Central authorities and areas of responsibility in Norway
Below is a brief overview of institutions and areas of responsibility that are in various ways important to accountability compliance in international knowledge cooperation.
Recently edited : 16. May 2024Some of these institutions have overall national responsibility and all of them, except the Norwegian Intelligence Service, can give advice to the knowledge sector.
The National Security Authority (NSM) (in Norwegian) is the Norwegian directorate for preventive national security. NSM gives advice on how to secure information, systems, objects and infrastructure of national importance, as well as on personnel security. It prepares an annual risk assessment and has a national responsibility to detect, report and coordinate the handling of serious cyberattacks. NSM owns the Norwegian National Cyber Security Centre (in Norwegian).
The Police Security Service (PST) (in Norwegian) is Norway's domestic intelligence and security service and is subordinate to the Minister of Justice and Public Security. PST’s main task is to prevent and investigate serious crime that threaten national security. PST collects information about individuals and groups that may pose a threat, prepares analyses and threat assessments (in Norwegian) and provides advice.
The Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS) (in Norwegian) is Norway's foreign intelligence service. The service is subordinate to the Chief of Defence, but its work covers both civilian and military issues. The main tasks of NIS are to warn of external threats against Norway and Norway's priority interests, support the Norwegian Armed Forces and defence alliances in which Norway participates, and contribute information of particular interest to Norwegian foreign, security and defence policy. NIS does not give direct advice to individual institutions, but the NIS threat assessment (in Norwegian) is important for the Norwegian authorities' understanding of risk.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Section for Export Control manages and enforces the regulations related to export control, and is the authority that decides when an export licence is required. The section can provide advice and guidance on which subject areas and activities are regulated.
The Directorate of Immigration (UDI) considers applications for residence permits etc. in accordance with the Act relating to the admission of foreign nationals into the realm and their stay here (the Immigration Act). The applications must be assessed in relation to circumstances affecting fundamental national interests and foreign policy considerations, cf. the Immigration Act C14 (in Norwegian) and the Regulations relating to the admission of foreign nationals into the realm and their stay here (the Immigration Regulations) Chapter 19A (in Norwegian).
The Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir) has national responsibility for the administration of higher education, higher vocational education and training and skills policy. HK-dir can be contacted for questions related to foreign diplomas and international educational cooperation. The Directorate is responsible for ongoing management and follow-up of security in the sector in consultation with the Ministry of Education and Research (KD). It manages KD's Policy for information security and data protection (in Norwegian) and Rammeverk for håndteringav IKT-sikkerhetshendelseri UH-sektoren ('Framework for handling ICT security incidents in the higher education sector' – in Norwegian only). The Directorate can be contacted for questions about the three security domains of information security and data protection, national security and public security, and emergency preparedness.
The Research Council of Norway is a national strategic research administrative body under the Ministry of Education and Research, but with its own board. The Research Council is responsible for strengthening the knowledge base and helping to meet society’s need for research by promoting basic and applied research and innovation. On behalf of the Government, the Research Council (as of 2021) invests NOK 11.9 billion per year, from 15 ministries, in research. The Research Council manages a number of national strategies, plans and policies, such as the Research Council's Policy for Open Science and the Research Council's Policy for Open Access to Research Data.
The National Research Ethics Committees (FEK) are the most important national agency for research ethics. These committees are tasked with ensuring that public and private research is conducted in accordance with recognised research ethics norms. FEK is a management body for research ethics issues in all disciplines, affiliated with the Ministry of Education and Research. The committees are independent, cf. Section 3 of the Research Ethics Act They provide advice and guidance on ethical issues based on their guidelines. FEK shall assist the institutions in their work on research ethics.
Innovation Norway is a state-owned Norwegian enterprise established by special legislation. Its objective is to be the Norwegian State and the county authorities' instrument for achieving profitable business development throughout the country. Innovation Norway gives advice on start-up, growth strategies and exports, and offers financing, consultancy, expertise, networking and profiling services.
Sikt is the knowledge sector's supplier of digital infrastructure. Sikt is responsible for managing, developing and acquiring digital services, offering a digital foundation for the knowledge sector, providing advice on data protection and information security, archiving and disseminating data for research, and providing digital tools for teaching and education administration.
The Norwegian Data Protection Authority's task is to oversee the data protection regulations and help ensure that individuals' rights are not violated through the use of information that can be linked to them.
The Council for Public Security and Preparedness in the Knowledge Sector (in Norwegian): The Ministry of Education and Research has appointed the Council for Public Security and Preparedness in the Knowledge Sector as a voluntary measure to strengthen work on public security and preparedness. The council contributes to the sharing of best practices and has developed guides on security and preparedness for the knowledge sector.
The Norwegian Industrial Property Office is an agency organised under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. The Norwegian Industrial Property Office provides knowledge and expertise concerning intellectual property rights and assets, enabling businesses and institutions to protect their investments and competitive position and create economic growth in Norwegian society.
Eksfin (Export Finance Norway) is a governmental institution under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. Eksfin aims to make Norwegian export industries financially competitive abroad. Eksfin may furnish government loans and guarantees that promote specific sales contracts, export-promoting investments in Norway, or other types of transactions that contribute to Norwegian value creation and employment.