4 Internationalisation of Norwegian research

It is important to maintain close contact with international environments in order to make the most of this knowledge and to contribute Norwegian expertise. To further enhance the quality of Norwegian research and higher education, international cooperation must become an integral part of the average workday of more Norwegian researchers.

Global issues related to climate change, the environment, migration, health, poverty, food, water or energy are examples of problems that have a great impact on Norway and that will put the international community to the test. They also serve to illustrate how global knowledge and competence development and Norwegian knowledge policy objectives have grown increasingly coincident. Moreover, interest in research cooperation that in various ways supports other policy objectives – foreign policy, development policy and industrial policy – is on the rise.

Norwegian research must help to generate solutions to global problems in those areas where the country has strong, competitive environments. Climate research is one area in which research environments have contributed significantly to the international community’s ability to find better solutions. Norway also has leading environments in the areas of energy, food, health, natural resource management and social science. The petroleum sector plays a critical role in the Norwegian economy. Petroleum activities are global in scope, and it is therefore crucial that Norway has constructive research and development cooperation with the International Energy Agency (IEA) as well as with oil-producing countries such as Brazil and the US.

Svalbard, with its northern location, offers unique accessibility and infrastructure, and thus provides good opportunities for research related to the Arctic. Norway aims to develop Svalbard as a platform for international research and environmental monitoring.

Participation in the EU framework programmes for research, technological development and demonstration activities is the Government’s most important instrument for promoting the internationalisation of Norwegian research, both for strengthening Norwegian competitiveness and for gaining access to a large international knowledge base. Cooperation with Europe is essential, regardless of the form of association that Norway chooses in relation to the new EU framework programme for research and innovation, Horizon 2020. The Government will therefore draw up a strategy for Norwegian research cooperation with the EU that identifies clear priorities for cooperation.

Cooperation with countries outsides of the EU and North America is increasing. This reflects in part the growing importance of countries such as Brazil, China, India, Russia, and others in global research, and in part the formal and informal research agreements and networks established between government authorities and research institutions in these countries. The Government will follow up research cooperation more closely with countries with which Norway already has signed bilateral agreements, as opposed to entering into new agreements. This does not rule out the possibility of developing cooperation with other countries when this is of special interest with regard to knowledge, industrial or foreign policy.

International cooperation is gaining in importance within the Research Council’s programmes and activities. Participation in European research cooperation and bilateral cooperation are being integrated into the national initiative on research and innovation. Norwegian research and higher education institutions also have extensive cooperation with institutions in other countries. This cooperation is often set out in separate agreements and may apply to cooperation within higher education, research or both.

Norwegian higher education is also becoming increasingly international. The number of international students at Norwegian educational institutions has risen by 67 per cent from 2004 to 2011. The majority come from European countries; close to 59 per cent in 2011. The highest number of European students to Norway come from Germany, Russia, and Sweden. After Europe comes Asia, representing about 22 per cent of the total number of international students. From the Asian countries, the greatest number of students come from China. The number of Norwegian students studying abroad is larger than the number of foreign students coming to Norway. The majority of Norwegian graduate students abroad, more than three-fourths, study in a European country. The most popular countries in which to study are Denmark, Poland and the UK. Outside of Europe, Australia and the US are the most popular. Very few graduate students from Norway study in non-English speaking countries outside of Europe.

The schemes under the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund are important tools for encouraging Norwegian students to expand their choice of countries in which to study. The Fund provides support for up to one semester of training in language and social studies in countries where students plan to study at higher educational institutions, as well as language grants for shorter language courses prior to studying abroad.

International joint degree programmes are also an important internationalisation measure that enhance the quality and relevance of higher education and help to link together international research cooperation and higher education cooperation. Joint degree programmes entail benefits in many areas; they enhance academic and organisational development at the institutional level and promote systematic, reciprocal student and staff mobility. A positive trend has been noted in the number of joint degrees at Norwegian universities and university colleges.