International Office
We are responsible for coordinating agreements and programmes on international cooperation as well as counselling students, staff, administrative personnel and faculties. Stord/Haugesund University College has decided on a Strategic Plan for internationalisation which aims at strengthening the field of international cooperation.
The study programmes and courses will be given a stronger international emphasis and character, and conditions will be made favourable so that students, staff and administrative personnel alike can have international experiences through exchange periods as well as through teaching and research co-operation.
The International Office cooperates closely with the faculties and their international coordinators.
Staff:
- Head of International Affairs: Johnny Velde Jensen
- International Office e-mail: international.office@hsh.no
- International coordinator Haugesund: Torunn S. Kittelsen
- International coordinator Stord: Alf H. Aronsen
- Diploma supplement
- Practical information for incoming students, Stord Campus (pdf)
- Practical information for incoming students, Haugesund Campus (pdf)
- The ECTS system
- Guide to ECTS catalogue
- Student user guide for ICT services (pdf)
- Incoming students experience at Stord /Haugesund UC
- The International Partners of Stord/Haugesund UC
- Regional Map
Diploma Supplement
All graduates of Stord Haugesund University College will automatically and free of charge receive a diploma, a transcript of records and a diploma supplement. The diploma supplement will be issued in English and is only valid when present with the diploma itself.
The intention of the diploma supplement is to give information about the study programme and degree and thus create greater transparency for international purposes.
For further information on the history, goals and implementation of the diploma supplement in Norway, please see the webpages for The Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (www.nokut.no)
View sample Diploma Supplement (PDF)
The ECTS system
What is ECTS?
ECTS stands for «European Credit Transfer System».
ECTS is currently in use at Stord Haugesund University College forming part of the ERASMUS Programme (European Community Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students). The European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) was initially established under the Erasmus programme (1988-1995) and has been tested over a period of 6 years in a pilot scheme involving 145 higher education institutions in all EU Member States and EEA countries, operating in five subject areas: Business Administration, Chemistry, History, Mechanical Engineering and Medicine (the so-called "inner circle" institutions). You will find Stord Haugesund University College ECTS course offerings and descriptions listed under the the link «Information on the study programme».
It has been developed by the Commission of the European Communities to provide common procedures to guarantee academic recognition of studies abroad. It provides a way of measuring and comparing learning achievements, and transferring them from one institution to another. One of the main aims is the promotion of academic recognition throughout the European Community -- between an EU Member State and any country belonging to the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) - in order to allow students to follow part of their study programme abroad.
ECTS is a decentralised system based upon the principle of mutual trust and confidence between the participating higher education institutions. The few rules of ECTS, concerning Information, (on courses available), Agreement, (between the home and host institutions) and the Use of Credit Points (to indicate student workload) are set out to reinforce this mutual trust and confidence. Each ECTS department will describe the courses it offers not only in terms of content but also in terms of credits for each course.
What are ECTS CREDITS?
ECTS is a credit system based on student workload. ECTS credits are a numerical value (between 1 and 60) allocated to course units to describe the student workload required to complete them. They reflect the quantity of work each course unit requires in relation to the total quantity of work necessary to complete a full year of academic study at the institution, that is, lectures, practical work, seminars, tutorials, fieldwork, private study - in the library or at home - and examinations or other assessment activities. ECTS is thus based on a full student workload and not limited to contact hours only.
ECTS credits are a relative rather than an absolute measure of student workload. Student workload involves lectures, practical work, papers and self-study. It includes all work needed to prepare for an examination or other assessments. They only specify how much of a year’s workload a course unit represents at the institution or department allocating the credits.
The basic allocation of academic credits is 60 ECTS credits per year of study, normally 30 ECTS credits per semester or 20 ECTS credits per trimester/term. It is important to note that no special courses will be set for ECTS purposes, but that all courses are mainstream courses of the participating institutions, as followed by home students under normal regulations.
ECTS credits ensure that the programme will be reasonable in terms of workload for the period of study abroad.
It is up to the participating institutions to subdivide the credits for the individual courses. Practical placements and optional courses which form an integral part of the course of study also receive academic credit. Practical placements and optional courses which do not form an integral part of the course of study do not receive academic credit. Non-credit courses may, however, be listed in the transcript of records.
Credits are awarded only when the course has been completed and all required examinations have been successfully taken.
What is the Diploma Supplement (DS)?
The European Diploma Supplement is a pilot project developed by the European Commission, the Council of Europe and UNESCO-CEPES to promote transparency and recognition of qualifications for academic and professional purposes.
All graduates from Stord Haugesund University College will automatically and free of charge receive a Diploma, a Transcript of Records and a Diploma Supplement. The Diploma Supplement will be issued in English and is only valid when presented together with the Diploma. The intention of the Diploma Supplement is to give information about the study programme and degree and thus create greater transparency for international purposes.
ECTS students
The students participating in ECTS-based student exchange will receive full credit for all academic work successfully carried out at any of the ECTS partner institutions and they will be able to transfer these academic credits from one participating institution to another on the basis of prior agreement on the content of study programmes abroad between students and the institutions involved.
All of the students of the participating faculties who are willing to take part may do so if their institution agrees.
Most students participating in ECTS will go to one single host institution in one single EU Member State or EEA country, study there for a limited period and then return to their home institution. Some may decide to stay at the host institution, possibly to finish their degree there. Some may also decide to proceed to a third institution to continue their studies. In each of these three cases, students will be required to comply with the legal and institutional requirements of the country and institution where they take their degree.
When the student returns and has successfully completed the study programme previously agreed between the home and the host institutions, credit transfer will then take place, and the student will continue the study course at the home institution without any loss of time or credit. If, on the other hand, the student decides to stay at the host institution and to take his/her degree there, he/she may have to adapt his/her study course due to the legal, institutional and faculty rules in the host country, institution and faculty.
Students selected by each institution to participate in ECTS may only be awarded a student mobility grant if they fulfil the general conditions of eligibility for the ERASMUS grant. These are:
- students must be citizens of one of the EU Member States or citizens of one of the EFTA countries (or recognised by one Member State or one EFTA country as having an official status of refugee or stateless person or permanent resident); as to EFTA nationals, students will be eligible provided they are moving within the framework of ERASMUS from the respective EFTA home country to an EU Member State. EFTA nationals registered as students in ECTS participating institutions in other EFTA countries or in Community Member States are only eligible for participation in ECTS if they have established the right of permanent residence,
- students shall not be required to pay tuition fees at the host institution; the student may however be required to continue to pay his/her normal tuition fee to the home university during the study period abroad,
- the national grant/loan to which a student may be entitled for study at his/her university should not be discontinued, interrupted or reduced while that student is studying in another Member State and is receiving an ERASMUS grant,
- one study period abroad should not last less than three months or more than one year,
- students in the first year of their studies are not eligible for receiving ERASMUS grants.
Higher Education in Norway
All higher education in Norway is subject to Act of 1 April 2005 relating to Universities and Colleges. Public higher education institutions include six universities, six specialised university institutions, 24 state university colleges and two national university colleges of the arts. These institutions carry out research and offer courses leading to academic degrees. The degrees, professional qualifications, regulated titles awarded by the institutions and specification of the length of each degree course are all laid down in a Royal Decree of 11 October 2002.
Degrees and qualifications
The Bachelor’s degree is awarded by all the state universities, specialized university institutions, university colleges and a good number of the other higher education institutions, both private and public. It is obtained after three years of study. The national university colleges of the arts offer a Bachelor’s degree of four years’ duration.
In a few cases the Norwegian "Høgskolekandidat" degree may in som fields still be obtained after two years of study. This degree may be built upon to obtain a Bachelor's degree. The degree is offered at state university colleges and a few private institutions.
The Master’s degree is awarded by the state universities and specialised university institutions, several university colleges and some private institutions. The degree is obtained after 1 ½ -2 years of study. An important part of this degree is independent research work between 30-60 “studiepoeng”/ECTS credits.
For internationalisation purposes, some Master’s degree courses with instruction in English have been introduced at state universities and university colleges, and at some private institutions.
Various professional qualifications are awarded by all the state higher education institutions and a number of the private higher education institutions. These programmes/degrees are of four to six years’ duration and cover both regulated and non-regulated professions.
The Doctoral degree Philosophiae Doctor (PhD) is awarded after three years of study following completion of a Master’s degree or a professional degree/programme. Doctoral programmes, which are essentially research programmes, are offered by all university-level institutions, some state university colleges and a few private institutions.
Credit system and grading
The academic year normally runs from mid-August to mid-June and lasts for 10 months. Courses are measured in study points/ “studiepoeng” according to the ECTS standard (European Credit Transfer System credits). The full-time workload for one academic year is 60 “studiepoeng”/ECTS credits.
Grades for undergraduate and (post)graduate examinations are awarded according to a graded scale from A (highest) to F (lowest), with E as the minimum pass grade. A pass/no pass mark is given for some examinations.
University Colleges
Since 1996 the 24 state colleges are subject to the same authority as universities and university colleges in Norway. These colleges, which offer university level education, form the Norwegian Council of Colleges.
One of the main reasons for establishing state colleges in towns and villages in every county in Norway has been the intended role of the colleges in regional development, and in the government’s general policy of reducing resource inequalities among regions and promoting decentralisation. Thus, the colleges have been expected to stimulate and make significant contributions to the economic, social and political development of Norway's regions. Today the number of full-time students enrolled in the state college system is comparable to the total enrolment of university students in Norway.
The Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education, NOKUT, was established by the Storting in 2002 and commenced its activities on 1 January 2003. NOKUT www.nokut.no is an independent government body.
Through evaluation, accreditation and recognition of quality systems, institutions and course provisions, the purpose of NOKUT is to supervise and help to develop the quality of higher education in Norway.
In addition, individual applications for general recognition of foreign qualifications are considered.
As the Norwegian ENIC-NARIC center we are also responsible for providing foreign institutions and partners with information on the Norwegian educational system and the system for recognition of foreign higher education qualifications.
More information on higher education in Norway: www.uhr.no/index.htm.
More information on studying in Norway: www.studyinnorway.no.
Guide to the home site «IN ENGLISH»
The links contains information which is valid for this academic year.
It offers information in the following main sections:
- International Office
- ECTS information Package /guide:
- Information on the Institution
- Information on the study programmes (course catalogue)
- General information for international students
- Courses thought in English
The information is based on the framework set by the guidelines for the ECTS Information Package/course Calalouge.
The information on the institution is intended to give a quick overview of Stord/Haugesund University College, including contact addresses, academic calendar, authorities and administrative procedures and regulations.
The course catalogue contains comments on the study programmes as a whole.
Study programme descriptions contain an overview of all courses (modules) which make up the programme.
All students within a normal study plan will find this type of overview for their class. The course descriptions are also indexed by course title or course code.
Stord/Haugesund University College reserves the right to adjust the courses offered during the course of the academic year and is not responsible for typing errors or printing mistakes. If and when such occur, they will be published by the faculty involved.
Course descriptions:
The course descriptions contain information about the number of credits (based on student workload), prerequisites, objective, course contents, year of study, mode and language of instruction, evaluation methods etc.
Course literature is not usually listed in the course descriptions. This information is given at the beginning of the semester or is available on request.
It should be noted that all credits used in the course descriptions and course diagrams are ECTS credits allocated in accordance with the ECTS guidelines.
Where a prerequisite is listed, this is defined as a passed exam in the courses listed as prerequisites.
Recommended previous knowledge means that the course builds on material given in the prerequisites or general descriptions of knowledge or competencies, but passed exams are not required. In general, it is assumed that students will follow the progression of the study programme even though this is not specified in every individual course description.
Sections about evaluation methods contain information both about examination requirements, i.e. requirements to be met in order to take the exam, and the type of evaluation on which the grade will be based.
Examination requirements are usually various types of student work within the relevant course.
The International Partners of Stord/Haugesund University College
Stord/Haugesund University College takes part in several student exchange programmes (such as NORDPLUS, ERASMUS etc.). SHUC has also established several bilateral exchange agreements with universities and colleges in both European and non European countries. If your home institution has an agreement with Stord/Haugesund University College, you are welcome to apply as an exchange student.Application as an exchange student must be submitted to the International Office of your home institution. For relevant deadlines refer to home institution international coordinators.
ERASMUS/SOCRATES:
ERASMUS is a European Union programme for higher education/student exchange. EU and EEA students may apply for financial support through their home university for a period of study of 3 – 12 months. The ERASMUS programme ensures that selected students receive full recognition for this period of study as an integral part of their degree course at their home university.
Students are eligible for admission to Stord/Haugesund University College if their home institution is a partner of Stord/Haugesund University College. In addition a small number of students may be granted freemover status, allowing students from ERASMUS institutions to be exchanged even though the home and host institution do not have an ERASMUS /SOCRATES exchange agreement in the subject area in question.
Prospective ERASMUS students apply through their university which, in co-operation with Stord/Haugesund University College will, be responsible for the academic and administrative aspects of the application process and prospective period of study at SHUC. Information about SHUC`s ERASMUS/SOCRATES partnerships is available at the home institution of each partnership (generally at their international office) or from the international office at SHUC. Since the cost of living in Norway is relatively high and the ERASMUS grants are rather low, it is advised that one carefully plans the financial aspects of the stay in Norway.
As an ERASMUS/NORDPLUS student you are automatically exempted from some of the conditions which apply to other students. For example, you will not be required to take the preliminary examinations which certain departments demand of their students, nor Examen Philosophicum/Examen Facultatum, which is required of all students taking a regular Norwegian degree, nor fulfil the formal language requirements in Norwegian and English.
NORDPLUS:
NORDPLUS is the Nordic Council of Ministers programme to increase mobility of university students and teachers between Nordic institutions of higher education. The programme is organised in academic networks by subject areas between institutions in Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Denmark (including Greenland and the Faroe Islands) and Norway. The international office of any Nordic institution of higher education can supply further information about NORDPLUS. All applications from NORDPLUS students to SHUC must be sent through the home institution. The application procedure also includes applying for the NORDPLUS-scholarship. The application must be sent through the home institution to the co-ordinating institution of the relevant network.
As an ERASMUS/NORDPLUS student you are automatically exempted from some of the conditions which apply to other students. For example, you will not be required to take the preliminary examinations which certain departments demand of their students, nor Examen Philosophicum/Examen Facultatum, which is required of all students taking a regular Norwegian degree, nor fulfill the formal language requirements in Norwegian and English.
The International Partners of Stord/Haugesund UC
Here is a listing of educational institutions that HSH cooperates with:
Regional map
Click image to enlarge!