The Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills is organizing the conference "Learning in the North" on Thursday this week. Focus is on how to develop the proper skills for tomorrow's business and communities in the High North.

Large distances, scattered settlements, small professional environments and a large number of natural resource-based industries give the Nordic High North special challenges in offering the population a broad and relevant educational offer, the organizers write.

"Through this event, we want to arrange for various actors in the northern Nordic region to meet to exchange experiences, and have the opportunity to raise some important issues that they work with", says Eva Høifødt, Senior Adviser in the Directorate for Higher Education and national coordinator in EPALE Norway.

"Emigration and population decline is a trend we have in common in the High North in the Nordic countries, and which means that societies are built down over time. There are complex reasons for this trend, but one of the reasons is that young people move to larger cities to get an education, and establish themselves in the labor markets in which they have been educated. Several of the conference speakers address precisely this issue", Høifødt adds.

Anne Solsvik, Senior Adviser in the Directorate for Higher Education and national coordinator in NVL, emphasizes that it is interesting to look to other countries in the Nordic region that face similar challenges as Norway, both to learn - and to share Norwegian experiences.

"In the north, where there are small conditions and few people, it is especially difficult for both business and the public sector to secure people with the right skills. An important prerequisite for further growth in the business community in the north is access to labor with good and relevant skills. How can we facilitate that everyone has access to relevant and flexible education and training, no matter where they live? And what are the competence needs we have to cover?" asks Solsvik.

The conference is aimed at actors in the education sector, business and administration in the Nordic High North. The seminar is organized in collaboration with the Nordic Network for Adult Learning, NVL Norway and the Electronic Platform for Adult Learning in Europe, EPALE Norway .