Celebrating 15 years of collaboration

On the main stage in the auditorium, a film was played showing how the collaboration provides pupils with real-life work experience. This has resulted in 539 students being placed in affiliated companies and hospitals for student work experience.

In the audience sat both teachers and mentors – some of the people behind the numbers: over the past 15 years, 10,206 pupils, teachers, and members of the cluster have taken part in activities linked to the school partnership.

Insight into Working Life

Julie Remen Midtgarden, Oslo’s City Councillor for Education, opened the celebration with a brief speech.

“The pupils gain a unique insight into working life – the working life that school is preparing them for,” she said, and added:

“It’s exciting to think that Oslo’s schools can contribute to solutions that may benefit cancer patients now and in the future.”

From classroom to science

Maren Sofie Faldalen Guttormsen, now a cancer researcher at the Institute for Cancer Genetics and Informatics, reflected on her own experience as a former Ullern pupil:

“As a student on my work placement, I joined a project at Thermo Fisher where we solved a ‘mystery’ using their real work methods. Later, I visited the Norwegian Cyclotron Centre to produce materials used at the hospital. I’d always liked biology, but it was thrilling to do hands-on work and see how it’s applied in real life. At school, I had no clear career plans; the placements opened my eyes to possibilities I didn’t know existed.”

Why It Works

Eileen Holm Klaveness, Deputy Headmaster at Ullern, and Ketil Widerberg, Oslo Cancer Cluster’s General Manager, explained the partnership’s purpose:

“It can be hard for pupils to see why science matters. This programme makes it real, and it’s perfect for bright students who need an extra challenge,” said Klaveness.

“We also want to spark curiosity. The people who change the future aren’t necessarily those who tick every box. Our goal is to make a difference – and we’ve achieved that,” added Widerberg.

“Students discover that the world is interdisciplinary and not everything has a single right answer,” Klaveness continued.

Widerberg had one more point to make about the school collaboration:

“This collaboration also strengthens Norway’s future health industry. Students see what researchers and entrepreneurs are working on – the innovation side matters too,” said Widerberg.

Looking ahead

Martin Borud, Quality Specialist from Thermo Fisher Scientific, highlighted another benefit:

“It helps researchers break down jargon and talk to pupils the same way they must talk to investors and other non-experts.”

Cancer researcher Athanasios Kourmoutis from Oslo University Hospital agreed:

“It also gives you a fresh perspective on your own work that you wouldn’t get from fellow scientists.”

Read more about the partnership (in Norwegian) on its official website.