New UTFORSK students arrived

Just as a cold winter week took hold of Vestland in early January, the Department of Government welcomed its first cohort of international exchange students from Brazil, Canada and South Africa. Thanks to funding through the UTFORSK project “A global classroom for global challenges” (2025-2028), Iago Rondelli (University of Sao Paulo), Erin Szeto (Toronto Metropolitan University), Ashlyn Logan Davids and Celeste Viljoen (both University of the Western Cape) will study at UiB for one semester. For all of them, coming to Europe to study is a dream come true. “I have always wanted to have an experience of studying and doing research abroad, but I’ve never had the chance of doing it”, says Iago. Erin concurs: “there are so few opportunities for Master’s students, and even fewer that offer a stipend”. So when their program coordinators at Sao Paulo University and Toronto Met promoted the funded exchange, both applied immediately. The desire to experience university life in Europe, to travel, hike, experience Norwegian culture, and meet new people, but also very concrete academic interests motivate the exchange students. Celeste stresses Norway’s “strong international reputation for environmental protection and sustainability” which closely aligns with her academic interests and hope to inform her own MA thesis research on green solutions for her home country, while Ashlyn will also focus on research methodology courses to prepare for her PhD research and fieldwork.

The four study International Relations (Iago), Public Policy and Administration (Erin) and Environmental Law (Ashlyn and Celeste) at their home institutions. In Bergen, they will take GOV specialization electives on climate politics and global AI tech governance at the MA level, but also other courses from across different Faculties whilst in Bergen. In the GOV electives, they will also meet the third cohort of GlGov students. “This is a pedagogical concept finally come to life for us”, says Regine Paul, who leads the project jointly with Lise Rakner and Martina Vukasovic at GOV, and who currently coordinates the GlGov program. “When we applied for UTFORSK funding in 2024, we wanted to create a truly global classroom where students from the global South and settler-colonial contexts mingle with resident students and bring their diverse experiences and voices to bear on discussions of the politics and governance of global challenges.” In addition to the regular mobility options (e.g., Erasmus), the GlGOV program offers 3-4 well-funded UTFORSK spots for outgoing students from Bergen each year and receives an equal number of students from across the globe.

Incoming exchange students are nominated by their program leaders; GOV’s local UTFORSK partners Angela van der Berg (UWC), Carolyn Johns (TMU) and Danielle Rached (USP). Together with Rachel Cichowski (U Washington in Seattle) and the local GOV team, the partners presented their mutual vision for decolonial teaching and learning in global law and politics at the Bergen Exchanges in 2025. Two of our GlGov students have already benefitted from the closely-knit ties across the five campuses: Ianira Vieira Gomes Fernandes already spent a term in Sao Paulo in 2024 before UTFORSK funding became available, while Pernille Lie went to Seattle in the fall 2025 to study climate politics and do a part-time internship in an environmental NGO in the AI field. Both report finding the exchange extremely useful for developing their profiles for internationally-oriented MA theses and careers.

The hands-on partnership across the continents, and outstanding administrative support at UiB in-house, has helped levelling the road bumps which usually come with the logistics around exchange – from visa and travel arrangements, to stipend payouts, course selection and accommodation. As Ashlyn reports, with obvious relief: “There has been a lot of communication between the Professors, administrators and exchange students. This really helped clarify any misunderstandings. And the stipend arrived in time to pay for my Sammen room.” And those issues which staff cannot address, like the cold temperatures upon arrival? Ashlyn brought an extra duvet from Cape Town to Bergen “just in case”.