“We are known as the co-creating university. A close cooperation with the regional business sector is very important to us,” says Sunniva Whittaker, Rector at the University of Agder (UiA).
Based on the Agder supplier industry’s excitement for offshore wind, the upcoming Norwegian licensing round, and governmental funding for a national competence center for offshore wind, the University of Agder is building an interdisciplinary offshore wind education to offer its students from the fall of 2024.
A master’s program in offshore wind will build on bachelor’s programs in mechatronics, ICT, electronics, renewable energy, industrial economy, and other subjects relevant for offshore wind.
“In parallel, we are building research programs and preparing a competence center for offshore wind, for which we received funding in the Norwegian National Budget for 2023,” says Hans Kjetil Lysgård, Vice Rector for Research and Interdisciplinary Projects at UiA.
Both Lysgård and Whittaker gave presentations at the GCE NODE Top Leader Forum in Kristiansand Thursday evening. The event had a record-breaking turnout with close to 100 people in attendance.
Other presenters at the Top Leader Forum included the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST), that addressed Norwegian relations with Russia in the light of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and Siri Engesæth, CEO of Factlines – a company owned by Arendals Fossekompani – that tracks sustainability through supply lines. Factlines recently acquired the Ecotrack tool from GCE NODE.
