about the student protests in Europe and Brazil

This is my personal opinion, not the opinion of NTNU or AINCLUSION.

I stand with the students.

Of course, I am against violence. But the actions of a few individuals should not overshadow the voices of the hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions, of students protesting across Europe and Brazil.

My understanding is that they are protesting for education. When I was young, we were singing “We don’t need no education.” Today, students are protesting because they want better education. They are also protesting against rearmament and against growing inequalities. In my view, they are right to raise these concerns.

The pandemic came. AI came. Yet we have not done enough to adapt our education systems to support the younger generation in facing these profound changes. Too often, adults of my generation spend their time blaming one another: “It is the fault of the right,” “It is the fault of the left.” Looking endlessly at the mistakes of past politicians does not help. Instead, we should focus on the present and listen carefully to the concerns expressed by thousands of young people.

I also wonder why Norwegian students are not protesting more. University education is free in Norway, and the study loan exists and it is a great thing, but there are still important issues worth debating. One example is the highly competitive grade-based admission system. If you do not achieve strong marks at a relatively young age, your choices may become significantly more limited later on. Housing costs are also very high, and many students cannot live on their study loans alone without working extensively or receiving support from their parents.

I find it hard to believe that Norwegian students are entirely satisfied with increased military spending, rising inequalities, or the growing gaps between urban and rural areas, and between the north and the south of the country.

I stand with the students of Pisa, Rome, Milan, Bologna, Rio de Janeiro, and all students. And I hope that Norwegian students, too, will raise their voices about the kind of society they want to live in, and about the future they wish to build.