), PO Box 2924 Tøyen, 0608 Oslo, Tel: 23301200, Fax: 23301299, www.statped.no, statped@statped.no.

Steiner schools (Steinerskolene)

Steiner schools practise concepts put forth by Rudolf Steiner (1861–1925), the Austrian philosopher, scientist, artist and educator who inaugurated anthroposophy, the movement to develop cognition and the realisation of spiritual reality. The Steiner schools are part of the educational movement based on Rudolf Steiner’s principles. In some countries, the movement is known as Waldorf education, after the first such school founded in 1919 in Germany, for the children of the workers at the Waldorf – Asoria cigarette factory. There are now Steiner or Waldorf schools worldwide; there are anthroposophical societies in many countries and a world head office in Dornach, near Basel, Switzerland. In Norway, there are some 33 Steiner schools and even more kindergartens across the country. Most of the schools offer primary and lower-secondary schooling, whilst two are upper-secondary schools. Steiner school education is State supported under the Independent School Act, so tuition fees are considerably lower than in many countries where the schools have no State support. For further details, contact the nearest Steinerskolen listed in the Pink Pages or the head office, Professor Dahlsgate 30, 0260 Oslo, Tel: 22445655, Fax: 22444760, www.steiner.no.

Streaming (Kursplandeling)

Streaming is the practice of dividing pupils in a school into streams according to ability. It involves differentiation (differensiering) and grouping by level (nivågruppering). Though it is a general principle, it almost always applies to above-average pupils: a school that offers streaming has special measures for gifted children. In 1960, a variety of streaming involving curricula division (kursplandeling) was introduced in public secondary schools, first in Bergen and then elsewhere in the country. Three levels were offered in Norwegian, English and mathematics classes, and two levels were offered in German and Science classes. The practice was abandoned in 1974, because it conflicted with the principle of the ”solidarity school” (fellesskapsskolen). However, some private schools offer streaming.

Training for the Labour Market (Arbeidsmarkedsopplæring)

Aetat, the employment office (Chapter 3), is the national resource centre for the labour market. It cooperates with some 30 other countries in the Euroguidance Network, www.euroguidance.org.uk and supports four programmes dealing with guidance, worker mobility and vocational training:

• 1Academia is an exchange programme for guidance counsellors in 19 European countries. If you are a European guidance counsellor or work with related issues, and wish to take part in the exchange, contact your country’s coordinator at the address listed on the website at www.ac-creteil.fr/steurop.
• 2Guidenet is a cooperative effort of European countries to collect, evaluate and disseminate information about guidance projects and good guidance practice in Europe. The information gathered is avalailable on the website at www.guidenet.org.
• 3On the Move, a guidance tool for young people who wish to study or work in another European country, is available in several languages on the website at www.onthemove-eu.hi.is. Each national version has relevant details, such as reference materials and links to websites.
• 4PLOTEUS is the abbreviation for Portal on Learning Opportunities Throughout the European Space, a website that aims to assist students, job seekers, workers, parents, guidance counsellors and teachers find relevant information on studying in Europe, europa.eu.int/ploteus/portal/home.jsp.

For further information on the Norwegian involvement in these programmes, contact Aetat Euroguidance, PO Box 8127 Dep, 0032 Oslo, Tel: 23352400, Fax: 23352761, euroguidance@adir.aetat.no. Aetat also interacts with YOU (acronym for Yrke og utdanning – “trade and education”), which is an information tool for pupils at the lower- and upper-secondary levels who seek guidance in selecting and applying for further vocational training, www.you.ls.no.

Transfer to/from a Norwegian school (Skifte til/fra en norsk skole)

The procedure for transferring primary and lower-secondary schools records depends on whether a child moves from another country and seeks admittance (opptak) in a Norwegian school or leaves a Norwegian school to move abroad.

• Transfer from abroad to a Norwegian school: in general, the school will place a child in a class with pupils of the same age, particularly in primary school, for which there are no marks. Nonetheless, you should bring a certificate of previous schooling, in Norwegian or in English, to submit upon enrolling a child. The school will then send the certificate to the appropriate office of the Ministry of Education for evaluation and approval.
• Transfer from Norway to a school abroad: you should notify the school well in advance and request a transcript certificate (vitnemål), in English if you will move outside the Nordic countries. The school will then prepare the certificate and have it authorised by the National Education Office (Statens utdanningskontor) in the county (fylke), so you can take it with you when you leave.

Universities (Universiteter)

There are five Universities:

• The University of Oslo (Universitetet i Oslo) is the oldest (founded 1811) and largest in the country, with some 30,000 students and 4,600 faculty and staff. It has two campuses in Oslo, the old buildings downtown and the newer buildings at Blindern. Principal contact: PO Box 1072 Blindern, Tel: 22855050, www.uio.no.
• The University of Bergen (Universitetet i Bergen) is the country’s most international university, known for its excellence in the marine sciences. Principal contact: PO Box 7800, 5020 Bergen, Tel: 55580000, Fax: 55589643, www.uib.no.
• The Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet) focuses on technological education and research and has a broad base in the humanities, medicine and the social sciences. Principal contact: NTNU, 7491 Trondheim, Tel: 73595000, Fax: 73595310, www.ntnu.no.
• The University of Stavanger is a former college that gained university status 1 January 2005 and therefore is the country’s newest and smallest university, located at Stavanger, the ”oil capital” of the country. Principal contact: PO Box 8002, 4068 Stavanger, Tel: 51831000, Fax: 51831050, www.uis.no.
• The University of Tromsø (Universitetet i Tromsø) at 70°N, is the world’s northernmost university. At the crossroads of Finnish, Norwegian, Russian and Sámi cultures and at the gateway to the Arctic, it offers many studies not found elsewhere. Principal contact: 9037 Tromsø, Tel: 77644982, www.uit.no.

The Universities and Colleges Admission Service – UCAS (Samordna opptak)

UCAS is a centralised service that processes most applications to undergraduate studies at public colleges and universities as well as to some private colleges – some 40 institutions in all. Each year, it processes more than 80,000 applications for some 1,100 study programmes. The application procedure is simple and straightforward. First, you obtain a copy of the application form for Admittance to Universities and Colleges (Søknad om opptak til universiteter og høgskoler), fill it in, and submit it to UCAS Norway before 15 April, or before 1 March for some application groups, including students with foreign secondary education. At UCAS, your application will be registered and then processed along with other applications. Your application will then be forwarded to the relevant colleges or universities, and by 1 June you will be notified accordingly and asked to submit any additional information needed. You will receive notice by 25 July on the status of your application, and must then respond immediately if you have been admitted. The application forms, as well as the guideline Søkerhandboka (”applicant handbook”) are available at upper-secondary schools, colleges and universities, and at some municipal offices. For further details, contact UCAS Norway at the University of Oslo, PO Box 1133 Blindern, 0317 Oslo, Tel: 22841800, Fax: 22841801, www.samordnaopptak.no, postmottak@so.uio.no.

University Courses on Svalbard (Universitetsstudiene på Svalbard)

If you wish, you can go to college in the high Arctic, in the village of Longyearbyen on Spitzbergen Island in the Svalbard archipelago, where University Courses on Svalbard offer 35 courses of studies and support research in Arctic topics, including geology, geophysics, biology and technology. The new centre now has about 100 students, about half of whom are from abroad. Consequently, English is the teaching language, PO Box 156, 9171 Longyearbyen, Tel: 79023300, Fax: 79023301, www.unis.no.

University-level institutions (Vitenskapelige høyskoler)

There are six university-level institutions that focus on selected sectors:

• The Agricultural University of Norway (Norges landbrukshøgskole) is located east of Oslo in rolling farm country and has seven departments that focus on agriculture, fish farming and the environment; PO Box 5003, 1432 Ås, Tel: 64947550, www.nlh.no.
• The Oslo College of Architecture and Design (Arkitekthøgskolen i Oslo) offers studies leading to the Master in Architecture and the Master in Industrial Design degrees; Maridalsveien 29, PO Box 6768 St Olavs plass, 0130 Oslo, Tel: 22997000, Fax: 22997190, www.aho.no, postottak@aho.no.
• The Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (Norges handelshøgskole) offers studies in economics and management and is located in Bergen on the west coast, Helleveien 30, 5045 Bergen, Tel: 55959595, www.nhh.no.
• The Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education (Norges idrettshøgskole) offers extensive studies in sports, exercise and physical education and is located at the border between the built-up area of Oslo and the woodlands to the north; Sognsveien 220, PO Box 4014 Ullevål Stadion, 0806 Oslo, Tel: 22185600, Fax: 22234220, www.nih.no, postmottak@nih.no.
• The Norwegian Academy of Music (Norges musikkhøgskole) offers studies in music and related subjects, including musical therapy, leading to Masters and Doctorate degrees at two locations in Oslo; Gydasv 6, PO Box 5190 Majorstua, 0302 Oslo, Tel: 23367000, Fax: 23367001, www.nmh.no, mh@nmh.no.
• The Norwegian School of Veterinary Medicine (Norges veterinørhøgskole) offers studies and conducts research in the veterinary sciences and related fields and is located at Adamstuen north of downtown Oslo; Ullevalsveien 72, PO Box 8146 Dep, 0033 Oslo, Tel: 22964500, www.veths.no, post@veths.no.

Upper-secondary schooling (Videregående opplæring)

Upper-secondary schooling for three years is an elective right for all 16 to 19 year-olds. There are some 500 schools, together with 27,000 teachers teaching 170,000 pupils and 32,000 apprentices. Schooling is divided principally into academically oriented studies for pupils intending to pursue higher education and into vocationally oriented studies for pupils intending to enter the trades. Pupils take one of 15 foundation courses in the first year, and then specialise in their second and third years. In addition to the normal three-year curriculum, pupils requiring special education may take up to two more years of schooling, which may include classes in sign language or in Braille. For general information on schools in the country, contact the Directorate for Primary and Secondary Education (Utdanningsdirektoratet) at its offices in Hamar or Molde, listed in the Pink Pages, or at its head office, PO Box 294 Tøyen, 0608 Oslo, Tel: 23301200, Fax: 23301219, www.utdanningsdirektoratet.no.

VOX – Adult Education Institute (VOX – Voksenopplæringsinstitutt)

The Adult Education Institute is a centre for developing adult education and for conducting research and development in related matters. It develops teaching tools, assesses and promotes competence, takes part in EU projects for adult education and supports public and private sector efforts to maintain and improve competence. For further information, contact the head office, Olaf Helsets vei 5, 0694 Oslo, Tel: 23381300, Fax: 23381301, www.vox.no.