Resources for our work involving the learning environment and the start of studies at HVL

Here you’ll find an overview of resources related to the learning environment and learning support at HVL

Good Start

All HVL campuses offer Good Start for first year students. With Good Start, we offer useful advice and important tips for new students. Good Start is a collaborative effort between Sammen and HVL. Check out the presentation in norwegian from Stord here.

About ‘My Start of Studies’

This class will provide students with important information about studying at HVL, as well as introducing them to the various tools used at the institution. What’s more, there’s information about support services, student democracy, and our faculties and campuses.

Here are the links to the Canvas classes in norwegian for:

‘FIN Start’ (‘great start’) for engineering and science students

‘FIN Start’ is a new initiative which runs at the start of the students’ first semester at the Faculty of Engineering and Science (Fakultet for ingeniør- og naturvitenskap (FIN)). FIN Start was run for the first time in 2019. The faculty has lofty aims for the project: Improved well-being, improved results, reduced dropout. Watch video in norwegian – Psychosocial learning environments – What do we do in FIN? 

Fin Start is inspired by Teknostart at NTNU, and runs for the first two weeks of the semester. First-year students will work with mathematics (in the form of an introduction to MATLAB) and an engineering introductory course. Great emphasis is placed on the students getting to know each other (academic collaboration) and gaining an understanding of the transition from school pupil to student (study routine and independence)

Read the complete evaluation report for 2020, with arrangements for 2021  (in norwegian).

 Examination code

Learn to master the tricks that will help you pass your exams and succeed as a student! Read more at eksamenskoden.no (in norwegian)

Read a professional article about the Examination Code (in norwegian)

Student Mentoring Scheme

Student mentors will help first-year students to more quickly integrate themselves, both academically and socially, into the study programme and the study environment. Simply put, the scheme makes the transition from high school pupil to student much easier for our new students.

HVL started a pilot project in spring 2020 with a mentoring scheme for first-year students at HVL. In spring 2021, the second pilot project started up, and in autumn 2021 it was expanded, with new mentoring schemes for different programmes of study at HVL.

What is the mentoring scheme? 

A mentor is an experienced student who can support you in your studies. With a mentor, you can discuss the various aspects of being a student. This can cover, for example, presentation stress, mastering exams, loneliness, doubts about subject choices, lack of motivation, and so on.

Student mentors are also familiar with the campus, and can help you get an overview of and benefit from offers relating to student welfare and student organisational life, both inside of and outside of the institution.

The Buddy Scheme is a student-organised initiative which runs for the first few weeks of the first semester. These weeks mainly consist of social activities which also run in free time, either on or off campus.

As a student at HVL, you will meet other experienced students who have various roles throughout the semester, such as group leaders, student assistances and others. One of the differences between a student assistent/group leader and a mentor, is that student mentors are prepared for conversations and group discussions which aren’t directly related to the syllabus or the subject.

The mentoring scheme starts up at the beginning of the academic year. Student mentors are available for first-year students all through the first semester, and in many cases throughout the whole study year. The initiative is linked to a course of study and administered by the faculty or department, and takes place mainly on campus during the day.

Why a mentor? 

The majority of mentoring scheme activities are voluntary, but by taking part you’re able to learn things you would have spent a lot of time looking up otherwise – you might even have overlooked them. You can reap the experiences of your fellow students, gain insight and knowledge that makes studying easier, and become part of a supportive and inclusive community.

Questions about the mentor scheme? 

Do you have questions or feedback? Send an email to Øystein Backelin: oystein.backelin@hvl.no

Student assistants

Our student assistants also play an important role in ensuring good learning outcomes, learning environments and study progression. With this scheme, new students can get to know other students who are more experienced than themselves.

You can read more about student assistants at HVL here (in norwegian).