NHH awarded for economics course

The Ministry of Education and Research has awarded NHH this year's prize for quality of education. The prize is one million NOK and is given to an institution which can document outstanding work with quality of education.

07.11.2013 - Red.

- This is a great recognition of NHH and the people responsible for the course. We work continuously with improving teaching. This course is research-based and demanding, but still very popular amongst the bachelor students. That is how we like it, says Rector Frøystein Gjesdal.

NHH is awarded the prize for the bachelor course "Economics and psychology". The course started up in the spring of 2011, and introduces students to research showing that people are motivated by other aspects than just economic self-interest. As a part of the course, the students organize and execute an economic experiment.

- Very inspiring

Professors Alexander Cappelen and Bertil Tungodden from Department of Economics are responsible for the course.

- To be awarded this prize is very inspiring. We have focused on introducing the students to scientific research from day one, and the feedback has been good. By introducing the students to research done in the intersection between economics and psychology, they get a more realistic world view, says Bertil Tungodden.

There were a total of 15 applications for the prize. According to the two professors, the prize gives them motivation to develop the course further.

- It has already been decided that we will offer a masters course in behavioral economics, and we believe that this field has a great potential to be included in more courses. The understanding the students gains from this course will be useful regardless which occupational path they choose, says Alexander Cappelen.

- A unique course

Head of the bachelor-program, Kjetil Bjorvatn, says the prize is important for NHH.

- What's unique about this course is that the students execute an economic experiment. It is an example of research-based education. The prize shows that NHH offers exciting education possibilities, says Bjorvatn.

The jury emphasizes that the course takes research-based education seriously by letting the students read original research papers and by letting them execute research that is based on what they have read. According to the jury the prize is especially deserved because the students are introduced to academic disagreements, and made familiar with the fact that the field has more disagreements than what students are normally introduced to.

Bertil Tungodden and Alexander Cappelen recieved the prize for quality in education at the NOKUT conference in Oslo 8 November

Foto: Siv Dolmen