Study Abroad group navigates Norway

In May 2026, Professors Michael Bartone and Fiona Pearson traveled to Norway with a group of Study Abroad students.

Why should 16 Central students visit Norway? The students, majoring in education, computer science, sociology, psychology, and international studies, were all interested in learning more about Norway’s experience with fascism and resistance. 

During World War II, Nazi forces tested the moral resiliency of Norway’s people and teachers. As Nazi troops invaded the country, more than 12,000 of Norway’s 14,000 teachers resisted calls to add fascist perspectives to their curriculum and instruction. 

Central’s students came to understand that Norway’s teachers were but one group of many in society to resist, allowing Norway to become a beacon for the world. 

Students also learned why Norway’s robust economy, strong social welfare system, and commitment to environmental protection and sustainability contribute to its people regularly being ranked as some of the “happiest” in the world.

From Oslo to Trondheim

Central’s group began its journey in Oslo, the capital of Norway and home of the Nobel Peace Prize. The group explored Oslo’s neighborhoods, as well as the Munch Museum, the Holocaust Museum, and the Akershus Fortress, where students learned more about the Norwegian Milorg resistance movement during WWII. Students also attended a lecture at Kristiana University and participated in a student panel, exchanging social, cultural, and political questions with Norwegian journalism students and faculty.  

The group then traveled by train to Trondheim through the countryside, alongside fjords, valleys, and snowy mountains, taking in the scenery and learning how public transportation supports local economies and keeps Norway eco-friendly.  

In Trondheim, students met with social science students at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and traveled to the Falstad Centre, a prison camp and educational center. At the Falstad Centre, students learned more about the resistance movement and the challenges curators and educators encounter in their work to preserve local histories. 

The group wrapped up the trip with a lecture and guided tour of the Justice Museum, just before students reported a sighting of pop singer Zara Larsson.

Reporting back

As part of their course requirements, students created videos for two distinct audiences: college students or elementary school students. In the videos, they described their observations regarding Norwegian life and explained the value of traveling, engaging with, and learning from other cultures, and what it means to be a successful global ambassador. Part of this was brought to life by Norwegians who offered personalized excursions, from hikes to walks through the city to sitting with the students to explain Norwegian way of life. 

- Michael Bartone and Fiona Pearson

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Central students are shown here in front of the Norwegian Center for Holocaust and Minority Studies during a May Study Abroad trip to Norway.