University of Agder

Coordinates: 58°9′46.82″N 8°0′11.6″E / 58.1630056°N 8.003222°E / 58.1630056; 8.003222

University of Agder
Universitetet i Agder
Type Public university
Established 2007 (1994, 1839)
Rector Frank Reichert
Administrative staff
 1100
Students 11879
Location Kristiansand & Grimstad, Norway
Campus Gimlemoen
Grimstad
Website www.uia.no
Campus Gimlemoen, located in Kristiansand.
Campus Grimstad, main entrance
Full university logo including official typography.

The University of Agder (Norwegian: Universitetet i Agder), formerly known as Agder College and Agder University College, is a public university with campuses in Kristiansand and Grimstad, Norway. The institution was established as a university college (høgskole) in 1994 through the merger of Agder College and five other colleges, including a technical college and a nursing school, and became one of Norway's new universities in 2007. It is among the youngest and smallest of Norway's eight universities.

History

The idea of a university in the Agder region is not completely new. In his short period as ruler of the union of Denmark–Norway, Johann Friedrich Struensee planned on reforming the University of Copenhagen. He gave Bishop Johann Ernst Gunnerus of Trondheim the task of developing more detailed plans. Gunnerus presented a proposal in 1771 in which he suggested establishing a new university in Norway, and placing it in Kristiansand.

The motives for suggesting Kristiansand as a university town have been debated. Regardless, the idea was soon discarded as planning began for the first Norwegian university. In 1811, a resolution was passed to establish Norway's first university in Christiania (Oslo).

Even without a university in the region, and as the need for better educated employees rose, several smaller colleges were established throughout the Agder region. The first, Kristiansand Teacher Training College was originally founded at Holt, Aust-Agder in 1839, making it one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Norway. It was followed by Arendal College of Nursing (1920), Agder Music Conservatory (1965), Agder Regional College of Technology (1967), Agder Regional College (1969) and Kristiansand College of Nursing (1976).

Agder University College was established by a merger in 1994, when the six public regional colleges in the Agder counties became one institution. The University College received full university accreditation and became the University of Agder on 1 September 2007. In 2015, the University of Agder has approximately 12,000 students and 1,100 employees.

Organisation and administration

UiA has a shared leadership. The dean is elected by the students and members of staff and faculty, who becomes the head of the university board, and is responsible for the academic programmes and activities. The university director is the head of administration, and is responsible for all economic and administrative affairs.

Faculties and Academia

The University of Agder has six faculties as well as an own unit fior teacher education.

Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences

Faculty of Fine Arts

Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences

Faculty of Humanities and Education

Faculty of Engineering and Science

Teacher Education

The teacher training programmes are organized in an interdisciplinary fashion.

Research Centres

Library

Agder University Research Archive (AURA) is a full text digital archive of scientific papers, theses and dissertations from the academic staff and students at the University of Agder. The University Library administrates AURA.

References

  1. ↑ http://old.uia.no/en/portals/about_the_university/school_of_business_and_law/about_the_school_of_business_and_law
  2. ↑ http://old.uia.no/en/portals/about_the_university/school_of_business_and_law/about_the_school_of_business_and_law

External links

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