NorPal
NorPal
Norwegian Consortium for Higher Education in Palestine
The Norwegian Consortium for Higher Education in Palestine – NorPal – is a cooperation between 20 Norwegian universities and higher education institutions, and the National Union of Students in Norway.
The aim of NorPal is to mobilize and coordinate academic resources in Norway in support of higher education and research in Palestina. The consortium has a broader and more long-term perspective than the immediate needs in Gaza and includes also cooperation with universities and higher education institutions on the West Bank, with the aim of contributing to a robust and stable higher education sector in Palestine.
It is a essential that NorPal activities are firmly based in the needs defined by higher education and research in Palestine.
NorPal is organized with a Board and an executive committee, while the activities take place in national working groups answering to defined and articulated needs in Palestine.
Invitation to a national workshop 26 February 2026
Strengthening of higher education and research in Palestine: What can Norwegian academic institutions and environments do?
- Time: 26 February 2026, 10.00–15.00
- Place: OsloMet festsal, Pilestredet 52, Oslo
Programme for the workshop – NOTE: updated 26.02.26 (pdf)
NorPal cordially invites Norwegian academics to a workshop to discuss and explore ongoing and planned cooperation with Palestine in higher education and research. Participants are invited to give short introduction, and there will be ample time for discussions of initiatives and sharing of experiences.
Representatives of Palestinian higher education institutions will tell us about the current needs of the sector, and the Norwegian government will lay out the plans for Norway’s contribution in the rebuilding phase.
We are proud to announce that Professor Sultan Baraka, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, will be giving a keynote during the conference.
Call for Network Funding
The Board of NorPal invites Norwegian academic environments to apply for network funding to establish national working groups aimed at strengthening and contributing to the rebuilding of higher education and research in Palestine
Download Call for Network Funding and application form
Application Deadline: 26 March 2026
Please send your application to
- nina.sindre@ntnu.no
- with a copy to hallgerd.hoff.helgetun@ntnu.no
It is a prerequisite that academic environments from several higher education institutions apply together for funding within the same thematic area. The national workshop taking place on 26 February aims to bring together Norwegian academic environments.
The maximum application amount is up to NOK 300,000 per working group per year. Funding is provided for two years.
The funds may be used for various network activities, including pre-project funding and meetings.
– Finally, we have begun the work in NorPal. The war in Gaza has left schools and universities in ruins, and many of us have felt a strong desire to contribute.
We are seeing great interest from a wide range of academic communities, and I hope as many as possible will engage in the NorPal initiatives.
Academic communities that do not have concrete plans to apply for networking funding are also welcome to participate in the workshop.
Monica Rolfsen
NorPal Members
- Molde University College HiM
- Nord University
- Norwegian Academy of Music NMH
- Norwegian Student Organization
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences NMBU
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology NTNU
- Oslo National Academy of the Arts KHIO
- OsloMet
- Queen Maud University College of Early Childhood Education DMMH
- SAIH
- The Arctic University of Norway UiT
- The Oslo School of Architecture and Design AHO
- University of Bergen UiB
- University of Oslo UiO
- University of South-Eastern Norway USN
- University of Stavanger UiS
- VID Specialized University
- Volda University College HVO
- Western Norway University of Applied Sciences
- Østfold University College HIOF
NorPal Working Committe and Board
Working Committee 2026
- Monica Rolfsen, Chair of the NorPal Board, Pro-Rector Outreach and Social Responsibility, NTNU
- Tanja Storsul, Pro-Rector Research and Development, OsloMet
- Julia Holte Sempler, Head of the Department for Research, Education, and Dissemination and Deputy Director of Administration, UiT
- Per-Ludvik Kjendlie, Dean at Faculty of Humanities, Sports and Educational Science, USN
- Oscar dos Santos Hellberg-Kvalsvik, International Officer at the Norwegian Student Organization
- Nina Elisabeth Sindre, Administrative Coordinator for NorPal, NTNU
Board
Coming