Bodø University College turns into University of Nordland

Bodø University College will change its name from 1 January 2011 to become The University of Nordland. The decision will be taken in a Royal decree at today’s session of the Council of State. I am very pleased that the county of Nordland has now got its university and that the University College has been rewarded for its long-term strategic efforts, says the Minister for Research and Higher Education, Ms. Tora Aasland. 

Bodø University College was established in 1994 out of the reorganization of the three Bodø colleges: Nordland Regional College (1971), Nordland Centre of Higher Education (1985), Bodø College of Education (1950) and Nordland College of Nursing (1920).

The new college had 2967 students and a staff of 307. Today the figures have grown to more than 5000 students and 500 staff. 

I hope to see the new ‘University of Nordland’ in close collaboration with other higher education institutions in the county of Nordland and in the region of Northern Norway. I further expect the new university to contribute to further development and quality enhancement in education and research and to be a strong force in partnerships with the private sector and civil society in the region, says Ms. Aasland. 

On 16 September this year the board of NOKUT concluded that “Bodø University College fulfills the requirements for accreditation as a university.” On that basis the college could apply to the Ministry to be reclassified from University College to University. 

The institution is organized as four faculties: 

• Bodø Graduate School of Business (PhD programme in Economics)
• Faculty of Professional Studies (PhD programme in Professional Practice)
• Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture (PhD programme in Aquaculture)
• Faculty of Social Sciences (PhD programme in Sociology)