3rd European GREEN Conference – EGC 2025

10-13 June 2025 | Vodice, CROATIA

KeyNote Speaker

Prof. Dr. THOR OWE HOLMQUIST

Nord University, Business School (Norway)

website: https://www.nord.no/en/about/employees/thor-owe-holmquist

Education for Sustainability in Norway
Thor Owe HOLMQUIST

Abstract
What does it mean to educate for sustainability in a Norwegian context? This keynote explores how higher education in Norway is responding to the urgent call for environmental and social responsibility, not just through curriculum, but through pedagogical methods, institutional culture, and real-world engagement. Drawing on practical experience from teacher education and interdisciplinary partnerships, the session reflects on how sustainability is being translated into learning strategies that involve students as active contributors, locally and globally. With a strong emphasis on relevance, inclusion, and critical reflection, education for sustainability in Norway is increasingly shaped by collaboration across sectors, cultures, and communities. This presentation offers insight into how Norwegian universities work toward sustainable development in practice without claiming to have solved all the challenges. Instead, it raises timely questions about values, leadership, and the role of higher education in shaping a more sustainable future.

Short biography

Thor Owe Holmquist is a Senior Lecturer at Nord University Business School, where he specializes in pedagogy, traffic education, and interdisciplinary teaching for sustainable development. With a background as both academic and practitioner, he brings more than 25 years of experience in driver training, curriculum design, and higher education innovation. His teaching and research focus on experiential learning, student-led instruction, and community-based education, particularly in projects related to migration, simulation-based training, and public safety. Holmquist has developed national training programs for traffic instructors and public sector professionals and has worked closely with the police, adult education services, and NGOs on sustainability-related outreach. He is the author of several articles and a forthcoming book chapter on student leadership in education. As a presenter, Holmquist is known for connecting policy, pedagogy, and practice in ways that invite reflection and critical engagement. At the core of his work is a commitment to socially relevant education that empowers students to act, lead, and contribute to more resilient societies.

Email: thor.o.holmquist@nord.no

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