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SED visits folk high school in Oslo (with photos)
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    The Secretary for Education, Mr Michael Suen, today (May 9, Oslo time) visited the Ronningen Folk High School, the only folk high school in Oslo of Norway.

    During the visit, he was briefed on the profile and structure of the school.  He also toured around the school where students' artistic work was displayed and enjoyed presentation of students' musical and film projects.

    Folk high schools are one-year boarding schools supplement to the regular education system in Norway with the aim of nurturing "the whole person".  They offer a variety of courses in areas like art, handicrafts, media and music.

    Apart from the folk high school, Mr Suen also visited an upper secondary school which offered courses on both academic subjects and vocational training in fields of electricity and electronics, art and design, as well as media and communication.

    In the morning, Mr Suen met with the Chairperson of the Standing Committee on Education, Research and Church Affairs of the Storting, the Norwegian Parliament, Ms Ine Marie Eriksen Soreide, and they exchanged views on challenges that lied ahead in enhancing the education systems on both sides.  He then visited the Department of Education and Training of the Ministry of Education and Research, and was given a brief presentation of the Norwegian kindergarten sector and school system.

    He also called on the Chinese Ambassador to Norway, Madam Gao Jian, and attended a dinner hosted by her.

    Mr Suen said that the visit to Finland and Norway was most fruitful as he was given the chance to see for himself the actual operation of the education systems in these two Northern European countries.  He had met government officials and people working in the field for optimising education, nurturing children and equipping them with the ability for life-long learning.

    On May 8 (Oslo time), Mr Suen had a day's programme to get more understanding about developments in the higher education system in Norway. 

    He first met with the State Secretary for the Minister of Research and Higher Education of the Ministry of Education and Research, Mr Jens Revold, and learnt that Norway was working hard to internationalise its universities.  Noting that talent was one of the most important assets of Hong Kong, he outlined measures that we were doing to attract overseas talent to come to our territory.

    In addition, Mr Suen was told the quality reform that had been taking place in the Norwegian higher education system, as well as the accreditation of higher education institutions in a subsequent meeting with members of the Ministry's Department of Higher Education and the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education.

    He then visited the University of Oslo, where he met various staff members and learnt about background of the university and its efforts put on higher education, teacher training and fostering creativity among students.  The University of Oslo is Norwayˇ¦s largest and oldest institution of higher education and took pride in having four Nobel Prize winners over the past few decades.

    He also addressed local community leaders at a reception hosted by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (London).

    Mr Suen ended his official visit in Norway today (May 9, Oslo time) and will fly back to Hong Kong tomorrow.

Ends/Saturday, May 10, 2008
Issued at HKT 06:34

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