The National Programme for School Leaders at NTNU

The programme is a state-financed further education offer for principals and school leaders in schools and adult education centres. The programme lasts for 1 and a half years and carries 30 study points.

The programme has 5 central themes:

Cooperation and organisational development

Pupils' learning

Development and change

Management and administration

The role of Principal

In addition, 4 important themes are addressed:

The school environment

Digitalisation

Leading work with the new curriculum

Professional learning community and leadership

Knowledge

The candidate

• has in-depth knowledge of the school as an organization and as a community of practice, with emphasis on the school as a professional learning community and organizational learning
• has in-depth knowledge of central theories and perspectives within organization and management theory, with emphasis on the school and education sector
• has in-depth knowledge of how school and education are managed and administered

Skills

The candidate is

• capable of evaluating the qualities of the learning environment of students, teachers and leaders and guide the development thereof
• capable of applying personal experience, research and theory of leadership in developing one's own organization
• capable of leading a school in accordance with law and contractual arrangements
• capable of applying knowledge to develop personal leadership role

General competence

The candidate is

• capable of leading systematic development work in school organizations
• capable of leading and facilitating a professionally based argument about school development and educational leadership
• capable of further developing the school through professional learning communities

The study is conducted by way of seven sessions of three days, structured over three semesters. The students are divided into heterogeneous basic groups and each group receives a supervisor appointed by the University (Institute). Academic development (writing) and professional correction (skills training) are supervised and mentored. The supervision takes place both at meetings and through digital communication. Before and between the sessions, assignments / work requirements are required that must be approved in order to qualify for examination. Students are expected to actively participate in teaching, respond to and supervise the texts of fellow students, and conduct evaluation through surveys after each session. A written home exam forms the basis of assessment for the study