PROGRESSIVE IMMIGRANTS
Second-generation immigrants take as much higher education
as the rest of the population. And they are often more ambitious,
too.
– Among youth with minority background there is a strong
belief that education is the key for having success in Norway,
researcher Berit Lødding at the Norwegian Institute
for Studies in Research and Higher Education. (NIFU) says.
In 2002 she presented a report that pointed out the positive
efforts of students with immigrant parents.
She says education is crucial for social status. High-status
careers within engineering, medicine and law are popular among
youth with a minority background.
CAREER MART
Bergen’s dry-food company Toro was one of the participants
at this year’s career day. The company is well-known
among students for its easy and cheap dinner alternatives.
However, there was some doubt whether students were considered
to be future employees or plain consumers. Geir Pollestad,
the leader of students’ union NSU, had a stroll among
the stands and he feels one would have been better off without
all the advertising and free samples.
One popular activity was the opportunity to «speed-date»
businesses. Student Kyrre Gregersen was set up with a consultancy
firm. He found some romance with Anne, but in hindsight Gregersen
calls the meeting an experience rather than a close match.
MORE AND MORE COMPLAINTS
After the quality reform came into force the number of complaints
regarding grades has increased four-fold among Bergen University
College’s (HiB) engineering students.
– Maybe it’s because students are more aware of
the opportunity to complain, Henning Norheim at HiB speculates.
– Many students complain when they fail because there
is nothing to lose. Also, a fairly good mark like C is perceived
as poor among some.
Last term, there were 81 complaints, compared to 17 in 2001.
The number of exams has only increased by ten percent in the
same time.
Student Håkon Hunderi was one of those who complained.
He received an E and was told he was close to failing. After
complaining, he did. He warns students that the result of
a complaint might be a poorer grade.
ALEXANDER KEMP
24.03.04
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