No public funds for private universities, report recommends

Unaccredited private higher education institutions in Norway should stop receiving government funding, a report has recommended.

Higher education institutions should be accredited as such in order to be eligible for government funding, the report, published on 2 June, said. This means that unaccredited institutions with accredited course programmes should no longer receive public funds.

The report was conducted by a five-member expert group, led by Liv Reidun Grimstvedt, the rector of Stord/Haugesund University College. It recommended that a five-year transitional period be implemented to help institutions adjust to the changes.