History of Misjonshøgskolen
Misjonshøgskolen (MHS) in Stavanger was founded in 1843 by The Norwegian Missionary Society, with the purpose of educating priests and teachers for missionary service on behalf of the Church of Norway.
Until the merger with VID in 2016, the Misjonshøgskolen was Norway's third oldest independent institution for higher education, after the War School (founded in 1750) and the University of Oslo (founded in 1811).
Admission to the Misjonshøgskolen required no more than education from primary school, and the education therefore represented a significant class journey for talented farmer's sons. Through theological education and ordination, they were given the opportunity to work as priests in the mission field. The missionaries had a broad and varied field of activity: They established churches, translated the Bible into local languages, and established educational and health institutions. Many also functioned as scientists in linguistics, ethnography and natural science.
Focus on the world outside Europe
Misjonshøgskolen was the first Norwegian college with a special focus on the world outside Europe. The school was also a pioneer in inclusion, as it was the first Norwegian college to receive African students from the 1860s. During the 19th century and the first part of the 20th century, Misjonshøgskolen offered priestly education to young people from poor sections of the population, which was unusual at the time.
Milestones
The study at Misjonshøgskolen was originally five years long, with a focus on missionary work abroad. In 1864, the school received permission from the Ministry of Church and Education to ordain its candidates as missionary priests. From 1955, the school began to cooperate with the theological faculties, so that the education could lead to a theological professional examination after four years at the Misjonshøgskolenl and two years at a theological faculty. In 1979, the Misjonshøgskolen gained independent examination rights for theological professional examinations (cand.theol.).
In 2008, Misjonshøgskolen was accredited as a scientific college, and offered a wide range of studies in theology, religion, culture and society. This accreditation followed into VID scientific college in 2016.