International impulses at Norway's most urban university

While the prospect of moving to Norway to embark on a PhD, post-doc or take up a research position may sound daunting, an enriching international experience lies ahead for new employees at OsloMet. As the university continues to expand its hiring from abroad, new staff members join a diverse community of international and Norwegian academics, where work-life balance and good working conditions are highly valued. And they do it all in Oslo, a bustling global city that serves as a major hub for shipping, startups, and public administration.

The university supports a global outlook in research and teaching, and this is perhaps best demonstrated by the philosophical and financial commitment to Open Access publishing. Scholars working in the sciences find this especially appealing as they work to further develop their professional standing in both the public and private sectors.

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Oslo is an extremely international city. You don’t have to walk very far in the city centre before you hear three or four different languages spoken. – Marco Tagliabue, Associate Professor originally from Italy

The multicultural city of Oslo

More than one-third of Oslo’s population is foreign-born or the children of immigrants. Over the past decade, the capital of Norway has ranked among the fastest growing cities in all of Europe. The result is a multicultural atmosphere that surprises many first-time visitors, and where ethnic food offerings and a variety of spoken languages are the norm.

Marco Tagliabue, an Associate Professor in the Department of Behavioural Science, values the diversity he has experienced since moving to the city. “Oslo is an extremely international city," the Italian native tells us. "You don’t have to walk very far in the city centre before you hear three or four different languages being spoken. It’s really diverse, not like something I’ve seen or experienced before.”

Still, transplants from other major metropolises might find the city slightly less diverse than they are accustomed to. Mirjam Mellema, a PhD candidate in Health Sciences and Faculty of Technology, Art and Design from the Netherlands, has a different take than her colleague Marco:

Tagliabue makes a point of drawing on the best of both worlds by also taking part in more traditional Norwegian activities like cross-country skiing after work using a headlamp in the dark winter months.

“It depends on your perspective because when I compare Oslo to the capital of my home country, Amsterdam is more international. It’s difficult to find English events in the city, like a movie with English subtitles or theatre or comedy nights—they tend rather to be in Norwegian. But if you look at the university, it has definitely become more international, especially over the two years I’ve worked at OsloMet.”

Mellema has also discovered the international neighbourhoods in the city but points out that they are limited to specific areas instead of being spread throughout the entire urban area. However, her experience at work has been a pleasant surprise.