Norwegian Grant Enables Baily’s Three‑Month Research Stay Supriya Baily, the first Fulbright scholar at the University of South‑East Norway’s Drammen campus, received a Norwegian grant on 22 February 2026 that funds a three‑month study of teachers’ idealism amid global unrest [1]. The funding arrived after the Trump administration barred her entry, citing her work on climate, biodiversity, and women’s marginalisation as “blacklisted” [1]. Baily, a professor of pedagogy at George Mason University, will now commence her research in Norway despite the U.S. travel restriction [1].

Trump Review Cut Fulbright Applicants and Prompted Board Resignations Following Donald Trump’s 2024 election, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio instituted a political review that excluded climate and biodiversity projects, rejecting 40 % of U.S. researchers slated for Norway in the 2025‑26 cycle [1]. The crackdown led all twelve members of the international Fulbright governing board to resign in the summer of 2025, signaling a crisis for the program [1]. Norwegian Fulbright director Curt Rice blamed the Oval Office for the jeopardy, while higher‑education minister Sigrun Aasland pledged governmental support for affected scholars [1].

Six Blocked U.S. Scholars Accept Norwegian Financial Support Of the seven U.S. scholars denied entry by the Trump administration, six have accepted alternative financing offered by Norway, including Baily [1]. The Norwegian aid covers travel, living expenses, and research costs, effectively bypassing the U.S. ban [1]. This coordinated response aims to preserve academic exchange while the United States reviews its Fulbright policies [1].

Destroyed Gaza Biometric Center Forces Al‑Masri to Seek Visa Abroad Nazmi Al‑Masri, a researcher at the Islamic University of Gaza, cannot complete the required fingerprinting for a Norwegian visa because the UDI‑run biometric office in Gaza was bombed and remains inoperable [2]. Consequently, Al‑Masri must travel to the Norwegian embassy in Amman or Cairo to apply, a route described by USN lecturer Anders Davidsen as “unnecessarily bureaucratic” and effectively denying him a visa [2]. The situation highlights how regional conflict impedes Norway’s academic mobility goals [2].

Two‑Year Campaign Secures Visa for Palestinian Doctor Elessi After a two‑year effort coordinated by University of Oslo colleague Espen Bjertness under the Scholars at Risk programme, Palestinian physician Khamis Elessi obtained a Norwegian visa and arrived on 12 February 2026 [2]. His case demonstrates that, while possible, the visa process for scholars from conflict zones can require extensive diplomatic and institutional coordination [2]. The success is cited by Norwegian officials as evidence of the country’s commitment to protecting at‑risk academics [2].

Norway Launches Polar Board Membership and Anti‑Fraud Center In January 2026, the Norwegian Polar Institute secured a full voting seat on the European Polar Board, expanding Norway’s influence in polar research [2]. Simultaneously, NTNU inaugurated the Secure Anti‑Fraud Excellence Center in Gjøvik, funded with 50 million kroner to develop digital fraud‑prevention tools [2]. A Rambøll survey revealing that 48 % of young Norwegians find job‑market information lacking prompted Minister Aasland to propose reforms to the student‑loan system in the 2026 budget [2].