NHH should play a key role

Idar Kreutzer and the rest of the Business Committee believe that the main goal of the NHH 2021 action programme is well within reach: that NHH shall become one of the best business schools in Europe in the next ten years.

23.03.2012 - Espen Bolghaug

During the anniversary year 2011, NHH launched a ten-year action programme that aims to boost NHH's position both academically and in relation to the market, putting it in a position to compete with the best business schools in Europe.

The action programme was developed in close collaboration with the Business Committee, which was established precisely with a view to using the anniversary to strengthen cooperation with the business community and society.

Extending the collaboration

'Both I and the rest of the committee are very happy with the work done in 2011,' says Idar Kreutzer, chair of the Business Committee and CEO of Storebrand.

The committee held its last formal meeting on Friday 9 March, at which it emerged that the members of the committee wish to continue the collaboration with NHH.

'We see what is happening at NHH as very interesting and we definitely want to contribute to lifting NHH into the elite of European business schools. Norway should have high ambitions as a knowledge nation, and NHH should spearhead this work. Although the formal collaboration has now been concluded, we are happy to collaborate on a more informal basis in the time ahead, for example by serving as a reference group that can be contacted when there is a need,' says Mr Kreutzer.

'Why is the formal collaboration not being continued?'

'The Business Committee wishes to help NHH to reach its ambitious goals, and the plan was that we would contribute in the start-up phase to get the action programme going. Now that this work is done, it is important that the action programme is followed up by the board and NHH's ordinary governing bodies,' says Mr Kreutzer.

Clear expectations

Even though the formal collaboration has been concluded, the Business Committee nonetheless has clear expectations of NHH's performance in the years ahead. Interesting and important research, attracting highly capable academics and being an interesting arena for social and political debate are areas Mr Kreutzer emphasises in particular.

'We are sure that NHH will be able to achieve this,' says the chair of the committee.

'The action programme has been running for a year now; is the work already starting to bear fruit?'

'We are already seeing meaningful results. Work on all the three thematic priority areas is well under way with a lot of interesting and important content. Of course, the business sector's somewhat short-term perspective must be balanced against the patience required for research, but I am convinced that business and industry will benefit from the work it puts into this programme, especially in the longer term,' Mr Kreutzer states.

Jan I Haaland and Idar kreutzer (Photo: Hallvard Lyssand/Archive)

Both the Rector and the Storebrand CEO are satisfied with the collaboration, which has now been formally concluded. Idar Kreutzer will nonetheless not rule out continued collaboration on a more informal level.

Foto: Hallvard Lyssand/Archive

Satisfied Rector

'I am both pleased and impressed with the great commitment the Business Committee has shown in relation to NHH,' says Rector Jan I Haaland.

He explains that the idea was to use the anniversary as an opportunity to look ahead and make plans for how to strengthen NHH's position both nationally and internationally, and the collaboration with the Business Committee has contributed greatly to this end.

'Work on the NHH 2021 action programme is well under way, which means that the committee has achieved what it set out to do. However, we at NHH are very happy that the committee is open to continued involvement and other forms of collaboration,' Mr Haaland concludes.