The Foundation for Student Life in Oslo (SiO) promised changes after international students raised their voices against the “Two in one room”-arrangement. Halfway through the autumn semester little has been done.

FOTO: Aurora Hannisdal

Daniel Rolin, vice president of International Student Union (ISU) of the University in Oslo, says that little has been done to raise the standards of the student housing of Kringsjå, where some students live two in each room.
–In some of the rooms there still are furniture missing, and there are no Internet connection, Rolin says.
September 1st Universitas reported that some international students share rooms of 9 square meters. The “Two in one room”-project is a pilot, with the object of housing more international students. The lodgers claim that the rooms do not meet the promised standard.
Fredrik Øren Refsnes, board member of The Foundation for Student Life in Oslo (SiO), promised the students to compensate for everything still not in place, but after almost a month SiO have gone to none such measures.
Rolin himself lives in one of the double rooms at Kringsjå and is far from impressed by the way SiO has handled the situation.
–We are disappointed that it has taken so long to get a dialogue started, Rolin says.

Still working on the matter

According to SiO they are still working on giving international students what they were promised when they moved in to the two-in-a-room-rooms. It's been one and a half month since the students first forwarded a complaint against the arrangment.
–We have had a meeting together with the students, and it was decided that we should inspect the apartments, Fredrik Øren Refnes, board chairman of SiO, says.
Tom Olstad, housing director of SiO, says that the common areas have been inspected and that extra furniture has been installed. The rooms themselves have still not been inspected.
According to Øren Refnes Internet will be installed by mid-October. The students living in the two-in-a-room-rooms will also receive 600 NOK as a compensation for their troubles.

Wish to continue with the arrangement

In spite of the dissatisfaction expressed by the students, both Olstad and Øren think that the arrangement will continue.
–This has been a pilot. We will evaluate the project in November, and then decide whether or not it will be continued. We still don't know if this will be a permanent arrangement, but it is likely that it will be continued for another six months.
Øren Refnes claims that such an arrangement is necessary in order to handle the increased number of international students visiting Norway. He also says that SiO are working on alternatives, such as students living with hosts.