Professor Karl Jan Solstad

Karl Jan Solstad, born 1936, was brought up in a small rural island community in the county of Nordland, Northern Norway. After finishing his teacher education in 1957, he served as a primary school teacher in small multi-grade rural schools for three years, before taking up further studies at the universities of Bergen and Oslo. His studies included mathematics, physics and psychology, and were concluded with a higher degree in education (Mag. art. 1966). He also carried out a year's research work at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, resulting in an M.Litt. degree. In 1995 he won a Dr.Philos. (PhD) at Oslo University.

Solstad was university lecturer at Oslo University until he moved to Tromsø University, newly established in the north of Norway, where he was appointed professor of educational research. During the period 1985-1999 Solstad served as Director of Education, Nordland County. In 1999 Solstad returned to full time research as a senior researcher at the Nordland Research Institute in Bodø. Since 2000 he is also a Professor 2 (a part time appointment) at Nesna University College.

Since the mid-1960s Solstad has carried out research and development work, mainly concerning the challenges involved in the provision of an adequate and equitable education for young people and communities in rural areas. More specific themes that have been covered include the relationship between education and rural-urban migration, the relevance of national curricula for rural pupils and communities, the functioning of small rural schools, and the consequences of long school journeys for the well-being and physical development of the pupils. At present he is in particular engaged in three research or evaluation projects: The implementation of a new national curriculum for the Sami minorities; the effects of an ongoing process in Norway of small rural school closures; and an evaluation of the introduction of small multi-grade schools in rural Ethiopia.