Haraldsplass Diakonale høgskole
Haraldsplass Diakonale høgskole was established under the name Bergen Deaconess Home in 1918, but had operated as a separate department under the deaconess house in Christiania since 1873.
Haraldsplass Diakonale høgskole originated in the deaconess movement. The deaconess movement was established in 1836 in Germany (Kaiserwerth, a small town outside Düsseldorf), where the priest Fliedner and his wife established several health institutions where practice and education went hand in hand. They saw that many people suffered, and that the industrial revolution also led to much poverty and poor health. It was the poor who suffered, who did not receive adequate care, who did not have their children sent to education. The Fliedner couple therefore established hospitals and education in the town. Young girls then entered this work as a calling in the church, and were consecrated as deaconesses.
Florence Nightingale also received her basic nursing education in Kaiserwerth in 1851, and was very inspired by the extensive social work that was carried out here. She took this with her to develop the nursing profession in English-speaking countries.
Nursing education since 1918
Cathinka Guldberg from Norway also travels to the Deaconess House Kaiserswerth. She returns and starts Norway's first deaconess house and nursing education in Christiania in 1868. As early as 1871, she sends two deaconesses to Bergen to start work there. In 1873, they established a deaconess home as a station under the deaconess house in Christiania, and on May 1, 1918, Bergen Diakonissehjem received its first student, Anna Bysheim. It is considered the year of foundation for the deaconess home in Bergen as its own mother house. The sister community with a manager and manageress at the head was the very mainstay of the business.
The first manageress, Regine Waage, worked from 1920-1931, and was an important contributor to the institution being located where it is today, on Mohn's farm Haraldsplass. It is said that Sister Regine walked back and forth through the lindealleen – a beautiful avenue on the property that dates from 1814 – and asked God to arrange the conditions so that it would be possible to build a hospital with a sister home on the site. Many years passed, and in 1940 a hospital with a sister home was completed.
Own principal in 1970
Right up until 1970, they were in charge of the management. Gradually, various professional groups entered the hospital, and the number of deaconesses gradually decreased. During this period, the school became more independent from the hospital and, among other things, got its own principal in 1970.
The field of work for Bergen Diakonissehjem has developed from the education of nurses/deaconesses and hospital operations to eventually also include youth protection work, pastoral care, hospice, rental activities and retreats.
Institutionally accredited university college in 2011
Haraldsplass Diakonale høgskole was institutionally accredited by the King in the Council of State on August 12, 2011.