Norwegian Programmes Research Articles

Attitudes towards the childhood immunisation programme among Polish immigrants in Norway

Abstract Background Norwegian-born children by Polish-born parents have lower coverage of some childhood vaccines than the general population in the nationwide Childhood Immunisation Programme. However, we know little about why this group have lower coverage. This study explored attitudes towards the Childhood Immunisation Programme among Polish immigrants in Norway. This knowledge can enhance vaccine information and further improve the prevention of infectious diseases in Norway. Methods We conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 Polish immigrants in Norway in the fall of 2022. The project explored vaccination in general, while the focus herein is on child vaccination. To better understand how the experiences and knowledge shape the participants’ attitudes towards vaccines and vaccination, the data was inductively analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis. The analysis is ongoing, and results are thus preliminary. Results Most of the participants had lived more than 10 years in Norway, while three had lived here for less than five years. All the participants had children. Based on the thematic analysis, we focused on three sub themes: 1) view of the child immunisation programme; 2) vaccine hesitancy; and 3) differences in childhood vaccination between Poland and Norway. Most of the participants’ children followed the immunisation programme. Some reported hesitancy towards the pneumococcal vaccine and the human papilloma virus vaccine. The majority of the participants expressed feeling less vaccine pressure in Norway than Poland and emphasized a high level of trust in the Norwegian health authorities. Conclusions The knowledge related to vaccine attitudes and differences between the Polish and the Norwegian programmes identified in the study, can help adapt better vaccine information and further improve the prevention of infectious diseases in Norway in general and for under-vaccinated groups in particular. Key messages • This knowledge can be used to adapt better vaccine information. • This knowledge can help to improve the prevention of infectious diseases in Norway and for under-vaccinated groups in particular.

GHG emission requirements and benchmark values for Norwegian buildings

As a response to the Paris agreement, Norway is committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50 percent by 2030. Highly energy-efficient buildings have a greater proportion of embodied GHG emissions from material use (55-87%) compared to operational emissions. A new national standard, NS3720:2018 a methodology for greenhouse gas emission calculations for buildings, has harmonised the life cycle assessment (LCA) calculation of environmental impacts arising from Norwegian buildings and has led to an increase in LCAs. This paper aims to collect life cycle GHG emission data on Norwegian building case studies to help form recommendations for national GHG emission requirements and benchmark values that can be used by the Research centre for zero emission neighbourhoods in smart cities (FME ZEN), Futurebuilt and in Norwegian building codes (TEK). To do this, a statistical analysis of a reference sample is carried out to provide bottom-up derived reference values. Empirical life cycle GHG emission data results are collected from Norwegian building case studies in the reference, design and as-built project phases, sampled from Norwegian programmes and research centres such as Futurebuilt, Framtidens Byer, ZEB and ZEN. Altogether 133 Norwegian building cases have been gathered from 2009-2020, covering 1,023,738m2 of heated floor area for 49,360 building users. A functional unit of ‘1m2 of heated floor area over a building lifetime of 60 years is used. The results show an interquartile range of 240-492 kgCO2eq/m2 or 4-8.2 kgCO2eq/m2/yr, a median of 396 kgCO2eq/m2 or 6.6 kgCO2eq/m2/yr and a mean of 324 kgCO2eq/m2 or 5,4 kgCO2eq/m2/yr for all building typologies in the as-built phase. These results can be used to form initial indications for GHG emission requirements and benchmark values in Norway.

Women’s empowerment, land and donor-driven agricultural interventions in Eastern Zambia

Nowadays Western development agencies invariably include gender in their programme and project designs, primarily to promote women empowerment. However, empirical evidence seems to suggest otherwise. We use case studies from conservation agriculture and cotton production supported by Norwegian and Chinese development aid to answer the two research questions: (i) To what extent do rural Zambian women feel empowered? (ii) Is gender mainstreaming in development aid modalities a panacea for women empowerment in agricultural development interventions in Zambia? A household survey was conducted with 235 randomly selected households between October and November 2015. Of these households, 159 and 76 were participating in Norwegian and Chinese intervention projects, respectively. The survey was later complemented by six focus group discussions (FGDs) and 12 key informant interviews in August 2016. A triple-stream approach for focus discussions was used i.e., women-only FGDs, men-only FGDs and FGDs with both women and men. We find that despite differences in project modalities, with the Chinese aid programme not having any explicit women empowerment goals while the Norwegian programmes claimed to mainstream gender, both modalities resulted in increased access and control over productive resources by women farmers. We conclude that gender mainstreaming in development aid programme and project design may not be a panacea for women empowerment and that interventions that do not demand any capital outlay from smallholders are more likely to engender women empowerment than those that do. It appears that women empowerment may take place as much as an indirect consequence of interventions as a consequence of interventions specifically addressing gender equality. It may also be the result of broader societal changes.

Seabed mapping in Norwegian waters: programmes, technologies and future advances

Abstract A holistic understanding of the oceans as part of the Earth system is imperative for the future management and sustainable utilization of the ocean's natural resources. Increasing pressures on global resources have been accompanied by important advances in acoustic remote sensing technologies, allowing us to map the seabed in unprecedented detail. The MAREANO (Marine areal database for Norwegian waters) programme in Norway, one of the world's largest seabed mapping programmes, is designed to close the knowledge gaps with the use of the new technologies. To date, since the start in 2005, c. 1170 million NOK (Norwegian kroner), equivalent to c. US$115m have been allocated to this programme (2005–20). This paper outlines the development of MAREANO and other large marine mapping and science programme proposals in Norway, and considers which factors influenced whether they were realized or not. In conclusion, funding of MAREANO came as a result of the convergence of political needs, technical capacity and multi-institutional co-operation. We further give an overview of the new and improved seabed mapping technologies, and finally we discuss the Norwegian programmes in connection with similar major international ongoing programmes and new initiatives and take a look at possible advances in future seabed mapping.

PROBLEMY ZRÓWNOWAŻONEGO ROZWOJU W PROGRAMACH NORWESKICH PARTII POLITYCZNYCH

PROBLEMY ZRÓWNOWAŻONEGO ROZWOJU W PROGRAMACH NORWESKICH PARTII POLITYCZNYCH

Differences and Commonalities of National Field Epidemiology Training Programmes in Europe

From 1994 to 2009, national field epidemiology training programmes (FETP) have been installed in Spain, Germany, Italy, France and Norway. During their two year duration, different components of the FETP are devised as follows: 63-79 weeks are spent on projects in hosting institutes, 2-26 weeks in outside projects, 9-30 weeks in courses and modules, and 1-2 weeks in scientific conferences. A considerable proportion of the Spanish FETP has is provided conventional class room training . The content of the modules is very similar for all programmes. Except from the Italian programme, all focus on infectious disease epidemiology. The German and Norwegian programmes are so called EPIET-associated programmesas their participants are integrated in the modules and the supervision offered by EPIET, but salaries, facilitators, and training sites are provided by the national programme. These EPIET-associated programmes require strong communications skills in English. Alumni of all five FETP are generally working within the public health work force in their respective countries or at international level, many of them in leading functions. Although three new FETP have been installed since the last published Euroroundup in Eurosurveillance on European FETP in 2001, the progress with respect to the establishment of national FETP or EPIET-associated programmes has been slow. Member States should be aware of how much support EPIET can offer for the establishment of national FETP or EPIET-associated programmes. However, they also need to be ready to provide the necessary resources, the administrative environment and long-term dedication to make field epidemiology training work.

Refurbishing the Doll's House?

Ten years ago A Doll's House was staged at Tr⊘ndelag Teater [the Theatre in Trondheim], in a production that was characterized by the circumstance that the three acts were situated in three differe...

Technology transfer as a learning and developmental process: an analysis of Norwegian programmes on technology transfer : Morten Levin Technovation, 13(8) (1993) 497–518

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the causes of the 2008 crisis, from theory to practice. A brief analysis of the so called failure of the economic professions is conducted, followed by the analysis of the most used theoretical concepts that have all missed to encompass behavioral elements. Next, we present three vital aspects for triggering the crisis and possibly doing so in the future too: information asymmetry in the banking sector, too big to fail theory and the need for a level playing field for the ECB and the Fed and capital control. A return to the art part of economics is the general conclusion.

Technology transfer as a learning and developmental process: an analysis of Norwegian programmes on technology transfer

This paper focuses on understanding technology transfer. The point of departure is to construct a model for transfer of technology based on organizational theory. The model identifies the transfer as a socio-technical learning and developmental process (TLD process). Technology is understood as a social construction where human choice and values determine the outcome. A successful transfer of new technology depends on a socio-technical change process, where the success is reached when the local company profitably integrates technology in its day-to-day operation. The TLD model is used as the basis for an empirical analysis of Norwegian programmes on technology transfer. This work is introduced by giving an overview of the literature evaluating the programmes. This literature, strongly influenced by qualitative methodology, does not give much insight into the basic elements of the TLD process. Therefore, the next step in the research is to investigate the models for the programmes in operation. The main conclusion is that no programme design is consciousiy based on understanding technology transfer as a socio-technical learning and developmental process. Firstly, technology is usually considered as a material artefact and not as a carrier of knowledge and cultural values. Secondiy, the traditional developmental model is bureaucratic and top-down. The intention is to furnish companies with technology and not to let the potential use of new technology be integrated into a planned learning and developmental process. The key point in this paper is to advocate that policymakers and managers of technology transfer programmes redesign their programmes to incorporate the important and necessary learning and developmental processes. If this is taken seriousiy, it will be possible to take full advantage of technology transfer as an important element in technology policy.