Norwegian University of Life Sciences

NMBU's  research is enabling people all over the world to tackle the big, global challenges regarding the environment, sustainable development, how to improve human and animal health, renewable energy sources, food production, and land- and resource management.

Established in 1859 as the Norwegian Agricultural Postgraduate College, it became a scientific university college (vitenskapelig høgskole) in 1897 and received university status in 2005. Prior to 2005 it was known as the Norwegian College of Agriculture (Norges landbrukshøgskole, NLH). Only a few years later, in 2014 the university merged with the Norwegian School of Veterinary Science (NVH) in Oslo, and is today known as the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Having a history since 1859, it is the second oldest institution of higher education in Norway, after the University of Oslo. It is also the only educational institution in Norway to provide veterinary education.

Student Housing

The Pentagon, a building south of the NMBU campus, houses students. Other students live in private housing.

Organizations

University Foundation for Student Life in Ås (SiÅs) The University Foundation for Student Life in Ås was established in 1955 under and in pursuance of the Act of 28.06.96 of Student unions. SiÅs shall:

• provide the students with good and reasonable welfare offers
• promote the students’ interests
• contribute do that NMBU becomes and attractive place to study and work

SiÅs is in charge of the student accommodations, sports center, bookstore, print shop, restaurant and cafeterias, nursery, kiosk and booking of meeting and function rooms.

Studensamfunnet in Ås The NMBU student community consists of 60-70 clubs and societies that both alone and together offer most students unique and social activities with many challenges. Studentsamfunnet in Ås is the oldest and most powerful society that owns most of the buildings that bring most of the social activities together.

The Student Board The Student Board (NSO Ås) deals with everything that concerns student democracy, including daily contact with SiÅs and contact with the different student representatives in various boards, assemblies and committees. The Student Board is the administrative head of the Student Parliament, but it is the Student Parliament that controls the Student Board. The Student Committee consists of elected representatives from each department plus elected members of the Student Board. The highest body in the student democracy is the general assembly (Allmøtet). Here, all students have speaking and voting rights. Representatives to the Student Board are elected at the general assembly, which is held every autumn and spring. at the department general assemblies, student representatives on department level are elected. All students have speaking and voting rights on their department’s general assemblies.

International Student Union The International Student Union (ISU) is an organization composed of international students that attend various universities and Høgskolen throughout Norway and who have particular interest in student politics and international student rights. ISU is a democratic, non-profit, non-religious, multicultural and non-partisan organization that seeks to serve and promote the interests of foreign students who are studying in Norway. ISU represents the voice of international students in political and academic matters and has to main aims:

• to ensure that the rights and interests of all international students are suitably represented and protected
• to maintain social welfare

ISU also promotes the relationship between Norwegian and international students and works to sustain the connections with local student organizations. Membership with ISU is free and open to all international students in Norway. Elections are held once a year in September and all international students have the right o run for office and vote. The members of the board meet in the student post office approximately every two weeks after classes and work as a team to discuss many different aspects of the international student life. ISU is a democracy and each member has the right to propose, suggest and advise. The highest branch of the ISU is the National Assembly that carries out the working plans and approves budgets for all of the ISU branches. Local branches have the autonomy to decide the conditions for their own activities.

Core values

NMBU shall be an organisation that has:

Respect

Academic life is characterised by openness and mutual respect for each other’s background, experiences, work and professional viewpoints. Staff and students are responsible citizens and fellow partnersin the academic community.

Ambition

We set high goals and require quality and ethical standards in everything we do. We shall make it possible for every individual to be able to fulfil his/her academic potential. We shall encourage ambition among our staff and students.

Independence

Academic freedom is a fundamental principle of the university’s activities.

Interaction

Our activities shall be characterised by interaction, internally within the university and with the world at large. We shall create an inclusive culture, working environment and academic community founded on openness, tolerance and interaction.