Several factors made it compelling for Sofie to come to NMBU, one of them being the minimal hierarchy and accessibility of the staff.
Name: Sofie van Dooren
Study program: Applied Economics and Sustainability
Why did you choose to study in Norway?
I met a lot of internationals during my bachelor, which inspired me to go abroad myself. It is such a valuable experience to be around students from all over the world.
And Norway has a high standard of living, and there is little hierarchy at the university. This really helps you feel welcome and improved my learning experience.
I chose NMBU because I love being around nature! And at the same time, Oslo is super easily accessible so you can go to the big city any time you want.
Plus, I think it’s great to study environmental economics at a university that is specialized in sustainability, not just economics. Sustainability is not an afterthought in this program.
How did you experience settling in on campus?
There is a lot to do in the first few weeks, so you’re kept busy. I found it easy to settle in that way.
Tell us about your study program
My study program addresses issues like how the environment and economics are linked, and how can we use this link to help the environment.
It also addresses questions like how we value economic benefits and costs, how should we design environmental policy and how to measure the impact of environmental policy.
Did you do an internship?
I am currently doing an internship! I am working in a company that operates in the renewable energy market, aiming to have an impact on the amount of renewable energy in our economy. I think it is super interesting and an incredibly valuable part of my studies.
Tell us about life at Campus Ås
The campus is very spacious and beautiful during spring and summer. It’s truly great just walking around here.
The county of Ås itself may not have much to offer, but NMBU has a lot of clubs, sororities, and fraternities you can join. Many students live in Oslo, so I am there quite often as well.
The students living on campus all live close together which is great!
What do you plan to do after your studies?
I want to work somewhere where I can have an impact. The program is broad in the sense that we get a lot of different skills, that will be useful in many different fields. Where I want to work, I don’t know yet, I’m open to anything within Europe.
