Volda is the place you'll never forget

Welcome to Volda and Volda University College!

Getting here

On the very Western coast of Norway in a county called Møre og Romsdal there is a small place called Volda. The name comes from the long fjord that stretches in from the Atlantic itself. There are various ways of travelling to Volda. If you’ve got a little ice in your stomach, you choose the small airplane. Then you’ll really see how special Volda is. Through the window the view of the scenery that surrounds Volda is magnificent. You’ll be spellbound by the endless mountains with microscopic roads crawling over them, the high peaks covered in snow, the frothing salmon rivers that feed the many lakes, and the numerous hamlets and farms spread out in the green landscape far below you.

If you’re not up for a flight, you can take the express bus. You’ll drive past small towns and villages with old and new houses side by side. Driving from Oslo to Volda really feels like discovering Norway. If you make that journey in the spring or in summer, you’ll be surprised to find well-fed sheep or goats relaxing in the middle of the road, next to the looming mountain-sides and splashing waterfalls. If you use your horn, they just might move. As you close in on Møre og Romsdal and Volda, the fjords will astound you; big cruise ships and smaller pleasure boats drift on the twinkling surface, and fishing boats haul in today’s catch. You drive across massive mountain plateaus and through narrow tunnels and passes, and finally you arrive at the fjord facing Volda. And you think: Wow, is this for real?

You have to take the ferry to get across to Volda. You could drive around the fjords, but it would take you much longer, trust me. Besides, taking a ferry cruise across Voldsfjorden is a magical, little experience. You’ll feel how tiny we human beings are after all, face to face with the breathtaking mountains and the crystal clear water, and you may sit back and take in the overwhelming view while you enjoy a delicious svele, a pancake-like specialty of the ferries to Volda.

The faces

You’ll be amazed by the friendly people who live in Volda. They might look at you the way you look at them at first, mildly surprised, but soon they’ll be addressing you in a welcoming manner, finding out where you come from, discussing the weather, giving you directions to sights you should see in Volda and the surroundings, inviting you to come to church, to a concert they know of, or perhaps even to a party. The townsfolk of Volda are a friendly bunch. They accept newcomers with open arms, many questions and smiling faces.

What have you seen so far?

Spectacular nature, intriguing surroundings and a welcoming  country town with about 5000 people living in the centre. All very nice, but not really the main reason why you should consider applying for a scholarship to come here. The real reason is the studies offered, of course. Oh yes. It’s true that studying in Volda does something to young people, it transforms us. People come from all over Norway, in fact all over the world to live and study in Volda. Because, you see, Volda has got a reputation to defend and be proud of. Even though Volda has just one of Norway’s 25 university colleges, there’s something special about this place.

Are you curious? Good!

Volda’s character is due to the special mix of students. Here we find students flying in from all parts of Norway, but more importantly, we have a lot of international students. You could easily say that Volda appears somewhat international, even though it’s a rather small university college almost at the top of the globe. We have among others, Chinese, Turkish, Japanese, Kenyan, Irish, Malaysian, Hungarian and Lithuanian students. And Russian. There’s really no end to the diverse nationalities of students here. Because when someone leaves, a new one or even two new students arrive. Since we all live in a world that is growing more and more globalized, contact and friendship between different ethnic groups and cultures is surely a good thing. Wait a second; did I say a good thing? I meant a fantastic thing! Just imagine all the fabulous stories, the exciting memories and different experiences we can share over a beer? Or a cup of tea or coffee.

Do you know what they say?

A colleague from Romania told us recently that he’d visited cities such as Stockholm, Barcelona, San Francisco and Jerusalem, but that it was Volda he had fallen in love with. He promised he’d be back soon. An exchange student from Ireland  told me that she really liked the way everybody here wants to be your buddy. Every weekend there’s a new concert down at the students union called Rokken where you’ll hook up with all your friends and see a lot of new faces. She also praised something called Pangaia. Pangaia, now what’s that? Haven’t you heard? - Pangaia is the friendly, cozy and colourful meeting-place for both international and Norwegian students right in the middle of campus! Oh really? And what do you do there? We stop by for chats, for updates on what’s on in Volda, to read magazines and leaf through brochures. Or simply relax in the good company of our fellow students. There are always someone there.

The memories

When you sit at your work place some twenty years from now, drinking a cup of coffee and staring out the window, I bet you’ll be thinking of Volda. Both the study environment and the social life at Volda University College represent something special, something you’ll treasure for the rest of your life. So, don’t hesitate: check below the variety of subjects and courses on offer at our 4 faculties. You’re bound to find something to tempt you, and you won’t regret choosing to come to Volda. Not as long as you live...

VOLDA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE offers five Master’s programmes - and there are more to come - over 30 undergraduate courses - and about 300 study courses. We have four faculties covering a wide range of subjects from administration and planning, music, art and design, drama and theatre, history, culture, religion, ICT, maths, outdoor life, teacher training to media and journalism, animation, special pedagogics, social sciences and languages etc. VOLDA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE has a staff of around 250 and around 3000 students, roughly 130 international students from 30 different nations, and agreements with well over 100 partners in 40 countries all over the world. So, you can tell there is a close contact between staff and students, we have a compact campus and a lively academic and social environment. Come and see for yourself and combine learning and friends for life.

For more info simply enter www.hivolda.no or send an e-mail to our international office at cw@hivolda.no

Volda as seen from the Rotsethornet mountain

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