Norwegian School of Economics

"NHH" redirects here. For other uses, see NHH (disambiguation).
Norwegian School of Economics
Norges Handelshøyskole
Established 1936
Type Public
Rector Frøystein Gjesdal
Administrative staff
 300 (total)
Students 3,250
Location Bergen, Norway
Affiliations CEMS, PIM, Erasmus, EQUIS
Website www.nhh.no

The Norwegian School of Economics (Norwegian: Norges Handelshøyskole) or NHH is a business school situated in Bergen, Norway. Opened in 1936 by King Haakon VII,[1] it is Norway's oldest business school and has since its foundation been a leading Norwegian teaching and research institution in the fields of economics and business administration. The school celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2011.[2]

NHH has a strong international orientation. The school participates in exchange programs with more than 130 foreign institutions in over 30 countries, and around 40 percent of the school's students spend at least one semester on exchange.[3] The school is member of CEMS (The Global Alliance for Management Education)[4] and the Partnership in International Management (PIM) network,[5] and is accredited by EQUIS.[6]

Admission to NHH is the most selective in its field in Norway. For seven years in a row (2007–13), the NHH undergraduate programme received more applications than any other undergraduate study programme in Norway,[7][8] and around 20% of applicants are admitted annually.[9] In 2013, NHH received 2265 applications for 450 spots in its undergraduate program.[10]

History

NHH has changed much since it was first opened. Norway's first business school is now part of a global network universities and business schools. This has been achieved over the last 100 years, with much work being done before the doors opened in 1936.

1900–1936: Establishing a business school in Norway

The business communities in Oslo and Bergen began discussing the establishment of a Norwegian business school at the end of the 19th century. A number of schools had been opened across Europe and during the early 20th century several business schools were established in Scandinavia based on the German handelshochschule (business school) model. Amongst them, the Stockholm School of Economics and the Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration (Hanken) in Helsinki were both established in 1909, followed by the Helsinki School of Economics in 1911 and Copenhagen Business School in 1917. In 1917, Norway's parliament (the Storting) passed a resolution to establish a Norwegian business school.

1936–1963: NHH opens and sets to work

After much lobbying and hard work, especially by Kristoffer Lehmkuhl, NHH was finally opened by King Haakon VII on Monday the September 7, 1936. This was 10 years before the University of Bergen was established. The strong involvement of the business community in Bergen had ensured that not only was the school established, but that it was established in Bergen and was closely linked to business community from the very start.

When NHH first opened, the academic staff consisted of fewer than ten people and sixty students were enrolled each year. The first degree course offered was the Handelsdiplom (business diploma) and graduates received the title Handelskandidat (business graduate). This was initially a two-year course and, starting in 1938, a one-year additional course was offered to candidates who wanted to become teachers. In 1946 the Handelsdiplom course was extended to three years.

After the Second World War, American influence became more important and also started to influence NHH to a greater extent. Graduates and staff began to go to the US to continue their studies and work for a period, a trend that greatly increased in the 1960s and 1970s. By the early 1950s the need for a doctoral programme at NHH had grown. In 1956, NHH received permission from the Norwegian government to award doctorates and in 1957 the first doctoral candidate graduated from NHH.

1963–1980: A new campus and rapid growth

By the late 1950s NHH had outgrown its original premises and work began on developing a new campus for the school at Sandviken, just outside Bergen city centre. In 1963, the school moved to its new campus, an event which in many ways marked the transition to a new period characterised by a rapid increase in the number of students as well as teachers. The new campus provided a large increase in capacity and the annual intake of students increased from 60 to over 200.

An important feature of this period was the growth and development of the faculty. The new facilities made it possible to employ many new, talented people and the importance of research as well as teaching was strengthened. Many successful graduates went to the US to study for doctorates and came back to NHH with international experience and a more research based focus. Many faculty members took advantage of sabbaticals to study and continue their research overseas, many textbooks were published and the volume of publications in international journals increased significantly. A driving force behind this expansion and internationalisation of research was Professor Karl Borch.

During this time Professor Jan Mossin's seminal paper "Equilibrium in a Capital Asset Market" was published in Econometrica, contributing significantly to the development of the capital asset pricing model (CAPM). About the same time as Mossin returned to NHH from Carnegie Mellon with his doctorate, future Nobel laureate Finn E. Kydland went to the same university for his doctoral studies. Most of the US educated doctoral graduates came back to NHH to teach and continue their research, but some stayed in the US and a few (like Kydland) returned to NHH only to later go back to the US to continue their work.

As the faculty grew and developed so did the academic offerings, with several advanced level courses established. In 1963 the name of the Handelsdiplom degree was changed to siviløkonom, with graduate receiving the same title. A master level programme, høyere avdelingstudium (HAS), was introduced in 1972 as a preparation for siviløkonom students wishing to continue on to doctoral studies; and in 1973 Professor Dag Coward established a master level programme for students wishing to specialise in auditing, accounting and the financial management of firms, the høyere revisorstudium (HRS). In 1975 the siviløkonom degree course was extended to a four-year programme.

1980–2000: Specialisation and international expansion

In the early 1980s it was realised that the doctoral programme required updating and a new, structured PhD programme was introduced involving taught courses in addition to the research and writing of a thesis. This new PhD programme continued the focus on research at NHH, rather than just teaching. The first candidate to graduate from the new PhD programme did so in 1985 and the annual number of graduates rose from 1 in 1985 to 12 in 1990.

The focus on expansion and internationalisation of research was recognised in 1984 as NHH was ranked 7th globally and 3rd in Europe in the American Economic Review amongst economics schools or departments in non-English speaking countries by publications in leading journals.

During this period, close relations with international research environments were also established. The international activities at the school have increased considerably and the international focus has become stronger over the years. In 1984 NHH established their first international exchange agreement with the Stockholm School of Economics, and in 1986 NHH became the first institution in Norway to offer a master degree programme taught entirely in English - the Master of International Business (MIB). Following this, greater emphasis has been placed on exchange arrangements for students, and the school joined the prestigious Community of European Management Schools (CEMS) and the Erasmus programme in 1992 and the global Partnership in International Management (PIM) network in 1995.

Student and staff numbers continued to rise throughout the 1980s and 1990s. By 1985 there were 1670 students and 198 members of staff in total.

2000–present: Continued growth and development into the 21st century

NHH alumni Finn Kydland was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics in 2004 (with Edward C. Prescott) for his contributions to dynamic macroeconomics

The siviløkonom qualification was extended to 5 years in 2003. In line with the Bologna declaration, it now comprises a 3-year Bachelor of Science in Economics and Business Administration combined with a 2-year Master of Science in Economics and Business Administration.

NHH alumnus and Adjunct Professor Finn E. Kydland was awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2004, together with Professor Edward C. Prescott of Arizona State University. Kydland was giving a lecture at NHH when news of the award arrived. Prescott was a Visiting Professor of Economics at NHH in 1974-75.[11]

In 2007 NHH announced the launching of a new master programme taught fully in English, the MSc in Energy, Natural Resources and the Environment.

Today, NHH is part of a global network of business schools and universities. International partner institutions include:

On June 1, 2011, the school simplified and changed its English name from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration to the Norwegian School of Economics.

List of rectors

  1. Ingvar Wedervang, 1936–1956
  2. Eilif W. Paulson, 1956–1957
  3. Rolf Waaler, 1957–1963
  4. Dag Coward, 1964–1972
  5. Olav Harald Jensen, 1973–1978
  6. Gerhard Stoltz, 1979–1984
  7. Arne Kinserdal, 1985–1990
  8. Leif Methlie, 1990–1995
  9. Carl Julius Norstrøm, 1995–1998
  10. Victor Norman, 1999–2001
  11. Per Ivar Gjærum, 2001–2005
  12. Jan I. Haaland, 2005–2013
  13. Frøystein Gjesdal, 2013–

Organization

NHH has five academic departments:

The school comprises over 2,800 full-time students and a total staff of over 330. NHH, together with two affiliated institutions, AFF (Administrative Research Institute)[17] and SNF,[18] form the largest centre for research and education within the fields of economics and business administration in Norway.

Admissions

NHH annually admits 450 student to its sole undergraduate programme in Economics and Business Administration. The programme has for many years been the most popular undergraduate study programme in Norway, with more than 2000 "first priority" applicants annually and an admissions rate of around 20%.[19] The school attracts applicants from all parts of Norway and aims to have a varied student body. The school also aims to reach 40% female students and has taken several measures to attract more female applicants. Although more women than men pursue higher education in Norway, NHH is still dominated by male students. However, in 2012, 48% of admissions offers were made to female students, up from around 40% over the previous years.[20]

As a Norwegian public institution of higher education, NHH admits its students through Samordna opptak where applicants are ranked on a point scheme and the qualified candidates with the most points are granted admission.

Undergraduate NHH students are secured transfers to the school's master's programmes after completing the bachelor's degree. Most student take advantage of this policy. In addition, students from other universities and business schools are admitted to the master's and doctoral programmes, and make up the graduate student body.

Academics

The school offers one three-year undergraduate programme in Economics and Business Administration, taught in Norwegian. Most students continue their studies with a two-year master's degree, which together with the undergraduate degree completes the requirements for the Norwegian siviløkonom title. NHH offers eight master's profiles:

Additionally, NHH offers a master's programme in Accounting and Auditing, as well as the CEMS Master's in International Management which is currently ranked as the world's second best Master's in Management programme by the Financial Times.[21]

The NHH PhD programme offers specialisations in five fields:

Double degree arrangements

NHH is part of six double degree arrangements:

Rankings

In 2012, NHH was ranked among the 101-150th best universities worldwide in Economics/Business by the Academic Ranking of World Universities.[28] in 2013, NHH dropped to the 151-200 bracket in the same ranking.[29] In 2012, NHH was ranked as the 8th best European school in economics in the ranking "Top 10s by subject" by FT.com.[30]

In 2013, NHH was ranked as the 46th best European business school by the Financial Times.[31]

Student life

Like all public institutions of higher education in Norway, NHH does not charge tuition fees. However, a small semester fee of NOK 490[32] (roughly US$80) is charged. This money helps fund the Student Welfare Organisation in Bergen, which subsidises kindergartens, health services, housing and cultural initiatives.

The Student Association at NHH (NHHS) has groups to accommodate many student interests. As would be expected for a leading business school, NHHS has many groups involved with economics and business issues. These groups maintain contact with the business community and serve to stimulate interest in and improve knowledge of various sectors Norwegians and international business. This is achieved through conferences, seminars, company visits, excursions in Norway and abroad and trainee programs in various businesses. The Student Association is led by a board of seven people - Kjernestyret.

Notable faculty and alumni

Siv Jensen, leader of the Norwegian Progress Party and Norway's Minister of Finance
Knut Arild Hareide, leader of the Norwegian Christian Democratic Party
Thorolf Rafto, human rights activist and professor of Economic History
Jo Nesbø, award-winning author and musician

NHH alumni hold several important positions in Norwegian business and politics. Eldar Sætre is CEO of Statoil,[35] Norway's largest company and the largest offshore oil and gas company in the world. Jon Fredrik Baksaas is CEO of Telenor,[36] Norway's second largest company and one of the world's largest mobile phone operators.[37] Siv Jensen is Norway's Minister of Finance[38] and Yngve Slyngstad is CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management (NBIM),[39] the part of the Norwegian Central Bank responsible for managing Norway's sovereign wealth fund.[39]

Academics

Business

Government / Law / Public Policy / Human Rights

Arts and Entertainment

Affiliations

References

  1. ↑ "NHH opens and sets to work". Norges Handelshøyskole. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  2. ↑ "CEMS member school NHH celebrates 75th anniversary". CEMS. Retrieved 2014-08-01.
  3. ↑ "International Relations Office". Norges Handelshøyskole. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  4. ↑ "Academic members & Faculty". CEMS. 2013-01-28. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  5. ↑ PIM network - list of schools
  6. ↑ EQUIS Accredited Schools
  7. ↑ "Landets mest søkte studium : Paraplyen". Paraplyen.imaker.no. 2010-04-29. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  8. ↑ Einar Takla. "Siviløkonomstudiet ved NHH mest populært". DN.no. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  9. ↑ "SO-statistikk". Samordnaopptak.no. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  10. ↑ Line Kaspersen (22 April 2013). ""Alle" vil gå på NHH". DN.no. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "PrescottVita". Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  12. ↑ Department of Accounting, Auditing and Law
  13. ↑ Department of Finance and Management Science
  14. ↑ Department of Economics
  15. ↑ Department of Strategy and Management
  16. ↑ Department of Professional and Intercultural Communication
  17. ↑ "AFF". Administrative Research Institute. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  18. ↑ "Welcome to SNF". Samfunns. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  19. ↑ "Søkere fordelt på lærested i hovedopptakene 2006-2009" (in Norwegian). Samordnaopptak.no. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  20. ↑ "Jenteboom på NHH". dn.no. 2012. Retrieved 2014-07-01.
  21. ↑ "Business school rankings from the Financial Times". Masters in Management. 2012. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  22. ↑ "Double Degrees". Hec Paris. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  23. ↑ "Double degree". Université catholique de Louvain. 2012-11-26. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  24. ↑ "Double Degree Programs". University of Mannheim. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  25. ↑ "EGADE del Tecnológico de Monterrey". Norwegian School of Economics. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  26. ↑ "Double Degree: NHH and Richard Ivey School of Business". NHH. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
  27. ↑ "Dobbelgrad: NHH og Lancaster University". NHH. Retrieved 2014-07-11.
  28. ↑ "Academic Ranking of World Universities in Economics / Business - 2012". ShanghaiRanking.com. 2012. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  29. ↑ "Academic Ranking of World Universities in Economics / Business - 2013". ShanghaiRanking.com. 2013. Retrieved 2014-07-01.
  30. ↑ "Top 10s by subject". FT.com. 2012. Retrieved 2014-09-17.
  31. ↑ "European Business School Rankings 2013". ft.com. 2013. Retrieved 2014-07-01.
  32. ↑ "Semesteravgift og semesterkort". NHH. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  33. ↑ "NHHs beste, peneste og eneste pikekor". Sangria.no. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  34. ↑ "K7 Minutter". K7.no. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  35. ↑ "Eldar Sætre, Konsernsjef i Statoil ASA". Statoil.com. Retrieved 2015-04-02.
  36. ↑ "Group Executive Management". Telenor Group. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  37. ↑ "Telenor at a Glance". Telenor Group. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  38. ↑ "Jensen, Siv". Stortinget.no. 1969-06-01. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 "Yngve Slyngstad - NBIM". Nbim.no. Retrieved 2013-02-09.
  40. ↑ "The Economics Prize Committee". Nobel Prize. 2010. Retrieved 2013-02-09.

External links

Coordinates: 60°25′22.87″N 5°18′7.41″E / 60.4230194°N 5.3020583°E