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Government wants Norway’s universities to compete to be best on environment and climate issues

The Ministry of Education and Research wants to see how students, researchers and other staff measure up when it comes to cutting climate impacts. Not everyone is equally excited.

These four types of cancer are more likely to be detected in highly educated people

Norwegian women and men who are highly educated are more likely to be diagnosed with four types of cancer. More sunbathing and postponed childbirth may be part of the explanation. It may also be because people with more resources are more likely to go to the doctor when they suspect something’s wrong.

Students receiving follow-up support in upper secondary school less likely to quit

Absenteeism in lower secondary school increases students’ risk of dropping out from upper secondary. A social contract and close monitoring of 16-year-old at-risk pupils is showing promising results in a study in Northern Norway.

What happens to Norwegian children of immigrants as adults?

Their performance is a bit weaker than that of other children in elementary school, and somewhat fewer students complete upper secondary school. Compared to their parents, the difference is considerable. Many Norwegian-born persons with immigrant backgrounds are also doing far better financially than their parents. Some earn more than other Norwegians.

Poker players aren’t like other gamers

Poker is a game played primarily by boys who get good grades in school. It’s an intellectual martial art, according to a researcher.

Norway prioritises aid to support girls’ education, but forgets the jobs

Can education meet girls’ challenges in development countries? Not on its own, according to researchers behind a new report. They call for more goal-oriented measures to combat inequality.

Pupils from elite schools still rule

The “Old Boys” club still controls the UK.

Norwegian textbook calls Mexicans “wetbacks”

Mexicans and indigenous people get short shrift in four English-language textbooks for Norwegian ninth graders.

What motivates high school kids to choose a higher education?

Suprisingly, parents and friends have little say in the matter, according to one researcher.

Students who master two written dialects do better in school

Researchers from neuroscientists to sociologists have spent the last several decades documenting the positive effects of bilingualism on cognitive development in children. But do children who grow up with two closely related written versions of the same language get the same benefits?

Women and men still study completely different university subjects

In the past decade few changes have occurred in the uneven gender distribution of Norwegian college and university students.

Norwegian higher education costs vary wildly across disciplines and institutions

Norway is one of the few remaining countries in the world without tuition fees, but that doesn’t mean education is free. Per student costs at Norway’s older universities can be more than twice those of more recently established institutions.

Well-educated men live seven years longer

Men with more years of schooling can expect to live seven years longer on average than men who only have a minimum compulsory education. The comparable difference for women is five years.

Children in rural areas less affected by parental background

Parents' educational levels are important for children's grades and educational choices. But in rural Norway it seems to mean less.

Geoscience goes down better without the jargon

A stone stemming from magma can be designated as igneous, but it could also be called spotted. A child might find learning geology as hard as a rock – given even a fraction of its formal terminology – or easy as pie if a few ordinary concepts are applied.

Pupils stressed out from school computers

Merely investing in school computers without a strategy is counter-productive, suggests Swedish research. Pupils struggle with finding reliable information online.

Flipped classrooms don’t need to flop

New technology will forge ahead in classrooms whether we like it or not, according to experts. This poses a challenge for educators who prefer traditional techniques.

Thief of time conquering the classroom

PCs, tablets and smartphones are demonstrably useful aids in schools, but they can also undermine educational results, especially among weaker pupils.

Careers – with a little help from our friends

A solid education and an extensive network of contacts are no guarantees for landing a good job.

Three out of four Africans get their doctorates and go home

Most African doctoral candidates in Norway have to leave the country immediately after defending their dissertations.

Young college grads fall through the safety net

The Scandinavian welfare system is recognized worldwide for its generous benefits and cradle-to-grave care. But not everyone benefits equally: Norwegians who pursue higher education and then can't find work are rarely eligible for unemployment benefits.