Driving Sustainable Futures in Higher Education

All employees at a Higher Education Institution (HEI) 

This Blended Intensive Programme will take place between June and October 2023.  

• From June 16th-21st the programme will host a physical gathering in Norway

• From September to October the programme will host digital gatherings, featuring discussion forums and group exercises.

The physical gathering in June will take place in Norway, in the villages of Åsgårdstrand and Bø. We will take you on a journey from the village of Åsgårdstrand by the Oslo Fjord to the village of Bø in the mountains of Telemark. 

This BIP will feature short physical lectures, reflexive outdoor group activities and physical group discussions, as well as online resources, online group gatherings and discussions, and participant's collaborative development of action projects. More information will come.

• For partner institutions: Send an email to your coordinator at your institution, stating your interest in the programme and your work with sustainability issues at your university.
• For staff from other HEIs (Erasmus+): Send an email to USN Sustainability, stating your interest in the programme and your work with sustainability issues at your university.

Participants are responsible for booking their own accommodations for the duration of the meet-up in Norway, but we highly recommend the following alternatives: Grand Hotel Åsgårdstrand (https://unikegrandhotel.no/en/frontpage-en/) and Bø Hotel (https://bohotell.no/en/).

The programme in itself is free of charge. You should apply for mobility funding through ERASMUS+, to cover your travel, board and lodging costs. Please contact your ERASMUS+ coordinator at your institution. 

By airplane: The closest airport to Åsgårdsrand is Oslo-Torp Sandefjord (TRF), is located about 30 minutes (by car) to the south. Oslo- Gardermoen (OSL) is located about two hours (by car) to the north. From each of these airports, we recommend you take the train to Tønsberg Station, and further transfer to bus no 01 – Åsgårdstrand-Horten for the easiest travel (see vkt.no/english). The bus takes about 30 minutes from Tønsberg, and stops close to the hotel, at the bus stop called Åsgårdstrand Havn (Åsgårdstrand Harbour).

Tickets: Routes, times and tickets for all trains and trainlines can be found at vy.no/en or in the Vy app, which you can download from your App Store or Play Store. You can also buy tickets at ticket vending machines at the train station, or from the conductor on the train, but be aware that tickets are much more expensive if you purchase them on the train. The bus routes in Vestfold are operated by VKT (vkt.no/english). VKT has two apps, one for planning your trip and one for buying a ticket. Both can be downloaded from your App Store or Play Store. Please be aware that public transport is not as frequent on Sundays as it is on weekdays in Norway.

The transport from Åsgårdstrand to Bø will be by bus and will be arranged and paid for by the programme. Bø village is located at the foot of the Telemark mountains region, about two hours by bus from Åsgårdstrand.