Draft – North America Strategy for Higher Education Cooperation 2012-2015 of the Ministry of Education and Research

Draft – North America Strategy for Higher Education Cooperation 2012-2015 of the Ministry of Education and Research

The Ministry of Education and Research hereby invites embassies, consulates, universities, university colleges, and other stakeholders (organizations, etc.) to comment upon a draft of the North America Strategy for Higher Education Cooperation 2012-2015 of the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research.

The North America Strategy for Higher Education Cooperation 2008-2011 was introduced in the fall of 2007. The aim of the Strategy is to strengthen the cooperation between higher education institutions in Norway and the U.S. and Canada.

In 2010, the Ministry of Education and Research completed a status assessment of the Strategy. The status assessment shows an upward trend in student mobility between Norway and North America, and the transatlantic partnerships established under the strategy have become models of best practice for institutional collaboration. However, the status assessment also points to the need for increased efforts in certain areas. The Ministry has therefore decided to revise the Strategy in 2011, and introduce a new Strategy for the period 2012-2015.

Based on the status assessment and dialogue with selected partners and stakeholders, including the participants of the Transatlantic Education Forum, the Ministry has developed a draft Strategy. The main priorities in the Strategy are:
-  Collaboration at government level and network arenas
-  Institutional partnerships and stronger correlation between higher education and research collaboration
-  Mobility of students and staff

The Ministry has further emphasized
-  to create more meeting places for cooperation with Canada
-  to encourage more mobility at the Master’s level
-  to find ways to recruit more North American students to Norway

However, we will also appreciate input on other perspectives that should be taken into account, such as the possibilities of stronger marketing of Norwegian higher education in North America, measures directed towards younger students (high school level) and society in general, as well as an increased cooperation with the business sector.

All relevant documents, the draft Strategy, the 2008-2011 Strategy and the above mentioned status assessment, are available at this link: http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/kd/dok/hoeringer.html?id=1976

Comments and input may be prepared in either Norwegian or English. The contributions must be submitted to the Ministry of Education and Research by 15 August 2011.

The Ministry aims at introducing the new Strategy at the Transatlantic Science Week 25-27 October 2011.

Yours sincerely,

• Draft of the North America Strategy for Higher Education Cooperation 2012-2015 (PDF)

All universities and university colleges
Association of Norwegian Students Abroad (ANSA)
Embassy of Canada
Embassy of the United States
Fulbright Foundation
Innovation Norway
International Students' Union of Norway (ISU)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Trade and Industry
National Union of Students in Norway (NSO)
The Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO)
The Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT)
The Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Higher Education (SIU)
The Norwegian Association of Higher Education Institutions (UHR)
The Norwegian Embassy in Ottawa
The Norwegian Embassy in Washington D.C.
The Norwegian Honorary Consulate General in Minneapolis
The Norwegian Consulate General in Houston
The Norwegian Consulate General in New York
The Norwegian Consulate General in San Francisco
The Norwegian Network for Private Higher Education Institutions (NPH)
The Norwegian Universities and Colleges Admission Service (NUCAS)
The Research Council of Norway
The State Educational Loan Fund