Nordic Center for International Studies AS (NORCIS) was established in Bali in November 2011. The aim of NORCIS is to increase joint academic research and education. NORCIS will work closely with the foundation Dwi Nusa Semenda and Udayana University, the largest university in Bali.
The chairman, Rolf Zelius, reminds the newsletter that Norwegian academic studies abroad were initiated more than 20 years ago when a Norwegian organization started teaching university courses in Bali in cooperation with the foundation, Dwi Nusa Semenda, and the Norwegian philosopher Arne Næss.
In the early years, the students had to return to Norway to conduct their exams, but after Norwegian University Colleges got accredited, students were allowed to complete their studies in Bali. The number of Norwegian students spending one semester in Bali, has increased dramatically over the last year and currently more than 1200 Norwegian students stay in Bali over the duration of two semesters every year.
NORCIS wants to i) offer university institutions to “lease” a part of the international campus of Udayana University developed and run by NORCIS CAMPUS BALI. ii) offer to Indonesian and international students to enroll with Udayana University for jointly designed university studies. These studies will have a mix of international and Indonesian lecturers, and iii) offer special courses tailored customers both in the professional and private market.
NORCIS has two Indonesian and two Norwegian owners. Three are living in Bali and one in Norway.Rolf Zelius tells the newsletter that in February 2012, NORCIS started the renovation of a number of buildings within a large area to be the future international campus of Udayana. NORCIS will develop this campus to an active meeting place with its library, lecture halls, laboratories, offices, seminar rooms and cafés. According to Rolf Zelius the work is expected to be completed the summer of 2012.