Harald Hårfagresgt. 17
N-5020 Bergen, Norway

+47 55 58 98 40 (fax)
e-mail: ur@uib.no
Secretary General: Per Nyborg

The Norwegian Council for Higher Education was founded 8th May 2000 as a merger of the Norwegian Council of State Colleges and the Norwegian Council of Universities.

Founded in 1977, the Norwegian Council of Universities was initiated by the member institutions themselves by extending the former Norwegian Rectors' Conference (1960-1977) to an association of institutions. The Council is a cooperative and coordinating body for its ten member institutions, i.e. the four Norwegian universities and the six university colleges:

• University of Bergen
• University of Oslo
• University of Tromsø
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Trondheim)
• Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration (Bergen)
• Norwegian University of Sport and Physical Education (Oslo)
• Norwegian State Academy of Music (Oslo)
• Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine (Oslo)
• Agricultural University of Norway (Aas)
• Oslo School of Architecture

- to develop strategies for the Norwegian system of higher education and research,
- to improve the national coordination in the educational and research sector,
- to serve as a common instrument for the member institutions in their international cooperation.

Council meetings are normally held twice a year. The Executive Board (six rectors plus the leader of the national students' union) is responsible for the joint activities taken care of by the Council.

The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary General.

The Secretarat includes theCentre for International University Cooperation (SIU), acting as the Council's operator for international programmes. Among these are programmes for cooperation with developing countries and for cooperation with East and Central Europe, both financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. SIU is also the National Agency for EU's SOCRATES programme.

The Council has set up permanent committees for university research, for university studies, and for international cooperation. There are also committees working on special subjects. Bi-annual Meetings of Deans are arranged under the umbrella of Council activities.

The Secretariat is financed by membership fees and by a corresponding contribution from the Ministry of Church, Education amd Research. The Centre for International University Cooperation (SIU) is financed by contributions from the programmes.

The Council's publications include an annual report and a report series on university matters (in Norwegian), and a short guide to the system of higher education in Norway (in English).

President (1999-2001): Rector Tove Bull, University of Tromsø
Secretary General: Dr. Per Nyborg

Last updated: 23.02.2000 EL