University of Agder

The University of Agder (UiA, Norwegian: Universitetet i Agder), previously Agder University College, has 8500 students and 900 members of faculty and staff. UiA is one of the larger institutions for higher education in Norway.

Agder University College was instituted in 1994 after 6 colleges in Kristiansand, Grimstad and Arendal merged. The university college became Norway's 7th university on September 1, 2007, after the government had granted it status as a university on August 10, 2007.

As of today, the university is split between three campuses; Arendal, Grimstad and Kristiansand, with the latter being the largest.

Its web site in English is at http://www.uia.no/en

The University of Agder has five faculties, with the teacher training programmes organized interdisiplinarily. Currently the university offers 175 study programmes, including 20 Master programmes and 7 PhD programmes, in a wide variety of subjects, such as business administration, social sciences, language, culture and litterature, engineering, music and health related courses, as well as several other study programmes. All engineering programmes are currently located in Grimstad, nursing and healthcare programmes are taught both in Arendal and Kristiansand. The remainder of the programmes and courses are taught in Kristiansand. The university is involved in significant international cooperation, and has signed agreements with 170 universities on student and teacher exchange in all parts of the world. The university closely collaborates with business, the public sector and NGOs in the Agder-region. UiA contributes considerably to the economic, social and cultural development of the region.

UiA has a shared leadership. The rector is elected by the students and members of staff and faculty. She is the head of the university board, and is responsible for the academic programmes and activities. The university director is the head of administration, and is responsible for all economic and administrativ affairs.

Agder University College was from the establishment of the college situated in 8 different places in Kristiansand, Grimstad and Arendal, causing inconvenience to both students and staff. In 2001 the activities in Kristiansand were concentrated in new buildings erected on the former Gimlemoen military camp, with the exception of the former music conservatory which is still housed in the centre of Kristiansand. By 2010 also this part of the university will be located on the Gimlemoen campus. In 2005 the university board decided to merge the campuses in Arendal and Grimstad, and to locate the new campus in Grimstad, effective from 2010. The university will thus have two campuses, Campus Kristiansand (approx 6.000 students) and Campus Grimstad (approx 2.500 students) in 2010.

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