Kristiania University College

What Kristiania University College does

Kristiania University College (legal entity: Høyskolen Kristiania - Ernst G. Mortensens stiftelse) is a non-profit educational foundation headquartered in Oslo, Norway, founded in 1914 and operating under its current foundation form since 1976. It serves approximately 24,000 students across bachelor's, master's, vocational (Fagskolen Kristiania, established 2018 as a wholly-owned subsidiary), continuing education (EVU), and doctoral programs in technology, business, health, pedagogy, HR, communication, and the creative arts. The institution operates physical campuses in Oslo (Kirkegata 24-26 plus Prinsens gate 7-9) and Bergen, plus a nationwide online/distance learning platform (Nettstudier) that the institution markets as Norway's largest online higher education portfolio.

The technology stack is built almost entirely on third-party education platforms: Canvas LMS (Instructure) for course delivery, assignment submission, and student activity logging; WISEflow (UNIwise) for digital examinations; Felles Studentsystem (FS) provided by Sikt for student records; StudentWeb for self-service administration; Microsoft 365 for collaboration; Zoom and Panopto for lecture capture; plus Ally, Feedbackfruits, Inspera Originality, and LinkedIn Learning as adjunct learning tools. Kristiania applies machine learning to pseudonymized Canvas LMS activity logs to predict and reduce student dropout, and its product portfolio also includes an in-house osteopathy Studentklinikken serving both the public and clinical training needs.

Revenue mechanics depend on three primary streams: state funding from the Norwegian government calibrated to enrollment and completion, tuition and student fees, and professional services revenue (continuing education plus the student clinic, with sessions priced at 150-330 NOK). As an ideell stiftelse, the institution reinvests all surplus into education. Go-to-market is primarily direct-to-consumer through the kristiania.no digital presence, social channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok), student ambassador recruitment, education fairs, and participation in Arendalsuka. In 2026, the institution rebranded from Høyskolen Kristiania to 'Kristiania University of Applied Sciences', removing the 'høyskole' designation as part of a strategic push toward full university status.

Name

Kristiania University College

Legal name

Høyskolen Kristiania – Ernst G. Mortensens stiftelse

Website

https://kristiania.no

Company type

Private

Founded year

1914

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kristiania University College is a Norwegian non-profit educational foundation serving 24,000 students across bachelor, master, vocational, and doctoral programs from Oslo and Bergen campuses plus nationwide online studies, actively pursuing full university status.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension) (EDAHALAB)

Keywords

• Higher education
• Vocational training
• Online learning
• Continuing education
• Doctoral programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Oslo

HQ country

Norway

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Student Fees: Revenue from student tuition fees, semester fees, and examination fees. The institution operates as a non-profit foundation (Stiftelse) and reinvests any surplus into educational quality and research.
2. Government Funding: State funding based on student enrollment numbers and completion rates, as a registered higher education institution in Norway.
3. Student Clinic Services: Revenue from the student health clinic offering osteopathy services to students and the public, with prices ranging from 200-330 NOK per treatment
4. Continuing Education (EVU): Revenue from professional development and continuing education programs for working professionals and businesses

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Kristiania University College delivers higher education services in Norway across the full qualification ladder — vocational college (Fagskolen), bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and continuing education — in disciplines spanning technology and innovation, business, health, psychology, pedagogy, HR, marketing, communication, and creative arts. The institution operates on-campus programs in Oslo and Bergen, a nationwide online study portfolio, and a Student Clinic providing supervised osteopathy services to students and the public.

Product overview

Kristiania University College (Høyskolen Kristiania) is Norway's largest broad-based university college with university ambitions, offering a comprehensive educational portfolio spanning vocational college (Fagskolen Kristiania) through doctoral programs. The institution operates across campuses in Oslo and Bergen plus nationwide online studies, making it Norway's largest provider of online higher education. The product ecosystem includes Canvas LMS as the primary learning platform, StudentWeb for administrative tasks, and WISEflow for digital examinations. The Student Clinic provides osteopathy services as a practical training facility. With over 24,000 students and more than 1,000 employees, Kristiania offers more than 200 study programs across leadership, organization, marketing, communication, informatics, health sciences, innovation, and arts disciplines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fagskolen Kristiania: Norway's largest vocational school (fagskole) operated as a wholly-owned subsidiary, offering programs in Oslo, Bergen and online with over 2,300 students and 120 employees.

Products and services

• Bachelor's Degree Programs (Høyskolen Kristiania) Three-year undergraduate degree programs across technology and innovation, business, health sciences, psychology, pedagogy, HR, management, marketing, communication, and creative arts, delivered on-campus in Oslo and Bergen and online. Aimed at recent high-school graduates and adult learners seeking a recognized Norwegian undergraduate qualification.
• Master's Degree Programs Experience-based master's programs in leadership, HR, marketing, communication, technology, and applied IT, designed so that working professionals use their own work situations as the foundation for learning. Aimed at employed individuals seeking advanced qualifications and career advancement.
• Doctoral Programs (PhD) NOKUT-accredited PhD programs in Applied Information Technology and Communication and Leadership, supported by an School of Doctoral Studies staffed with Stanford top-2% researchers and international collaborations.
• Fagskolen Kristiania (Vocational College) Vocational college (fagskole) diplomas in fields such as digital content production, interior design, and other applied trades, delivered in Oslo, Bergen, and online. Aimed at learners seeking shorter, practice-oriented qualifications for direct entry into the workforce.
• Nettstudier (Online Studies) Flexible online/distance learning programs across bachelor's, master's, vocational, and continuing-education levels, with weekly digital sessions connecting students and teachers. Marketed as Norway's largest provider of online higher education, available to students regardless of geographic location.
• Videreutdanning / Continuing Education (EVU) Continuing-education and professional-development programs for working professionals and organizations, including the dedicated 'Kompetanseløft for virksomheter' corporate training channel. Delivered via the Kompetanseløft for virksomheter offering and individual professional-development modules across Kristiania's academic schools.
• Studentklinikken (Student Clinic — Osteopathy) Healthcare facility in Oslo offering supervised osteopathy treatment to students and the public, with prices of 200–330 NOK per first session and 150–245 NOK per follow-up. Doubles as a practical training facility for health-sciences students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 60% of bachelor's students complete studies on schedule
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration17 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sikt AS (Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research)coreTechnology or IntegrationSikt is the provider and developer of Felles Studentsystem (FS), the student administrative system used by Kristiania. Sikt also provides Zoom for video conferencing and digital examination services, as well as the Feide identity management solution for secure login across educational services.
• Loopify ASminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNewsletter distribution partner for Kristiania's email communications, managing the sending of newsletters to students, prospective students, and alumni.
• UNIwise (WISEflow)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of WISEflow, the digital examination platform used by Kristiania for all examinations. UNIwise processes student examination data including Feide ID, candidate numbers, and exam results.
• International Universities and Research InstitutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative research partnerships with foreign universities, with approximately 50% of Kristiania's scientific production produced in collaboration with international partners. Supports student exchange programs and joint research projects.
• Nesodden Municipality and Five Surrounding Municipalities (Follo Region)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with municipalities for the PhD project on strategic communication and LGBTQ+ inclusion, involving Frogn, Ås, Vestby, Nordre Follo, and Enebakk municipalities alongside Nesodden.
• Instructure (Canvas)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of Canvas, the learning management system (LMS) used by Kristiania for course delivery, assignment submission, and academic communication.
• World Health Organization (WHO)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessor Adnan Kisa is affiliated with WHO in addition to his role at Kristiania, contributing to international health policy research.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BI Norwegian Business School: BI is the largest private business school in Norway, offering bachelor's, master's, and executive education across multiple campuses and online. Like Kristiania, it is a non-state higher education institution competing in the same Norwegian market for tuition-paying students.
• Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet): OsloMet is a large public university college based in Oslo offering broad-based professional and academic programs across health, education, business, and technology. It competes head-to-head with Kristiania for Oslo-based students and employer-sponsored continuing education demand.
• Norwegian School of Economics (NHH): NHH is a leading private-style (foundation-owned) Norwegian institution specializing in business and economics, with bachelor's, master's, and PhD programs and an executive education portfolio. It is highly comparable to Kristiania on foundation ownership, employer partnerships, and a similar mix of degree and continuing education offerings.
• University of Bergen (UiB): UiB is the public research university located in Bergen, overlapping directly with Kristiania's Bergen campus for bachelor's, master's, and doctoral applicants. It is the primary public alternative for students comparing Kristiania's Bergen programs.
• University of South-Eastern Norway (USN): USN is a public university college with multiple campuses and extensive online study offerings, providing direct competition to Kristiania's online programs and broad-based professional degree portfolio in Norway.
• VID Specialized University: VID is a private foundation-owned specialized university in Norway with health, social, and education programs and strong continuing education offerings. It is comparable to Kristiania on private foundation structure, multi-campus delivery, and employer-linked professional programs.
• Lovisenberg Diaconal University College: Lovisenberg is a small private non-profit higher education institution in Oslo focused on health and social sciences. It overlaps with Kristiania's health and pedagogy programs and competes for similar Oslo-based tuition-paying students.
• Nord University: Nord University is a public Norwegian university with multi-campus delivery and significant online programs across professional disciplines. It competes with Kristiania for online and hybrid learners, particularly in northern and central Norway.

Broad incumbents

• NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology): NTNU is Norway's largest university with broad STEM, health, and business programs across multiple campuses. As a public incumbent with full university status and significant research funding, it represents the dominant scale competitor that Kristiania benchmarks against as it pursues university status.

Others

• Coursera: Coursera is a global online learning platform partnering with universities to deliver degrees and short courses. While not a direct Norwegian competitor, it represents the broader online degree and continuing education category Kristiania is positioned within as it scales its online offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Markedshoyskolen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1410551
• Instagraminstagram.com/hkristiania/?hl=nb
• TikToktiktok.com/@kristiania.no
• Xx.com/markedhoyskolen

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kristiania University College