New international summer school launched

Thirty students from fourteen different countries have gathered at NHH for the new summer school in Natural Resource Management. During two intensive weeks, international master students will learn about the recognised Norwegian model for the management of natural resources.

03.07.2007 - Text & photo: Kristian T. Marthinsen

Professor Einar Hope, who is responsible for the academic part of the program and lecturer, professor Thore Johnsen, are receiving the words of praise from the summer school's participants.

The course counts for 7.5 ECTS study credits and it is the first summer school to be organised by NHH.

Professor Einar Hope is responsible for the academic part of the course. Hope explains that the goal of the course is to focus on the management of natural resources, and to see the use of resources in an economic and environmental context.

High level
The students attend lectures every day from 08:15 until 16:30, and on some days lectures extend until 18:30. In addition, students have to hand in group papers in order to be allowed to take the exam.

Professor Hope realises that the students have a lot to do.
- It is a tough and hard course, but we have tried to make it as good as possible. We delivered the syllabus and reading a month before the start of the course, and assume that the students read the material so that we can go directly onto the Norwegian model of the resource management for oil, hydroelectric power and fishing, explains Hope.

Sabine Brummert and Renárs Latkovskis have busy days but they are satisfied with the quality of NHH's summer school in Natural Resource Management.

Sabine Brummert is an economics student from Germany. She fully understands that this course is not for someone who wants to have a relaxed summer.

- The level of the course is higher than I expected, and it would have been hard to follow without knowing a bit of economics from before. There also seems to be more work than I was expecting, but the topic is interesting so this is ok, says Brummert.

Also Renárs Larkovskis has nothing against spending part of his summer in Bergen.

- Home in Latvia I took part in an international program with lecturers from the USA and Germany, but they did not have a higher level than what we have here. I was mostly interested in the course because it takes place in Norway. It is very beautiful here, and yesterday I was jogging in the mountains and swimming in the lake in the forest, tells Latkovskis.

Everything Bergen has to offer
In Bergen the international students have lectures from NHH faculty as well as professors coming from the University of Copenhagen and The University of Bergen, and guest lecturers from organisations such as the Norwegian Competition Authority and McKinsey.

In addition there are several company visits, including the Statoil oil refinery at Mongstad, engineering company Hydro, electricity broker Bergen Energy, fish farmer Blom Fiskeoppdrett and offshore safety and crisis management firm Falck Nutec.

- The professional and academic impression until now has been very good. There have been some good and stimulating lectures. The students are motivated, determined and ask interesting questions, says Hope.

Why do you think the students wish to study Resource Management?

- I think that many have chosen this summer course because the topic is an issue discussed in their home countries. I think it is also interesting to know at what resources development is aiming at and which solutions have been developed. In addition, it is possible to perceive Norway as being a bit exotic in this field, so that they are maybe curious of what we have achieved so far, says Hope.

Do you think the course will be repeated next summer as well?

- I hope it can be repeated next year as well. For the moment I think this course has been a great success, and I think that this is something we should develop further. The facilities, knowledge and opportunities are certainly here, says Einar Hope, professor in economics and energy.