Elisabeth Olsen

The Directorate for Higher Education and Skills

The Directorate for Higher Education and Skills was established on 1 July 2021, under the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research. The directorate was a result of the merger of six different agencies: Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku), Skills Norway, Universell, as well as parts of Unit and Norwegian Centre for Research Data (NSD). The directorate will also be taking over selected tasks for the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT). The directorate has the overall, national responsibility for administering incentives within the higher education and higher vocational education sectors, as well as for skills policy. We advise the Ministry, we implement policies and coordinate incentives. The directorate shall contribute to develop quality of education and skills, strengthen international collaboration and be a driver for the digital restructuring of Norwegian universities and university colleges. We strive to enhance knowledge and skills in the population, make high-quality education and learning accessible to all throughout their lives and ensure that the world of work has access to a competent work force.