Near and dear in Volda
Come to Volda to experience the charm of small-town living and make friends for life. At VUC students are not just a number, but professors and fellow students will know you by name. We place great emphasis on student wellbeing both in and outside of the classroom.
Student life in Volda is magical all year round!
Feeling seen and accepted as an individual is very important for human beings. At Volda University College the small, one-campus institution allows for us to know the students by name and to give everyone individual attention. Our ultimate goal is for international students to thrive academically and socially.
In order to foster a social and inclusive atmosphere we have developed lots of social arenas. Free breakfasts and evening meals during exam periods; conversation groups covering lots of issues, culture shock courses, stress-relief yoga, and "borrowing a librarian" at the library are just a few examples of such events. The opportunities for students in Volda go well beyond the classroom.
– "The student years are about the entire student life, not just the studies," says the dedicated Student Welfare Group at Volda University College (VUC). "Here, we care for each other!"
Volda has its own Welfare Group
The focus on student welfare has also resulted in the creation of a Welfare Group at Volda University College (VUC). This group includes representatives from various services and offices that aim to make the student experience easier, safer and more enjoyable.
The group includes counselors, a student chaplain, a student humanist, library staff, and the leader of the Student Parliament. They have a hotline to both the local health clinic and psychologists. What they all have in common is a desire to make the student experience safe and enjoyable.
It's something special about Volda. We truly care for each other here
Eli Anne Løksa
Eli Anne Løksa is a student counselor at the Student Welfare Organization in Volda (Sivolda).
Student humanist Lone Ellingvåg Knutsen (the first student humanist in Norway!) adds,
–"And everything is set up to make it easy to show students love. There are short distances between people, literally. The doors are open; we don't operate with waiting tickets," she smiles.
It's also worth noting that there is a variety of student organizations that offer possibilities for everything from e-sports to volleyball, climbing, surfing, skiing or hiking, and student politics. Not to forget all the festivals in the town, many of which are student-run.
Open doors
Those who teach at VUC can attest to what Knutsen says. Their office doors are almost always open and the university has a culture of professors being closely connected to the students, and vice versa. This is made possible because of small class-sizes and a general less-hierarchical culture in Norwegian academia and in the country are a whole. At VUC students address the professors by their first name and is encouraged to argue against the professors and other academic authorities in exams and assignments.
SiVolda - the Student Welfare Organisation
A very important actor in student welfare is SiVolda - the Student Welfare Organisation. SiVolda is perhaps most known for operating the student residencies, but its activities goes well beyond. The cafeteria on campus, the student pub Rokken, the student kindergarten and the health- and counceling services are all run by SiVolda.
SiVolda is not a part of Volda University College, but a separate public organisation with its own staff and management. However, SiVolda and VUC cooperate very closely to provide students with the best possible experience of studying in Volda.
Did you know that SiVolda also has a boathouse at the lake where students can borrow boats, stand-up paddle boards and canoes?
