Study Bergen - Student Bergen

Study Bergen
Welcome to Bergen!
The years you spend as a student are some of the most
important years of your life. When choosing a study
programme you must also make a decision about where to
study. The city of Bergen, located on the western coast of
Norway, is definitely an excellent choice.
Bergen is the second largest city in Norway, although with
250,000 inhabitants, it is a small city by international
standards. We believe that Bergen is special. A city with
personality and charm. Located by the Atlantic Ocean, the
history and development of Bergen are closely linked to trade
routes at sea and a constant interaction with the outside
world.
The city centre is naturally framed by mountains and the sea,
resulting in a compactness that ensures that most things are
within easy walking distance and provides a feeling that
everything is close at hand.
Cultural festivals are arranged throughout the entire year,
especially during the spring when the city becomes green,
sunny and full of life.
A Norwegian poet once declared: “Bergen is not a place, but
a condition in my soul”. You may come to feel this yourself. We
certainly hope that your stay will provide experiences that you
will cherish, and that you will gain new academic knowledge
as well as discovering more about life, people, places, culture,
nature and yourself.
Make use of the city and its surroundings and enjoy Bergen!
Between Seven Mountains
The name Bergen derives from the word Bjørgvin, which
translates as “the meadow amoung mountains”, and Bergen is
now known as “the city between seven mountains”.
Bergen is a true combination of nature and culture. In only
eight minutes the “Fløibanen” Funicular will whisk you from the
heart of the city to the the top of Mount Fløyen. All the other
mountains can easily be reached by foot from the city
centre. Ulriken is the highest of them at 643m and can also
be reached by cable car.
The Coast and the Fjords
Viewing the city from the surrounding mountains, you quickly
discover that Bergen is a coastal city. If you want to feel the
openness and power of the sea, you can take a day trip by bus
to the islands off the coast of Bergen.
In tourist brochures Bergen is called “the gateway to the
fjords”, and for many tourists the fjords are the main
motivation for travelling to Norway. Carved out by the powerful
glaciers during the ice age, the fjords of western Norway are
the most spectacular nature experience for many foreign
visitors. Being a student in Bergen, you have a good starting
point for trips to the fjords both in Sogn and Hardanger.
Western Norway also represents a landcape of contrasts:
Quiet fjords, deep valleys, high mountains with majestic
waterfalls tumbling down the sides, glaciers and the wild open
coast. The “Norway in a Nutshell” tour lets you sample the
stunning nature of western Norway in just one day.
Find out more: www.studybergen.com / www. visitbergen.com
www. visithordaland.com / www. fjordnorway.com
Photo: Michelle Ingrid Greene
Photo: Immaturus
City of Culture
Music, film, theatre, dance and various fine arts are
prominent in Bergen’s varied and innovative cultural
environment. Bergen is known for its vibrant contemporary
scene and hosts a variety of festivals throughout the year.
Without knowing a word of Norwegian you can participate in
Bergen’s cultural life.
Music is an International Language
You will quickly learn that Bergen has a great pop and rock
scene, and that you can go to concerts every night of the
week. Grieghallen Concert Hall, named after Bergen’s famous
composer Edvard Grieg, houses Bergen Philharmonic
Orchestra. They offer student prices on Thursdays.
www.harmonien.no
The National Venue of Theatre (DNS)
Bergen hosts Norway’s oldest permanent theatre with roots
dating back to the Norwegian Theatre. It was founded in 1850
by the Norwegian violinist Ole Bull. Today the theatre houses
three stages and presents approximately 20 productions each
year. Productions include: international and national classics,
musicals, contemporary drama and children- and family
theatre. Most productions have a student discount.
www.dns.no
International Theatre and Contemporary Dance
BIT Teatergarasjen is an international theatre which produces,
co-produces and presents international and Norwegian
contemporary theatre and dance. www.bit-teatergarasjen.no
Carte Blanche
The national contemporary dance company Carte Blanche is
also located in Bergen. The company produces a minimum of
three new choreographic works a year and performs an
average of four to six productions a year. www.carteblanche.no
City of Culture
Film
Bergen has two cinemas in the city centre and two
independent film clubs which offer a wide selection of films
during the term. Films at the cinema are usually screened in
the original version with Norwegian subtitles.
www.bergenkino.no
Bergen Film Club was founded in 1961 and screens movies
every Wednesday and Sunday at Det Akademiske Kvarter. For
a membership fee of 70,- you can watch as many films as you
like. www.bergen-filmklubb.no
Bergen International Film Festival (BIFF) is an annual film
festival held a week every autumn. This year the festival will
take place from 19th - 26th of October.
www.biff.no
Bergen Public Library is the second largest public library in
Norway. The present institution was founded in 1872, but is
based on much older library traditions in the city. The main
library was built in 1917 and it is now a listed building.
700.000 books, periodicals, sheet music, CDs, videos etc are
available for free for library users.
www.bergenbibliotek.no
Bergen and Religion
Bergen is a diverse multi-religious city with opportunities for
those who wish to attend religious meetings, concerts and
much more.
Bergen Public Library
City of Knowledge
With over seven different institutions of higher education in or
around the city centre of Bergen, you should certainly be able
to pursue studies here in your chosen academic field.
The University of Bergen has earned the reputation of being
Norway’s most international university. UiB has six faculties:
Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Law, Faculty of
Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and
Dentistry, Faculty of Psychology and Faculty of Social Sciences.
www.uib.no
Bergen University College offers the widest range of
engineering programmes in Norway. HiB is organised into
three faculties: Faculty of Education, Faculty of Engineering and
the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. www.hib.no
Norwegian School of Economics is Norway’s largest centre for
research and education within the field of Economics and
Business Administration. www.nhh.no
Bergen National Academy of the Arts is one of only two
national institutions with a special responsibility for providing
education within art and design in Norway. www.khib.no
NLA University College educates teachers and consists of two
campuses: NLA Sandviken and NLA Breisten. www.nla.no
Betanien Deaconal University College educates nurses.
www.betanien.no
Haraldsplass Deaconess University College educates nurses
and offers postgraduate programmes.
www.haraldsplass.no
City of Research
Bergen has a number of international renowned research
centres.
The Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research (BCCR) is the
largest climate research centre in the Nordic countries and
among the leading centres in Europe. The centre has an
international profile with leading expertise within climate
understanding, climate modelling and scenarios for future
climate changes and quantification of climate change.
www.bjerknes.uib.no
Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI) is an independent centre for
research on international development and policy. CMI
conducts both applied and theoretical research, and has a
multidisciplinary profile anchored in ten thematic research
clusters. CMI has close formal institutional collaborations with
the University of Bergen and the Norwegian School of
Economics, including teaching, joint research projects and
support to graduate students and PhD candidates.
www.cmi.no
Christian Michelsen Research’s (CMR) technology
environment traces its roots back to 1930, as part of the
Chr. Michelsen Institute (CMI). CMR conducts high-quality
technology research in many important regional and national
areas such as energy/petroleum, marine/maritime and
climate/environment. www.cmr.no
Centre for Medieval Studies (CMS) was established for a ten
year period in 2003. Since then researchers at CMS have
been involved in numerous projects involving one or more of
the multidiciplinary areas of the Centre studies.
www.uib.no/cms
Centre for Integrated Petroleum Research (CIPR) conducts
applied research into increased oil exploitation and secure CO2
storage. Uni CIPR’s strength is integration of traditional
research areas in cross dicipline cooperation. www.cipr.uni.no
studybergen.no
Foto: Michelle Ingrid Greene
Photo: Terje Bergensen and Kari Barnardini
Student Culture
There are more than 25 000 students from over 100
different countries in Bergen. The city is marked by their
presence, with the university and many of the colleges located
right in the city centre.
The student population is an important component of city life
and without a doubt contributes to the diversity of Bergen.
Joining a student organisation is a nice way to get to know
student life in Bergen from the inside, to meet other students
and learn Norwegian.
What interests do you have? Would you like to join a choir,
band or orchestra? Are you concerned with humanitarian,
political, religious or environmental issues? Do you want to
arrange concerts or debates? Or maybe join a theatre group
or a film club? All of these and more are available. You will
also find different media activities such as the Student Radio,
Student TV and various student newspapers. And, of course,
there are sport groups for climbing, diving, sailing, skiing, as
well as different kinds of ball games, martial arts and so on. If
you cannot find an organisation to suit your interests, why not
start one yourself?
The best way to obtain more information about the different
organisations is to see our webpages:
www.studybergen.com
Student Clubs
Visiting the different student clubs is an excellent way of
participating in student life in Bergen and meeting up with
students from different programmes and institutions. The clubs
are run by and for students on a voluntary basis. You can work
as a volunteer, or come as a guest.
Det Akademiske Kvarter
Kvarteret is the epicentre of student culture in Bergen, hosting
over 2200 events every year. It has a young and vibrant
atmosphere and can house 1500 visitors.
Every week student organisations use Kvarteret to hold
concerts, films, debates, theatre and much much more.
Everything is organized and run by students for students.
Kvarteret depends on volunteers. At any given time about 400
people are needed to run the organisation. There are many
ways of contributing to the activities at Kvarteret. Hundreds of
students volunteer here each year as bartenders, sound and
light technicians, security personnel, concert organisers,
photographers, journalists and graphic designers.
Volunteering here is a good opportunity to meet new friends
and to learn some Norwegian. If you want to work at
Kvarteret, please send an email to: [email protected]
Address: Olav Kyrres gate 49
Website: www.kvarteret.no
Student Clubs
Hulen
Since 1969 Hulen has been a natural meeting place for
students who enjoy having fun and listening to good music.
Directly translated Hulen means “The Cave”, which is very
fitting since it really is a cave. The club is situated under
Nygårdsparken in a former air-raid shelter. This is Bergen’s
most traditional student club, known for its long history as a
concert arena. Hulen is open Thursdays, Fridays and
Saturdays. www.hulen.no
Klubben
NHHS is the student association at NHH, and Klubben is the
name of the student-run nightclub in the basement at the
school. It is open every weekend, and it is a popular place for
students to meet. With several bars located within the club it
has the capacity to serve more than 1,000 students.
www.nhhs.no
Other Student Clubs
Some of the student housing complexes, in addition to
different departments and faculties at the various institutions,
also run student clubs. Examples are:
• Klubb Fantoft at Fantoft Student Housing
• Club Alrek in the basement of Alrek Student Housing
• Café Teknokrates, the café run by students from Bergen University College
International Student Organisations
Bergen has probably the most international student community
in the whole of Norway. Of the many student organisations
in Bergen, some specialise in the well-being of international
students.
International Student Union (ISU)
The International Student Union of Norway is committed to the
social, academic and political interests of all international
students studying in Norway. For cultural exchange and
integration, ISU organises different social activities in Bergen in
collaboration with other student organisations.
E-mail: [email protected]
Buddy Bergen
Buddy Bergen is a six week program that seeks to better
integrate international students in Norwegian student society.
When participating in the program you will be paired with a
Norwegian student who can help you get to know Bergen.
Your Buddy can answer your questions about everyday life in
Bergen, and together you can join weekly activities.
www.buddybergen.com
Erasmus Student Network (ESN)
Every country, every city, every university has its own traditions.
It takes time for a newcomer to find his or her way in the new
environment. The Erasmus Student Network in Bergen
arranges parties, trips and activities for exchange students.
Sign up for the mailing list [email protected], and you will
receive all the information you need.
www.bergen.esn.no
Student Welfare
The Student Welfare Organisation in Bergen (SiB) offers a
variety of services to contribute to your well-being as a student
in Bergen. When you pay the semester fee, you automatically
become a member of SiB and can make use of their welfare
services.
Sport and Recreation
SiB`s Sports Department runs six sports and fitness centres
that offer a broad range of facilities and activities. These
include facilities for various team sports, gyms with
weightlifting equipment, a wide range of group fitness classes,
yoga classes, squash courts, a swimming pool and some of
the best climbing walls in Scandinavia.
For 870 NOK per semester you get unlimited access to the
swimming pool, gyms and all the group fitness classes. You
also receive discounts when renting squash courts or using the
climbing walls.
Counselling and Health
The Counselling and Health Services have been established
in order to meet the diverse needs of students. The Student
Counselling Service provides students with an opportunity to
talk confidentially about personal, social or financial matters.
The Student Mental Health Care Centre (SPH) offers free
counselling. Clinical psychologists, in cooperation with
psychiatrists (if required), provide this counselling service.
You are also entitled to have parts of your expenses for
medical consultations refunded if these expenses exceed NOK
350 per year.
More information
For more information about the services of the Student
Welfare Organisation in Bergen, see www.sib.no.
Welcoming New Students
The educational institutions arrange introductory
programmes for new students. Various social and cultural
events, as well as welcoming ceremonies, are included in these
programmes.
In August, when the autumn semester begins, most of the
institutions arrange a Freshers’ Week, where mentors guide
new students through a week filled with different social
activities. This is a great opportunity for you to get to know
your fellow students.
Throughout the year social activities are arranged by
different student organisations, giving you the opportunity to
participate in concerts, festivals, sports activities, parties, trips
and debates.
Events by Study Bergen
Study Bergen arranges different events for all students in
Bergen such as;
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Bergen Student Fjord Cruise: September
Bergen Student Hike: September
Classical concert with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra: Oct.
International Student Day: October
Bergen Student Skiing: March
Bergen Student Skerries Cruise: May
Bergen Student Night Hike: June
Follow us for more details about the events:
www.studybergen.com
You can also follow us on Facebook
Student Map
Bergen is easy to get acquainted with. The city centre is
surrounded by mountains and the sea, which makes it easy
to orientate yourself.
Nevertheless it may be useful with some help in the
beginning. We have made a student map which may help
you to find your way around. On the map we have included
some of the important locations for students, such as the
campuses, the Student Centre, the student clubs and the
student gyms.
www.studybergen.com
Study Bergen is a joint project between:
University of Bergen
Bergen University College
Norwegian School of Economics
Bergen National Academy of the Arts
NLA University College
Betanien Deaconal University College
Haraldsplass Deaconess University College
The Student Welfare Organisation in Bergen
Bergen Municipality
Hordaland County Council
Bergen Chamber of Commerce and Industry
I tjeneste
for mennesker
www.studybergen.com