In a written response to the European Strategy for Universities and the Council recommendation on building bridges for effective European higher education cooperation proposed by the European Commission on 18 January 2022, Norway’s Ministry of Education and Research  declared on 27 April that the initiatives, aimed at strengthening transnational cooperation, have been met with a positive response by  national stakeholders.

With effective European higher education cooperation being on the European agenda for decades and the EU – Norway close and longstanding cooperation within higher education, research, and innovation, based on the EEA Agreement, the written response says that Norway takes “strong interest in contributing to further policy development and actions aimed at strengthening European higher education institutions and promoting transnational cooperation”.

With regards to enhancing European cooperation, the statement also presents some of Norway’s input to the further discussions and possible implementation of key initiatives,  primarily the European Universities Initiative, a joint European Degree and the  European Student Card Initiative.

Read Norway’s views and concerns here.