Since its beginning more than 70 years ago, the International Summer School at the University of Oslo has developed and expanded, while remaining true to its academic, cultural and humanistic ideals. Thank you for welcoming me on board to lead this dynamic institution through the years ahead!
The notion of global citizenship is dear to my heart. It is also the magnet which drew me to the International Summer School (ISS) – a body dedicated to strengthening friendship across borders combined with individual academic achievement.
I come to ISS after eight years of leading FK Norway, also known as the Norwegian peace corps. Its aim is to foster youth leadership through reciprocal cross-border partnerships to promote sustainable development. Now coming to a new arena working for increased knowledge, personal development and international cooperation within a socially responsible context quite simply feels like coming home.
I am humbled to follow in the footsteps of Mr. Einar Vannebo, who held the position as director of ISS for 25 years, and interim director Sonia Mykletun – also with a substantial number of years in the service of ISS. My gratitude extends to them both for their passion and their contributions to developing this wonderful institution.
I joined the University of Oslo in the second half of September. It was a case of hit the ground running, and I’ve had some exhilarating weeks now in getting to know the organization with its highly competent administrative and teaching staff. I have been familiarizing myself with the diversity of operations which ISS runs all year round, consolidating our new board and simultaneously preparing the catalogue for ISS Summer 2018.
The year ahead is one I am looking forward to, and one in which we shall continue to strengthen our strategic and administrative base. It is my hope that ISS will carry forward its integration into the internationalization policies of the University of Oslo. We will expand our outreach nationally and internationally, and develop our scholarships further to support the geographic and cultural diversity which is such a strong trademark of ISS. It will be interesting to explore more of the opportunities provided by the digitalization of higher education, and at the same time maintain a high degree of interactive and interpersonal learning. It will be my goal to fortify our organization and pursue our growth and innovativeness as an international center of learning at Norway’s foremost university.