European Project Semesterat Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences

A 30 ECTS credit multidisciplinary and multicultural engineering design project semester.

What is EPS?EPS is a one semester course designed to train third year engineering students to do project work in international teams. It is offered at Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences both in the Spring semester and the Autumn semester. Today several European universities offer an EPS-programme in close co-operation with each other.

EPS consists of a formally taught section of Supporting Courses (10 ECTS) and a hands-on Engineering Design Project (20 ECTS) carried out by teams of students with different national backgrounds.Teams of 3-5 students work together on multi-disciplinary projects designed to develop their co-operation and communication skills. Projects are carefully chosen and the project teams are overseen by highly qualified supervisors.

BackgroundEPS has become a great success and is recognized all over Europe since its start in 1995 at Copenhagen University College of Engineering. The value of working in an international environment and at the same time improving one’s English language skills cannot be overestimated in today’s global economy and labour market.

Who can apply?

Mainly third year students, primarily of engineering, but students of economics, architecture, design, management and marketing may have relevant backgrounds to contribute in the projects. All lectures, supervision and group work take place in English. Therefore, good English skills are required.

Applications and acceptance process

Application deadlines:

• Spring semester: 1st October• Autumn semester: 15th April

Every semester we select 20-25 students for the EPS-Oslo programme. These students receive a number of project proposals and have to prioritize three of the projects they would like to work on. We do our utmost to fulfill the students’ first priority choice of project, depending on the availability of projects and mix of nationalities in each project team.

Accommodation and costs of living

Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences offers student housing, and it is important to apply for accommodation at an early stage in the EPS application process. The student rooms are simple, with fairly reasonable rents, situated both in the central areas of Oslo and in the suburbs. Norway is not a low-cost country, but you should be fairly well off on an estimated budget of NOK 8000 a month, inclusive boarding. There is no tuition fee for participants in the EPS-programme.

Norwegian language and culture

You will inevitably make a lot of new friends during the EPS-semester. To make your stay even more enjoyable we offer lessons in some basic Norwegian language. Together with some history and cultural knowledge about Norway and Oslo, your stay will be an experience never to be forgotten.

Oslo is an exciting place to live and study, and even though it is a fairly small capital, it offers most of the amenities of a modern capital: nice cafés, a bustling night life, exotic restaurants, cinemas, theatres, museums, plenty of green lungs etc. However, to get away from all this, it takes only 20 minutes on the suburban train from downtown to get to Nordmarka – “The wilderness”.

Nature and climateIn the Spring semester you will experience the transition from cold Winter to mild Spring when the trees become green and people cheer up as the sun starts to make its impact. You can enjoy both a nice Winter day of skiing and a nice day of sun and BBQ in one of Oslo’s many parks, beaches or islands.

In the Autumn semester you will experience the transition from summer to winter. Autumn with crystal clear air and wonderful colours, and as it gets colder and darker you might even experience

the first snowfall. You can enjoy indoor activities in one of Oslo’s many cinemas, cafés, museums, bars, concert halls etc. Both semesters have their own charm and we assure you that you will experience amazing days through the whole year – don’t forget your camera and suitable clothing.

Buddy GroupAll new international students are automatically assigned a Buddy Group. A Buddy Group consists of 10-20 new students and 3 local students acting as Buddy Group leaders. Your Buddy leaders will:

• Help you organize your first days in Oslo

• Organize activities

• Answer your questions about student life in Norway

“CHRISTINA HANFF, MARK ROSSEN AND JOS VAN ERP:

Three former EPS-studentsIn a world where the land is vast and the fjords are endless, there lies a great opportunity for all international students…

«We are three engineering students from Germany and The Netherlands, who grasped the opportunity and came to Norway. We were here for 3.5 months honing our skills in, not only engineering subjects, but in English and team- and project management as well. Mainly this takes place in multicultural teams working on challenging projects, supported by helpful supervisors. To provide us with the needed background information we listen to enlightening speeches by international guest lecturers.

Of course you don’t stand alone and you get a lot of support from the international office and the coordinator of the EPS. Not only with school problems, but they help with accommodation, our daily lives and whatever other problems we may bring to their attention.

All work and no play would be dull and therefore you’ll get ample opportunity to experience Norwegian culture by enrolling in the international students´ program. They organize trips and activities. Apart from that there is still enough free time to plan your own trips and we strongly suggest you to do so. Norway has some awesome natural scenery in store for you to explore. So if you want to see more of this beautiful country, apply for EPS now and experience Norway for yourself!»

www.hioa.no/eps+47 67 23 50 00

Oslo and Akershus University College of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Technology, Art and Design

P.O. Box 4 St. Olavs PlassNO-0130 OSLO