Several Colleges Gain Student Ombuds in Collaboration with University of Oslo

In August, Norway's legislature passed a law requiring Student Ombuds (Studentombudet) for all colleges an universities. Most large schools already have Ombuds in place, but the new law has presented a challenge to smaller schools. One solution emerged earlier this month. On November 18, the University of Oslo entered into a collaboration with six smaller colleges in Oslo for Ombuds services:
Oslo School of Architecture and Design (Arkitektur- og designhøgskolen i Oslo), Oslo National Academy of the Arts (Kunsthøgskolen i Oslo), Lovisenberg Diaconal University College (Lovisenberg diakonale høgskole), Bjørknes University College (Bjørknes Høyskole), Norwegian Police University College (Politihøgskolen), and the Norwegian Academy of Music (Norges musikkhøgskole). Meanwhile, Marianne Høva Rustberggard, the UiO Student Ombuds has already been serving in the same role for the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences (Norges idrettshøgskole). She will be assisting Pål Gustavsen, who will be setting up the new Ombuds programs at the six colleges.

Gustavsen is an attorney and has been working in the audit department at the University of Oslo (UiO). His experience includes work on gender, equality, discrimination, and immigration issues. Rustberggard served on the search committee that selected Gustavsen. (Khrono.)

Related posts: Meet University of Oslo’s First Student Ombuds; Momentum Builds for Student Ombuds at All Norwegian Universities; University of Oslo Appoints First Science Ombuds.