Dean.
Staff.
And dear students.
No!
Candidates!
Masters!
I’m really happy to see You here today. A two-year study. A masters degree in Media Practices (MMP). That’s really something to celebrate!
We have had an excellent event with music, students contributions. And the global ambitions of the Master of Media Practices has been highlighted with cases from Svalbard – and India.
It always makes me smile returning to this museum, this cultural centre, Aasentunet. One thing is that this is the Bethlehem or Kaaba for nynorsk language, as this place was the birthplace of Ivar Aasen, the autodidact scholar who founded nynorsk language. As an internationally recognized linguist he changed Norway and Norwegian language for ever. And nynorsk has always been one of the pillars of the identity of Volda University College.
But for me personally, it also makes me smile returning here, because when i earned my doctoral degree 16-years ago, in 2003, the celebration, the party was here in this very building.
Maybe You too after the masters examination feels like I did after my doctoral dissertation: After a strenous inquisition, I couldn’t remember much from the party. I think I laughed like a drunk most of the time. But I think people were happy to be here, joining in on a day which was once-in-a-lifetime.
