Supported by Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ISET’s collaboration with the Norwegian School of Economics (Norges Handelshøyskole – NHH) started more than four years ago with regular faculty visits by some of the most senior NHH scholars, professors Einar Hope and Rognvaldur Hannesson. The main goal of the new 3-year phase, to be financed by the Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Education (Senter for internasjonalisering av utdanning (SIU)), is to develop a dual degree program in energy and environmental economics. SIU funding will also provide ISET students and faculty with the opportunity to spend some time on the NHH campus in Bergen, participate in research seminars, and take advanced courses that are not available at ISET. Norwegian students will also visit ISET in order to learn from Georgia’s experience in eradicating corruption and promoting fast-track modernization. The first visit by a group of more than 30 Norwegian students is planned for early April 2016. The NHH delegation will be led by Prof.Tina Søreide, a leading scholar in the field of law and economics, and Prof. Sunniva Whittaker, Vice-Rector at NHH.

It goes without saying that the academic partnership with the Norwegian School of Economics is a major step towards making ISET a truly international program. NHH is the latest addition to the list of ISET international partners which already includes such premier European institutions as HEC Lausanne, the Stockholm School of Economics, and the University of Bielefeld.

The Norwegian School of Economics is a business school situated in Bergen, Norway. Opened in 1936 by King Haakon VII, it is Norway's oldest business school and has since its foundation been a leading Norwegian teaching and research institution in the fields of economics and business administration. The school celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2011.