Semester start: – Being a Volda student is a free pass to the whole world
A warm welcome awaited the new students in Volda at the opening of the academic year, where engagement, friendship, promising futures, and everything the vibrant student town of Volda has to offer were key themes.
Atle Vasbotn Remmereit is a familiar face to many in Volda, though not yet to the new students who attentively followed the official opening of the 2025/26 academic year at Volda University College (HVO).
As this year’s keynote speaker, Remmereit quickly reassured the fresh students that there’s plenty to do in Volda during their free time, the student community is so welcoming that making friends is easy – and like Atle, you might even meet your future spouse during the Buddy Week!
So engaged – no time to sleep
Today, Remmereit runs the media production company Oclin from Volda, the town where he grew up.
– I actually moved away from Volda after high school, thinking there was nothing left for me here. But in Trondheim, everyone talked about Volda – especially media professionals, but also teachers and social workers. That made me curious, so I decided to give it a year here, Remmereit shared.
One year turned into three at HVO, resulting in a bachelor’s degree and much more.
– I made many new friends, gained new experiences, and discovered that Volda had a larger and more inclusive student community than I had realized.
It was during Buddy Week that Remmereit met Chris-Håvard Berge, with whom he started Oclin, and still runs the company with nearly ten years later.
– I met Chris-Håvard at every single booth. He represented Rokken, Student-TV, X2, and probably more. I was involved in the Red Cross, Student Radio, Peikestokken, the Week Revue, and various activities with VSI (Volda Student Sports Club). Eventually, I had to withdraw from some things – it got exhausting coming home at 8 a.m. and showing up at school at 9, Remmereit laughed.
Something for everyone
Tale Rørvik Lejon, leader of the Student Parliament in Volda, also encouraged the new students to explore the opportunities in Volda during her speech at the opening.
– Here, you’ll meet lifelong friends – whether you're hiking in the mountains, studying in the library, joining a team in the student sports club, or just sitting on a random bench in the cafeteria. Whatever your interests are, you’ll find something that suits you, said Lejon.
For Remmereit, school, volunteer work, and running his own business eventually blended together. He offered some heartfelt advice to the hundreds of new Volda students:
– Get involved, even if you feel you don’t have time or don’t need it. You’ll miss out otherwise. Being a student in Volda is a free pass to the whole world. You’ll become a better social worker, teacher, media producer, colleague, and human being by understanding people outside your own bubble.
Try new things. Suddenly, you might discover something unexpected that you’ll want to do for the rest of your life – or meet someone who changes everything.
The path you’ve planned or been told to follow might be completely different for you, and this could be the beginning of the most educational journey of your life. Make the most of your time. Talk to people, encouraged the Volda entrepreneur, who still has many good friends, colleagues, and clients from his student days in Volda ten years ago.
Important students in a troubled world
Talking to people – especially those you don’t know – was also emphasized by Rector Odd Helge Mjellem Tonheim as he welcomed the new students to Volda University College.
Tonheim highlighted that in a world that can often feel turbulent, Volda is a safe and nurturing place to study.
– Amidst this unrest, there are places where community and care can flourish. Volda is one of those places. Here, you don’t just learn subjects. You learn to see people. To understand. To care. And that’s exactly what the world needs – more than ever.
He connected this message to the programs offered at Volda University College – programs that hold great value in today’s society.
– In a world marked by polarization and unrest, we need people who build trust. We need journalists, social workers, cultural workers, teachers – people who see others and create unity. These are educations that cannot be replaced by algorithms. They are built on the most fundamental human qualities: the ability to see, understand, and help, Tonheim concluded.
Student Parliament leader Lejon ended by urging the new students to make the most of Buddy Week.
– The coming days will be ones you’ll remember for the rest of your life, so seize the opportunities, get to know new people, and above all, enjoy the beautiful nature that surrounds us. You have an exciting time ahead, and we wish you all the best!
After the inspiring words from the stage, the new members of the Volda family were greeted by their mentors and welcomed into the heart of the student town: the uniquely strong student community that Volda is so well known for.
