The red-green Election winners are promising larger grant, more student accommodation and high priority on R&D. However, national political commentators fear that Higher Education will be given low priority.

“I don’t have a bleeding clue,” political editor of the Norwegian newspaper Klassekampen Anders Horn says.

He feels that SV, a Norwegian socialist party, and Sp, a political party representing the interests of rural districts, lack transparency as regards Higher Education policy. Especially SV, who are most likely to get the Minister of Education and Research, are in doubt as to what policy they want to adopt, Horn holds.

The future government parties are promising among others improved student funding and welfare. However, several leading political commentators in the country feel the political visions concerning Higher Education are somewhat unclear.

Risk of Low Priority

“There seems to be a certain risk of low priority concerning Higher Education,” political editor of VG Olav Versto says. He points out that the election campaign has given most attention to primary schools.

“However, they have said that priority applies to all levels,” he makes clear. Versto is supported by political commentator Aslak Bonde in his view.

“It is uncertain how it is going to be. We know that SV wish to establish a ministry dealing with the interests of people growing up. Higher Education, however, will probably not be a key issue to begin with,” Bonde predicts.

Marie Simonsen, political editor of Dagbladet, is questioning how much will be left for grown-ups when primary schools have got their share.

“When in office, they will probably soon find out that they cannot afford everything,” she says.

Simonsen, Versto and Bonde all have good faith in an SV representative filling the shoes of Clemet. On the other hand, they cannot exclude a new term in office for Trond Giske representing Arbeiderpartiet (the Norwegian Labour Party).

Expecting that Promises Are Kept

“We are going to keep on reminding the Government of their election promises to the extent of boredom,” leader of Norsk Studentunion (NSU), the national union of students, Jørn Henriksen says.

Henriksen says he is expecting that the red-green parties focus equally as much on Higher Education as on primary schools, and that the government parties keep their election promises. Higher Education has, according to Henriksen, been given low priority throughout the election campaign. He feels that it is hard to tell what kind of policy a red-green government will adopt.

“We do not expect any fundamental changes but more focus on professionalism, follow-up of the Quality Reform and student welfare,” Henriksen says.

“If the politicians keep their promises, students may get an improved way of life. But there is in fact a large if.

Commentators are critical but Rolf Reikvam (SV), leader of the Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs of the Storting, guarantees that Higher Education is not second to primary schools.

“I can guarantee that this will not happen, no matter what.” Reikvam is on of the candidates for Minister of Education and Research. He is certain that Higher Education will not be a low priority with a red-green government.

“We will review the Quality Reform properly in order to see if it works according to its purpose, and we will improve Norwegian R&D,” Reikvam says.

Not Important

Vidar Bjørnstad (Arbeiderpartiet), member of the Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs, admits that Higher Education has not been important during the election campaign. Nevertheless, he does not fear that the policy on Education will be neglected in the government to come.

“The Minister of Education and Research is an important office, and we aspire to keep our promises. During the next four years, it will also be important to carry out existing projects, which enjoy broad political consensus, such as the Quality Reform and the White Paper on Research,” Bjørnstad says.

He guarantees that Arbeiderpartiet will aim to improve student welfare and accommodation.