3800 new student places in higher education

The Government proposes the establishment of 3 800 new student places at universities and university colleges as of fall 2009. In addition, the Government also increases the funding for the higher education institutions with 80 million kroner. The measures are part of the Revised National Budget released today. 

Increased capacity in higher education is a central priority for the Ministry of Research and Higher Education. In addition to more places in higher education, the Government proposes to increase grants to post-secondary vocational education by 20 million kroner, which gives room for 400-450 new places. It also proposes to allocate 20 million kroner to education for adults through the “Programme for Basic Competence in Working Life” and 35 million kroner for measures to prevent drop-out in upper secondary education and training. 

– The number of applications to higher education have increased significantly in 2009, and the Government now follows up with funding for new places. Norway needs more people with higher education, and this is particularly important in a period with a difficult labour market, says the Minister of Research and Higher Education , Tora Aasland. 

Applications for teacher training have increased by 35 percent this spring. The Government therefore proposes to allocate 1000 of the new places to teacher training, pre-school teacher traning and further education in kindergarten pedagogics for pre-school teachers. 850 new student places are allocated to training within the health care and social sector, and 550 student places are allocated to science education. 600 of the new places are going to other programmes prioritised by the universities and university colleges. 800 places are reserved for decentralised and further education. 

It is a priority for the Government to ensure that more young people complete upper secondary education and training. The increased budget will, among other things, give room for closer monitoring of students with weak results.

–  That only 70 percent complete upper secondary education with academic or vocational skills within five years is one of our biggest social problems. To further develop the quality of upper secondary education and training, and to monitor more closely students who are struggling, is therefore a necessary step, says the Minister of Education Bård Vegar Solhjell.

The Government will also increase the possibility for adults who lack basic skills to have training at their workplace. “Programme for Basic Competence in Working Life” has been a success, and the number of companies applying for funding through the programme is very high. The Government therefore proposes to increase the allocation for this programme by 20 million kroner in the revised budget for 2009.

The Government is also making a statement that the goal of full kindergarten coverage is about to be fulfilled. The revised budget will give room for 271 500 children in kindergartens at the end of 2009, which will mean a coverage rate for children aged 1-5 of 90.4 percent. With the development plans that are now implemented in the municipalities, the Government considers that the statutory right to a place in kindergarten will be fulfilled by fall 2009.