Norway
Universities and university colleges are regulated by the same law in Norway, although with regard to academic autonomy some specificities apply to university colleges. The present profile focuses on Norwegian universities.
Recent developments:
- Change in law to favour appointment rather than election of executive head
- Ongoing system reconfiguration through major merger processes
Organisational autonomy: medium high
The appointment of the executive head does not require external confirmation. Selection criteria are not stated in law. The procedure for the dismissal of the executive head, as well as the length of their term of office, are stated in law. The external members of the university governing body are appointed by an external authority. Universities can decide on internal academic structures and can create legal entities.
Financial autonomy: medium low
Norwegian universities receive public funding on a yearly basis. They can keep any surplus generated up to a maximum percentage and are not allowed to borrow money. Some universities own their buildings, but the approval of an external authority is necessary to sell any historical buildings. Public universities may not charge tuition fees for students, whether from Norway or from abroad.
Academic autonomy: high
Universities decide on the overall student intake and on admission criteria. Universities may freely open and terminate programmes and must undergo institutional accreditation via the national agency for quality assurance. Universities decide on the language of instruction and may freely design the content of their academic programmes.
Staffing autonomy: medium high
Universities recruit senior academic and administrative staff autonomously. Salary bands for senior academic staff are negotiated with other parties, while universities can decide on salaries for senior administrative staff. Dismissals of staff are strictly regulated due to civil service status. In relation to promotions for senior academic staff, the law states who must be included in the selection committee, while universities can decide upon promotion procedures for administrative staff.
Organisational weighted 78% unweighted 77%
100% Selection procedure for the executive head
The selection of the executive head is not validated by an external authority
100% Selection criteria for the executive head
The selection criteria for the executive head are not stated in the law
This applies to 9 other countries: Austria, Wallonia, Iceland, Ireland, The Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
80% Dismissal of the executive head
Other restrictions
0% Term of office of the executive head
The exact length is stated in the law
57% External members in university governing bodies
Universities cannot decide as they must include external members
This applies to 23 other countries: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
External members are proposed by the university and appointed by an external authority
100% Capacity to decide on academic structures
Universities can decide on their academic structures without constraints
This applies to 19 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Capacity to create legal entities
Universities can create legal entities without constraints
This applies to 18 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Serbia, Spain, United Kingdom
Financial weighted 42% unweighted 29%
60% Length of public funding cycle
One year
100% Type of public funding
Block grant and there are no restrictions on the allocation of funding
This applies to 15 other countries: Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Hesse, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom
0% Ability to borrow money
Universities cannot borrow money
This applies to 5 other countries: Hesse, Hungary, Portugal, Serbia, Switzerland
80% Ability to keep surplus
Surplus can be kept up to a maximum percentage
This does not apply to any other country.
80% Ability to own buildings
Universities can sell their buildings with the approval of an external authority
This applies to 5 other countries: Croatia, Iceland, Luxembourg, Slovenia, Switzerland
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Bachelor level
There are no tuition fees
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Master's level
There are no tuition fees
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at doctoral level
There are no tuition fees
This applies to 10 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden
0% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Bachelor level
There are no tuition fees
This applies to 3 other countries: Brandenburg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia,
0% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Master's level
There are no tuition fees
This applies to 3 other countries: Brandenburg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia,
0% Tuition fees for non-EU students at doctoral level
There are no tuition fees
This applies to 6 other countries: Brandenburg, Denmark, Finland, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Sweden
Staffing weighted 63% unweighted 62%
100% Recruitment procedures for senior academic staff
Recruitments are carried out freely by universities
This applies to 17 other countries: Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Hesse, Iceland, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Recruitment procedures for senior administrative staff
Recruitments are carried out freely by universities
This applies to 20 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
58% Salaries for senior academic staff
Salary bands are negotiated with other parties
This applies to 5 other countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, The Netherlands, United Kingdom
Other restrictions
67% Salaries for senior administrative staff
Salary bands are negotiated with other parties
This applies to 6 other countries: Brandenburg, Finland, Hesse, Iceland, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia,
0% Dismissal of senior academic staff
Dismissals are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for all staff
0% Dismissal of senior administrative staff
Dismissals are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for all staff
71% Promotion procedures for senior academic staff
The law states who has to be included in the selection committee
100% Promotion procedures for senior administrative staff
Universities can freely decide on promotion procedures
This applies to 13 other countries: Austria, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
Academic weighted 83% unweighted 87%
80% Overall student numbers
Universities decide independently on the number of study places
This applies to 6 other countries: Estonia, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Sweden, United Kingdom
60% Admissions procedures at Bachelor level
Admission criteria are co-regulated by an external authority and universities
This applies to 11 other countries: Brandenburg, Croatia, Denmark, Hesse, Latvia, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Portugal, Serbia, Spain, Sweden
100% Admissions procedures at Master's level
Admission criteria are set by the university
This applies to 18 other countries: Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, France, Hesse, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom
100% Introduction of programmes at Bachelor level
Universities can open degree programmes without prior accreditation
This applies to 7 other countries: Austria, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Introduction of programmes at Master's level
Universities can open degree programmes without prior accreditation
This applies to 7 other countries: Austria, Ireland, Luxembourg, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Introduction of programmes at doctoral level
Universities can open degree programmes without prior accreditation
This applies to 12 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Flanders, Hesse, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Termination of degree programmes
Universities can terminate degree programmes independently
This applies to 25 other countries: Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Language of instruction at Bachelor level
Universities can choose the language of instruction for all programmes
This applies to 19 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hesse, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Language of instruction at Master's level
Universities can choose the language of instruction for all programmes
This applies to 20 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Selection of quality assurance mechanisms
Universities cannot select quality assurance mechanisms
0% Selection of quality assurance providers
Universities cannot choose the quality assurance agency
100% Capacity to design content of degree programmes
Universities can freely design the content of degree programmes and courses (other than for the regulated professions)
This applies to 25 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom