University of Inland Norway
On the 8th of November, 2024, the King in Council approved our university application. Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences is now officially the University of Inland Norway (INN).
What does university status mean for INN?
- Our sector is becoming increasingly international, with growing competition among institutions for collaborative projects, research funding, and recruitment of staff and students.
- University status will make it clearer that we are an institution with high quality in both teaching and research, and this will make us more attractive as both an institution and a partner for collaboration.
- This will be important for the Innlandet region. University status brings significant ripple effects and opportunities for cooperation with businesses and the workforce.
- We believe it will contribute to inspiring and enhancing our academic activity and build internal pride.
A message from the rector
Rector Peer Jacob Svenkerud believes that INN's university status will further develop high-quality research environments and strenghten us as a collaborative partner in the international sphere of education and research.
The university process in Norway
- In order to become a university, a higher education institution must meet certain set requirements for education and research. In many countries, being a 'university of applied sciences' is not synonymous with conducting own research and being part of shaping academic fields. Therefore, achieving university status is important in order to demonstrate the research quality at INN internationally.
- NOKUT (the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education) is an independent expert body under the Ministry of Education and Research that is responsible for assessing higher education institutions. In June, the committee cocluded that INN meets the requirements to become a university. In September, the board decided that university status shall be granted.
- The King in Council is the governing body with mandate to officially establish new universities. The Council's approval, with immediate effect, took place on the 8th of November, 2024.
- INN is the 11th institution in Norway to achieve university status. Moreover, our university application has been assessed and approved through more stringent criteria than both the current standard and the temporary arrangement that was in place when most of the other recent universities achieved their statuses.
- Our new name and logo will be used on different surfaces and formats from 28 November – the day of our official university celebration and launch.
News from the university process
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Celebrated university status Nov. 29, 2024 9:08 AM
Becoming the University of Inland Norway was marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, confetti, and around 700 festive dinner guests on Thursday evening.
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New profile and new name from 28 November Nov. 13, 2024 9:06 AM
Although we are now formally a university, for practical reasons we will continue to refer to ourselves as Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences until 28th November.
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Three ministers attended the celebration of university status Nov. 13, 2024 8:40 AM
The ministers first met in the Council to establish the University of Inland Norway. Then, no fewer than three ministers travelled to Hamar campus to celebrate the historic day together with students and staff at Norway's 11th university.
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We are now the University of Inland Norway Nov. 8, 2024 11:35 AM
Our university application was evaluated in the Council today. The King said yes!
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NOKUT says yes to university status! Sep. 12, 2024 11:31 AM
The NOKUT board has agreed that Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences can become a university. Now, only a formal decision from the King in Council remains.
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Meets the requirements to become a university June 19, 2024 1:25 PM
Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences meets the requirements for university status, concludes the expert committee that has evaluated INN's university application.
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Contact us
- peer.svenkerud@inn.no
- Phone
- +47 62 43 04 06