Norway giving NOK 1 billion to developing countries for higher education and research

Challenges in developing countries should be addressed where they arise, by local experts. Therefore, the Norwegian government increases its support to the NORHED partnership, which aims to enhance the quality of higher education in poor countries. The goal is to give more young people in developing countries a job-relevant higher education that benefits society.

“Local experts and researchers play a key role in the efforts needed to achieve sustainable development goals. Through partnerships between higher education institutions in Norway and developing countries, we contribute to the generation of knowledge and local expertise for sustainable development in our partner countries,” says Dag-Inge Ulstein, Norway’s Minister of International Development.

Norway is therefore now giving more than NOK 1 billion to developing countries for higher education and research. The money will be distributed over the next six years through the NORHED II programme, which is managed by Norad.

“By helping to improve the quality of higher education in developing countries and working together to strengthen their academic institutions, we make a key contribution to the development of society and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” says Bård Vegar Solhjell, Director General, Norad.

Through the NORHED programme, a network of researchers and higher education institutions has been built up in a number of developing countries. These work in partnership with Norwegian researchers and universities according to a so-called ‘North-South-South model’.

The NORHED II programme is organised in six thematic sub-programs, reflecting Norwegian development priorities and the global goals. The six areas are 1) education and teacher training, 2) health, 3) climate change and natural resources, 4) political and economic governance, 5) humanities and social sciences and 6) energy.

NORHED II will give priority to countries identified as partner countries in Norway’s development policy; Colombia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Indonesia, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Palestine, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.

Original source: Norad
Published on 11 March 2020