During the day we found ourselves trying to answer all kinds of questions ranging from "which is the best school for studying the history of fine arts" to "how would you define the importance of the service sector in the current Norwegian economy". Mostly though, the students were wondering about the costs of attending higher education in Norway and the opportunities for doing degrees in business, international law, engineering, renewable energy development and IT. It came as a positive surprise to most of the students (and their parents!) that degrees in public universities in Norway are free, also for foreign students.
From left: Celia H. Thorheim (Royal Norwegian Embassy), Bengt Ramberg (BI), Ellen Skarsgaard (Royal Norwegian Embassy), Nina Moxnes (NTNU), Stine Vethe (NTNU/NUS) and a Singaporean student who was interested in learning more about Norway. Photo: RNE SingaporeThe number of Singaporean students at Norwegian universities has risen substantially over the last five years, from 83 in 2005 to 234 in 2009. This in fact makes Norway one of the most popular countries in Europe as far as Singaporean students are concerned. Most go to Norway on exchange programs from their home universities, but more and more are undertaking full degrees in Norway.
Norway is considered an exotic travel destination and therefore appeals to those who want to add a unique experience to their resumes. Also, Norwegian universities are particularly strong in the fields of engineering, energy technology development and shipping, and this was reflected in the interests of the many students who ventured over to the Norway stand at the fair.
For more information about opportunities for Singaporean students at Norwegian universities, visit the Study in Norway website.