Areas of responsibilities

The Ministry of Education and Research’s task is to formulate future-oriented and coordinated policies for the education sector. The aim is to ensure that Norway has a good, efficient education system, as well as productive and creative research communities.

The responsibilities of the Ministry og Education and Research are: 

  • Kindergartens
  • 13-year education and training system provided by primary and secondary schools
  • Folk high schools and adults’ rights to basic education
  • Higher education and tertiary vocational training
  • Student welfare and student grants
  • Coordinating research policy
  • Adult education, skills and lifelong learning

Our mandate and social purpose can be summed up by our three strategic goals for the education sector: 

  • Education and training to enable personal development and active citizenship
  • Skills that are needed today and in the future
  • Research in order to achieve scientific progress, development and greater competitiveness 

Everyone should be able to take part in, and benefit from, the knowledge society, both now and in the future.