Norway and Russia announce further cooperation

Representatives from the Russian Federation and the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research have agreed to cooperate on meteorology and higher education.

“We have common challenges and interests in higher education and knowledge, especially in the northern areas regarding energy and environmental studies, marine sciences, and also in social studies and language,” said Tora Aasland, the Norwegian Minister of Research and Higher Education.

The new agreements coincided with the state visit to Norway of the Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, which further enhanced broad co-operation already in place between the two countries, reports The Norway post.
In the area of higher education, several measures have been implemented to solidify relationships, including special grants for institutions in the Northern Area and the introduction of a new student Quota Scheme. After Germany, Russian nationals now constitute Norway’s second largest body of foreign students.

The purpose of the meteorology agreement is to foster improved weather forecasting around the Barents Sea, which is seen as crucial to strengthening economic and trade co-operation in the north. The arrangement will see meteorological information, expert analysis and resources shared between the two countries.

“Meteorological information for the northern areas is crucial for understanding the global climate trend. This agreement is also a contribution from the two countries to perhaps the greatest challenge in the years ahead,” claimed Aasland.

YP Trutnev, the Russian Minister of Natural Resources and Ecology, signed the meteorological agreement, while the higher education agreement was affirmed by the Education and Science Ministry’s State Secretary, Deputy Minister YP Sentyurin and Tora Aasland.