Ministry of Education and Research (Norway)

The Royal Ministry of Education and Research (Norwegian: Kunnskapsdepartementet, KD; full name: Det kongelige kunnskapsdepartement[1]) is a Norwegian government ministry responsible for education, research, kindergartens and integration. The ministry was established in 1814 as the Royal Ministry of Church and Education Affairs.

Royal Ministry of Education and Research
Kunnskapsdepartementet; Det kongelige kunnskapsdepartement
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Agency overview
Formed30 November 1814; 209 years ago (1814-11-30)
JurisdictionGovernment of Norway
HeadquartersOslo, Norway
Ministers responsible
Agency executive
  • Dag Thomas Gisholt, Secretary General
WebsiteOfficial website

The current Minister of Education is Tonje Brenna of the Labour Party and the current Minister of Research and Higher Education is Ola Borten Moe of the Centre Party. The department reports to the legislature (Stortinget).

History

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The ministry was established in 1814, following the dissolution of Denmark–Norway, in which the joint central government administration of the two formally separate but closely integrated kingdoms, had been based in Copenhagen. Originally named the Ministry of Church and Education Affairs, the ministry was the first of six government ministries established in 1814, and was also known as the First Ministry. The other ministries were the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Police, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of War.

Norway was in a union with Sweden with a common foreign and defense policy until 1905, however church and educational policy was entirely the domain of each respective national government.

The ministry was previously responsible for church affairs, but this function was transferred to the Ministry of Culture in 2002. Kindergartens were transferred to the ministry in 2006.[2]

Name

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The full formal name of the ministry is Det kongelige kunnskapsdepartement (literally "the royal ministry of knowledge"),[1] but this name tends to be used only on formal occasions and in formal letters. In everyday speech the ministry is known by the short form Kunnskapsdepartementet ("the ministry of knowledge").

Organisation

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Political staff

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As of November 2023, the political staff of the ministry is as follows:[3]

  • Minister of Education Kari Nessa Nordtun (Labour Party)
    • State Secretary Sindre Lysø (Labour Party)
    • State Secretary Synnøve Mjeldheim Skaar (Labour Party)
    • Political Adviser Øyvind Jacobsen (Labour Party)
  • Minister of Research and Higher Education Sandra Borch (Centre Party)
    • State Secretary Oddmund Løkensgard Hoel (Centre Party)
    • Political Adviser Signe Bjotveit (Labour Party)

Departments

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The Ministry of Education and Research consists of seven departments:[4]

  • Department of Integration
  • Department of Schools and Kindergartens
  • Department of Education, Training and Skills Policy
  • Department of Administration and Strategic Priorities
  • Department of Legal Affairs
  • Department of Governance of Higher Education and Research Institutions
  • Department of Higher Education, Research and International Affairs

Subsidiaries

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Subordinate agencies

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The following government agencies are subordinate to the ministry:[5]

Universities

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Specialised University Colleges

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University Colleges

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Limited companies

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Det kongelige kunnskapsdepartement" (PDF). Stortinget. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  2. ^ Research, Ministry of Education and (7 January 2007). "History – The first Ministry". Government.no. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  3. ^ "Ministry of Education and Research: Organisation". www.regjeringen.no. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Departments". Government.no. Retrieved 6 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Underliggende etater". Ministry of Education and Research (in Norwegian). Retrieved 6 July 2020.
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