Norec’s training department will further strengthen its training activities aimed at external organisations in 2026.

“We run between 75 and 80 training courses every year. These are mainly for participants and partners involved in exchange cooperation through Norec. In addition, when we have available capacity, we have offered training to external actors. Going forward, we want to do this more systematically,” says Øystein Garfors, Head of Section – Knowledge and Learning at Norec.

Norec has more than 60 years of experience in global partnerships and international cooperation. Each year, around 400 young people go abroad on work exchanges through Norec. All participants receive thorough training both before and after their exchange, to be as well prepared as possible for what they will encounter.

“We have an incredible amount of knowledge in this field. In the training department, we have six advisers with extensive and broad experience in international work. We see that this is knowledge other organisations can benefit greatly from,” Garfors says.

A platform for sharing knowledge

Over the past year, Norec has, among other things, delivered a training course on safety and preparedness for work and project travel — a course that has been very popular.

“It’s encouraging to see that we can share experience built up over six decades. We know that for many public organisations and institutions, it can be difficult to develop competence in specific areas. If we can offer what we know to more people, that is a valuable addition to our core mission,” says Garfors.

He adds that the trainings also provide an important arena for participants to learn from one another.

Although Norec holds a great deal of expertise, it is equally important that the organisation can draw on a large international network built over many years.

“We have strong partners in several fields, which gives us the opportunity to tailor truly unique programmes,” Garfors says.

Focusing on four training themes

For example, last year both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Operations Centre and Norad contributed specialised expertise to the travel safety training.

“As a competence centre, we at Norec cannot be experts in every field, but we have strong partners we can bring in when needed. Feedback on the travel safety training has been unanimously positive,” says Garfors.

In the year ahead, in addition to the travel safety training mentioned above, Norec will offer courses in:

  • Intercultural competence
  • Succeeding in global partnerships
  • Pre-departure training for early-career researchers going on fieldwork

“We have already established a collaboration with the Knowledge Bank on several of the courses. Our website will always be updated with planned trainings, and more will be added as new courses are confirmed,” says Garfors.

Tailor-made trainings

In addition, Norec will enter into dialogue with organisations working in international cooperation to identify their specific training needs.

“We are also open to enquiries from organisations interested in tailor-made training. In fact, this has largely been the case for all external training we have delivered so far,” Garfors says.

Examples include training on institutional cooperation together with the Knowledge Bank for Norad, pre-departure training for students at several universities, and travel safety training for the Norwegian Tax Administration.

“Our training activities are aimed at Norwegian actors working internationally through global partnerships and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. We look forward to sharing even more knowledge in 2026,” says Garfors.

Here you will find an updated list of courses in 2026.