Refugees and asylum seekers in Norway

What can the university do?

The refugee crisis in Europe is a challenge for the individual refugee as well as the societies she or he arrive in. Academia may contribute to solve some of these challenges. Our staff has knowledge and experience that may give understanding of the background for the crisis, aid the government and help refugees to create new lives in Norway.

In 2015, therefore, the University of Oslo made a call for an academic dugnad - an extraordinary effort to welcome refugees and asylum seekers into our society. Working together with other universities and university colleges, as well as municipalities and other relevant organisations and offices, we aimed to remove barriers for the integration of refugees with a focus on students and scholars. The "Academic Dugnad" project ended in 2017, but many of the project initiatives continues in a different form.

Academic practice

The University of Oslo and the Municipality of Oslo developed an internship scheme for refugees with an academic background, called Academic Practice. The scheme is currently under review, and no applications will be received in 2018.

Academic Network

Refugees and asylum seekers got to know local students to from a similar academic background to begin building networks in Norway.

Events (in Norwegian)

"På flukt" – open lectures: Through the lecture and discussion series "On the run" researchers at the University of Oslo goes behind the news and invite to knowledge and dialogue about the important social challenge we face right now - the refugee situation.

Dugnad elsewhere

EUA - the European University Association - calls upon policy makers and higher education institutions in Europe to enable refugee students to gain access to higher education.
UHR will participate in the academic effort.
Science4refugees - Join EU initiative to help scientists fleeing.

What is a dugnad?

Dugnad derives from the Old Norse ”dugnad”, meaning help, good deed. It describes a group of people doing voluntary work together for a common good, as an extraordinary effort to create something of lasting value. The dugnad spirit is considered an important part of Norwegian culture.