The University of South-Eastern Norway (USN) is receiving support from the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku) for five major projects. The support is being funnelled through one of their largest programmes: UTFORSK (diku.no).
More about the five projects
Health education in India and Norway: improving learning outcomes through student exchange, teacher involvement and virtual mobility (HEIN)
Further reading: usn.no/hein
About the project: HEIN will enable students at Bachelor’s, Master’s and doctorate levels to improve their learning outcomes through international cooperation between the partner institutions.
HEIN will facilitate international student exchanges between India and Norway.
Students who are unable to travel can work by means of virtual mobility. Extensive involvement by the teaching staff will ensure high quality and relevance for students.
HEIN is an important contribution to the internationalisation work at the Department of Nursing and Health Sciences at USN. Students in nursing, health science and midwifery, as well as doctoral fellows, can go on an exchange to India, and Indian students and staff can come to USN.
Project coordinator: Elisabeth Holm Hansen
Project period: 08/2021 - 07/2025
Allocation from Diku through UTFORSK: NOK 3 000 000
Partners:
• Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), India
• Bharati Vidyapeeth College of Nursin (BVCON), India
Social Justice and Culture. Sustainable Social Welfare in Neoliberal Times (SOJUCU)
Further reading: usn.no/sojucu
About the project: This project will develop a new comparative understanding of Indian and Norwegian welfare in a historical and cultural perspective. The welfare state is under pressure. In both Norway and India, increasing social, economic and health inequalities are leading to unrest and conflict.
Through research-based education and student mobility, as well as collaboration with external partners in the field, the project will develop new comparative understandings and knowledge of welfare and social justice in a neoliberal era.
A key goal is the development of a joint course at Master’s and doctorate level for students at USN and Savitribai Phule Pune University in India.
Project coordinator: Kjersti Røsvik
Allocation from Diku through UTFORSK: NOK 3 000 000
Project period: 08/2021 - 07/2025
Partners:
• Department of Sociology, Savitribai Puhle Pune University
• Norges Røde Kors, Telemark
• IN-Support for Advocacy and Training to Health Initiatives (Center of ANUSANDHAN TRUST – IN-SATHI)
Social Work in a Global World: Opportunities for Innovation (SoWGloW)
Further reading: usn.no/sowglow
About the project: This project will create an English-language course worth 15 ECTS credits in health and social sciences. The course will address areas such as international comparative views on the welfare state, critical thinking and social entrepreneurship.
The new course will consist of three to four modules, all of which will contain a number of digital learning resources. The learning resources will be used in USN’s Bachelor’s programmes in social education and child welfare. The modules are linked to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and will be offered to our international partners.
Project coordinator: Steinar Vikholt
Allocation from Diku through UTFORSK: NOK 3 000 000
Project period: 08/2021 - 07/2025
Partners:
• California State University, Dominguez Hills (US)
• Kirkens Bymisjon Porsgrunn
• Porsgrunn kommune
Further reading: usn.no/niwasm
About the project: This project is aimed at introducing students to the very latest molecular methods that can be used in soil and water health. In addition, students and participants will be able to apply knowledge about agricultural practices in Norway and India.
The project includes student exchanges, work placements in companies/voluntary organisations, summer schools, online seminars and the development of education modules that will be integrated with new and existing studies at both universities.
Project coordinator: Mona Sæbø
Allocation from Diku through UTFORSK: NOK 3 000 000
Project period: 08/2021-07/2025
Partners:
• Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU)
• Standard Bio AS
• Evju Bygdetun
• BAIF
• Watershed Organization Trust
Further reading: usn.no/teachin
About the project: This project will contribute to higher quality and greater relevance in teacher education for sustainable futures through internationalisation and interdisciplinary collaboration at USN and SPPU.
We will develop and implement two credit-bearing online courses with a focus on SDG 4 and global citizenship. Through the work, students and teacher education staff will explore different perspectives on teaching and learning for sustainable futures.
An online seminar and workshop will be held to exchange knowledge and develop learning materials for student teachers and teacher education staff. Both universities will involve their affiliated partner schools in order to build bridges between teacher education and the schools.
Collaborative interdisciplinary research will focus on content and teaching methods for sustainable futures that are relevant to teacher education and schools in both countries and elsewhere.
Project coordinator: Åsmund Aamaas
Allocation from Diku through UTFORSK: NOK 3 000 000
Project period: 08/2021-07/2025
Partner: Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU)
Prosjektkoordinator:
Tildeling fra Diku gjennom UTFORSK: 3 000.000 kroner
Prosjektperiode: 08/2021-07/2025
Partner: Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU)
UTFORSK is a key tool in the Panorama strategy (regjeringen.no), which represents the Norwegian Government’s plan to expand the cooperation on research, higher education and innovation with Brazil, Canada, India, Japan, China, Russia, South Africa, South Korea and the United States.
Just over NOK 100 million has been allocated this year through UTFORSK, and USN is one of the institutions that has received most funding. In total, USN will receive NOK 15 million spread over five projects. The only institution that won funding for more projects was NTNU.
Equipping students for working abroad
‘Working with institutions outside Europe is challenging, but still very rewarding and educational – not least for the students who are involved. We prepared the groundwork for this well and are now enjoying solid growth. We are pleased that USN is so prominent in the Norwegian educational cooperation outside Europe,’ says Vice-rector for Research, Innovation and Internationalisation at USN, Heidi Ormstad (usn.no).
Increased internationalisation in both education and research is a key goal for the University of South-Eastern Norway (USN).
‘Our students will gain international experience during their studies that will give them a good grounding for a career abroad. The new UTFORSK projects open up the opportunities to take part in exchanges and other international initiatives, making them even more attractive for students,’ says Ormstad.
The five projects will lead to improved learning outcomes and facilitate high-quality and relevant student and staff exchanges. The projects involve classic and innovative exchanges, but also facilitate virtual and mixed mobility.
The projects also provide opportunities for international research collaborations for Master’s students and doctoral fellows, and will strengthen USN’s partnerships with business and industry.
Looking to India
India has emerged as the main partner country for most of this year’s UTFORSK projects, and this also applies to USN:
Four out of the five UTFORSK projects at USN are being carried out in collaboration with the Indian Savitribai Phule Pune University, with which USN has a long-standing, strategic collaboration.
California State University in the United States is the main partner in the fifth project.
SEE ALSO: USN has opened a partner centre in India
