Most international students at AHO

An increased internationalization is an aim in Norwegian educational policy. While some colleges are struggling to meet this target, AHO figures on top among the Oslo schools with 12.5% international students, sais student newspaper Universitas.

According to the international coordinator at AHO Erling Rognes Solbu, this is due mainly to AHOs good reputation, especially in Europe. The school also has a wide network of contacts with more than 40 exchange agreements, both bilateral and through the Erasmus and Nordplus networks. In addition, AHO can offer good learning resources compared to many other schools, sais Solbu to Universitas.

While all courses in the first three years is in Norwegian, all courses at the master's level are open to international students. This gives them a variety, just like the Norwegian-speaking students. Even without active marketing, this has led to that nearly a third of the students at master's level has an international background. Some of them are visiting AHO for one or two semesters as part of their degree at another university, while an increasing proportion apply to take their full master's degree at AHO.

Rector at AHO, Karl Otto Ellefsen, is pleased with the numbers. - AHO is an internationally oriented institution, a position we maintain with high demands in terms of quality and a large group of international students and staff, he sais.  

AHO also differs from many other Norwegian institutions in terms of the number of Norwegian students going abroad on exchange studies. In October, student newspaper Universitas wrote that "Europe doesn't excite students". 

AHOs aim is that at least 25 percent of the students should take one or two semesters abroad, an aim that has been reached in the latter years. The majority of these students go to European institutions.