Row over higher education funding intensifies

Norway’s parties struggle with proposal to fund universities according to graduates’ workplace success

Norway’s higher education institutions and political parties are embroiled in an increasingly fierce debate about a proposed new funding system for universities.

An opposition party alliance has called for a financial system that would award basic funding for universities according to the number of graduates who find employment soon after their education is completed. The alliance is made up of the centre-left Labour Party, the populist Centre Party and the right-wing libertarian Progress Party.