Agreements on cooperation with Russia

The Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research and representatives of the Russian Federation has signed agreements on cooperation in higher education and meteorology.

The agreements are completed in conjunction with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's state visit to Norway.

- We have common challenges and interests in higher education and knowledge, especially in the northern areas regarding energy and environmental studies, marine sciences, and also in social studies and language, said Minister of  Research and Higher Education Tora Aasland. .

There already exists a broad cooperation between Norwegian and Russian institutions. From the Norwegian side there are several measures to increase cooperation in higher education, including the Quota Scheme for students and special Northern Area grants. Russian students now constitute the second largest group of foreign students (after Germany) at Norwegian institutions.

The purpose of cooperation in meteorology is to improve weather forecasting for the Barents Sea and adjacent areas, which among other things is important to strengthen economic and trade cooperation in the north. The cooperation involves the exchange of research resources, experts and meteorological information.

-  Meteorological information for the northern areas is crucial for understanding the global climate trend. This agreement is also a contribution from the two countries to perhaps the greatest challenge in the years ahead, said Aasland.

The agreement on higher education was signed by the Norwegian Minister of Research and Higher Education Tora Aasland and State Secretary / Deputy Minister YP Sentyurin of Education and Science Ministry.  The agreement on meteorology was signed by the Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology, YP Trutnev.