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"We are responsible for the development of a good degree and will be co-operating with three other Nordic universities, to give the students a joint degree. We must set a good example," says Schrum. She is senior scientific officer at the Geophysical Institute and has led the application process.

Increased competition.
The Nordic Council of Ministers took the initiative to form a Nordic tuitional collaboration. The Geophysical Institute’s Masters Degree “Nordic Master in Marine Ecosystems and Climate”, was one of six that were chosen from a total of 41 applications. Approx. 1 million Danish Crowns will be provided for the start-up of the programme.  The University of Ireland, the University of the Faroe Islands and Aarhus University will also be collaborating. 

The Nordic Master’s Programme should strengthen Scandinavia’s position as an educational region, increase competition and encourage both Nordic and foreign students to study in Scandinavia. Its thought that co-operation in certain areas can help to create attractive, high quality Masters Degree programmes.

"The competition to get hold of good students is quite stiff. The fact that the Nordic countries are now collaborating should help to attract more students. The Nordic countries have a long tradition of collaboration with regard to research and we will soon see an extended collaboration with regard to education," Schrum believes.

Multidisciplinary
All of the four collaborating universities offer marine research, but focus on different scientific aspects.

The Nordic countries are responsible for a larger area of ocean than most other countries and   the surrounding seas have long supplied the Nordic people with life’s necessities. This demands a rational exploitation of resources and climate changes are also a factor to be reckoned with. We need know-how.   With “Nordic Master in Marine Ecosystems and Climate”, the aim is to create an overlap in physics and biology.  We haven’t seen much of this type pf overlapping in marine research before.

"Marine research is becoming more and more dependent on expertise from several disciplines. Climate changes demand knowledge of the results of alterations in ocean ecosystems and resources.  We are trying to achieve a multidisciplinary understanding.  Students will be taught to see the future needs of meteorology and the biological ecosystem. This presents a unique possibility to take a multidisciplinary degree," says Schrum.

The details concerning the two-year master programme will now be worked out prior to the arrival of the first students in 2009.