Westerdals reported to the Norwegian authorities – NRK

The Ministry believes that the private school Westerdals School of Communication has provided false information to the authorities, and thus got a lot of money from the state.

Ministry reviewer Westerdals to Norwegian authorities, warning that they will require nearly 28 million refund from the private school.

This review comes just weeks after it became known that the school for ten years required excessive tuition fees of the students.

Minister: – Severe

Review Westerdals: Minister Torbjørn Røe Isaksen say they will require several million refund from the private school.

Photo: Hakon Mosvold Larsen / NTB scanpix

Ministry writes in a press release that school between 2002 and 2012 received government subsidies for education and training in film and television, without having approval for this.

Minister Torbjørn Røe Isaksen says they look very seriously into the matter.

– the school has given false information to the Ministry of Education, Directorate of Education and Loan Fund, and has incorrectly been paid subsidy for students in film and television, said Røe Isaksen.

It is this money Ministry now warning that they will require to be repaid.

students should not gotten scholarships

as the school should have given incorrect information to Lånekassen, the pupils who went on the affected lines scholarship on the wrong basis. Only pupils who attend approved courses are entitled to financial support.

The Minister emphasizes that they will not claim the money back from the students.

– We see no reason to blame the students, they acted in good faith. We will not claim reimbursement of those funds from students, said Røe Isaksen.

Can be multiple lines

The Ministry is also examining information that the school received improper funding for two additional subjects , “Studio 3D” and “Stage design and event.”

– we are working on to clarify how many students this question, and we are considering whether there are grounds for further requirements for school to repay state aid, saying Røe Isaksen.

Revealed in Dagens Næringsliv

the surveys of Westerdals came after Dagens Næringsliv wrote in the fall several articles on Anthon B. Nilsen Group, which also owns the private college Westerdals Oslo school of Arts Communication and Technology.

Here it emerged information indicating that the former school Westerdals school of Communication, which is now part of the new college, had received state aid for an offer that the not approved for.