GOVERNMENT BUDGET WORSE THAN EXPECTED

Friday’s government budget brought bad news for both higher educational institutions and students.Kolbjørn Hagen, leader for the Norwegian Association of Researchers believes that even though the social-democratic coalition promised a great deal to both students and higher educational institutions, they have clearly failed to deliver.

Hagen states that 350 new scholarships were promised by the government just after they were elected but after Friday’s budget this figure is something one can only dream about. There is normally enough money set aside for at least 200 new scholarships each year, but this year no new scholarships will be available at all. In total, higher educational institutions in Norway will have to do without 274 million kroner and The University of Bergen (UiB) will lose around 30 million kroner as a result of the budget cuts.

Professor Anne Gro Vea Salvanes says she is ready to make some difficult decisions in the coming months:- It is incredibly difficult to strengthen different subject areas and even more difficult deciding where to cut back on funding. The Government has stated, on many occasions how important mathematics, sciences and technology are but they have again failed to act upon their promises she says.

Torbjørn Røe Isaksen, leader for the young Conservative Party believes that these cuts will reduce the quality of teaching and that students will clearly be the ones who are affected.Grants and loans to students are set to rise by a measly 150 NOK a month, something that Jens Maseng, leader for Norway’s Student Union (NSU) is extremely disappointed with.

– This shows that the government isn’t willing to invest in students says Maseng. In a recent survey 70% of people asked believed that they would not be able to live on a student grant that students have to live on today.

HUGE DIFFERENCES IN SALARY

Professors at The Norwegian School of Economics and Administration (NHH) and The Faculty of Dentistry at UiB can boast huge salaries compared to professors at other higher educational institutions in Bergen.

Professors at Bergen University College earn on average half of what their colleagues earn at NHH and UiB. NHH argues that they have to offer big salaries to attract professors and to fend off competition from big business.

The headmaster of UiB, Sigmund Grønmo earns a mere 709,810 NOK compared to the 900,000 NOK that many of the professors teaching at the Faculty of Dentistry earn.