In an effort to develop graduate level studies and research in Norway, the Norwegian Research Council (NRC) has selected a PhD proposal submitted by the University of Oslo (UiO) Faculty of Educational Science (UV) as one of five proposals to be funded in the new national research school (forskerskoler) scheme. Earlier this year, the NRC launched a call for proposals to further develop the idea of the Norwegian national research schools, allowing each Norwegian university to submit a maximum of 4 proposals. A total of 27 proposals were submitted and only five were chosen. NRC viewed the high number of applications as evidence that there is a demand for national research schools in Norway.
The UiO programme is a cooperation with seven other institutions in the area of educational research, one of the four programme tracks is on higher education and professional learning. The programme will receive 24 million NOK during an eight year period (2008/9-2016). Budget decisions on the allocation of the UiO programme funding has yet to be confirmed. However, the programme intends to begin in January 2009.