From 1 July, several regulatory changes will come into force within the Norwegian Ministry of Defence's area of responsibility. The changes include simplified rules for defence procurement and new opportunities to grant military vocational training formal higher vocational education status.
According to the Norwegian government, the threshold is being raised for when the regulations governing defence and security procurement apply, from 100,000 Norwegian kroner to 500,000 Norwegian kroner, excluding value-added tax. Procurements below the new threshold will therefore no longer be subject to the regulations.
The government's press release also states that a new regulation coming into force on 1 July will grant the Norwegian Armed Forces' vocational schools exemptions and adaptations to the Vocational Schools Act. This means that more of the Norwegian Armed Forces' vocational and functional training programmes can be accredited in accordance with national quality standards and provide formal documentation and credit points, in the same way as civilian higher vocational education programmes.
"We know that a common reason why personnel leave the Norwegian Armed Forces is that they wish to pursue civilian education. It has therefore been important for the government to put this in place, strengthening the Armed Forces' ability to build competence, recruit more personnel, and not least retain qualified and skilled staff," says Norwegian Minister of Defence Tore O. Sandvik in a press release.
According to the government, each training programme must undergo an accreditation process before it can be approved as a higher vocational education programme.