News archive

  • Rindabotn - Kyrre Groven

    The future of the Hodlekve ski area is on the agenda and through a new, European research project led by Vestlandsforsking, researchers will study how Sogndal municipality invites people to take part in the process. "The project is about working with nature-based solutions in a way that allows more people to have their voices heard. We will also develop a method that can handle conflicts of interest in a constructive way", says project manager Irmelin Gram-Hanssen.

  • Joaquin i snøen

    A sus quince años vivió La Guerra del Agua en su ciudad natal Cochabamba, Bolivia. Ese fue el comienzo de su compromiso y dedicación por la justicia socioambiental.

  • kvinner utandørs

    Can a couple of nights in a tent and around the campfire make a difference for people who are in a difficult life situation, struggling to cope with everyday life, or feeling lonely? A Polish organization is testing out Norwegian-inspired outdoor activities as a form of group therapy. They draw on insight from Vestlandsforsking about the Norwegian outdoor tradition, commonly referred to as 'friluftsliv'.

  • teknologi

    Are you curious about how artificial intelligence affects our society, or whether social media can be a resource for public services? Do you find it exciting to explore how digitization impacts school, work, and leisure? These are some of the questions for research within the Technology and Society group
    at the research institute.

  • Fem unge menneske rundt PC og bord med gule lappar

    From 16.-17. of November, a set of research institutions in western Norway organise an inter-disciplinary climate change adaptation workshop of particular relevance to practitioners in municipalities. "In recent years, nature-based solutions have been gaining interest from the government and a growing number of municipalities are catching on as well," says Hanna Kvamsås, a researcher at Norce.

  • Gruppe med vaksne forskarar av begge kjønn står oppstilt i lobby

    A recently initiated research project seeks to develop new methods to combat online hate speech and misinformation. The project has a total budget of more than NOK 19 million and is coordinated by Western Norway Research Institute (WNRI).
    "This is an ambitious project which combines research and innovation to contribute to solving a societal problem", says project coordinator Rajendra Akerkar.

  • Formelt kledde kvinner står framme i klasserom. Menn sit og klappar. Lerret i bakgrunnen.

    The Research Council of Norway recently announced that Western Norway Research Institute and its partners will receive more than NOK 19 million to conduct research into artificial intelligence, big data, and social media. The project seeks put an end to online hate speech and radicalisation through developing new methods based on big data.

  • Ung mann med mygg/mikrofon står framfor eit lerret med grafar og kart på

    A new service called Norwegian Climate Monitor was launched on 13 December 2021 in Sogndal. The purpose of the initiative is to collect and share new data on climate change adaptation from all parts of society. "This is an important contribution to Norwegian society" says Carlo Aall, the Head of Noradapt. "Bot research and governance are impatient to learn how far climate adaptation measures have come. Unfortunately, our data show that the pace remains too slow", says Aall.

  • Smilande, langhåra kvinne i raud cardigan med bygardar i bakgrunnen og blå himmel

    From January 2022 on, WNRI's Director will be Anne Karin Hamre, the former County Governor of Sogn og Fjordane. Hamre is currently a Director General in the Ministry of Local Government and Modernisation. "I am looking forward to leading a robust and expanding researh institute, says Hamre.

  • Kvinne i grå genser og rosa skjerf talar til forsamling

    Noradapt, a national research centre on climate change adaptation led by WNRI, etablished an international Scientific Advisory Board this month. The board includes five international top scientists in the field of climate change adaptation. The board is led by Sirkku Juhola, Professor of Urban Environmental Policy at the University of Helsinki.

  • mann på 40 framfor skilt med logoen til Vestlandsforsking

    "I would like to be so bold as to claim this is one of the most varied and interesting positions available if you wish to work with and for research in Norway", says Anders-Johan Almås, the current Managing Director of Western Norway Research Institute. This autumn he is leaving his position at WNRI after just two years, in spite of satisfactory achievements and highly pleased staff members.

  • Portrett av mann med skjorte og briller ute

    The IPCC recently reported that the extreme weather we expected to see in future years is already a fact and that things are going to get worse. "It is time to realise that we will not be able to reduce emissions through technology and move on to plan B", says climate researcher and Professor Carlo Aall at Western Norway Research Institute.

  • Mann framfor uteplass ved høgskulebygg

    With an international career in research, 16 scientific book titles and a large network stretching across the globe, Rajendra Akerkar is one of Sogndal's academic stars. The Big Data Professor is currently working to recruit young researchers to his field of research, as two positions are open this summer in the field of big data and innovation in regional businesses.

  • To jenter som ser ut som studentar, ser på ein teknisk modell med ryggen til kamera.

    Researchers at Western Norway Research Institute have conducted an evaluation of "Girls and Technology", a programme intended to inspire more girls to choose an education within technology and science. The report was commissioned by The Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth and Family Affairs (Bufdir).

  • Ung mann på veranda med fjell og bygd bak seg, ser i kamera

    A new, collaborative forum has been established to address research and innovation issues in Vestland county. A key goal is to promote and strengthen research which stimulates R&D linked to innovation and sustainability.

  • Foto

    The notion that ‘most people fly’ is contradicted by new research, which also argues that a global elite of 1 percent generates half of the global carbon emissions from aviation.

  • Photo

    Climate research meets performing arts in a show jointly developed by two performance companies and a social scientist. Their goal is to invite people to understand and feel climate change through their physical manifestation: the weather.

  • Foto

    Identifying and exposing fake news and online hate speech is to be a research topic in a new, international collaboration project within big data. Western Norway Research Institute will be cooperating with colleagues in India, Japan, China, Hong Kong, and the USA. The top researchers taking part in this project will be sharing knowledge as well as research methods, in addition to including students in their ongoing research.

  • Foto

    When something happens, warning the public is a key objective. A new public warning system is due to be tested in a new, large R&D project. The system is developed by an enterprise in the region and aims for national as well as international markets.
    – This project ties together the three main areas of research at WNRI, says Anna Maria Urbaniak-Brekke, WNRI's coordinator.

  • Foto

    A short-length art film launched on 23 September touches on the feeling that something about our climate has irrevocably changed. The film, entitled «Hvítr», is directed and filmed by Johan Wildhagen and features original music by his daughter, the artist Fay Wildhagen.