Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (Norwegian: Høgskulen på Vestlandet – HVL) is one of the largest public higher education institutions in Norway, formed on January 1, 2017, through the strategic merger of Bergen University College, Sogn og Fjordane University College, and Stord/Haugesund University College. With over 17,000 students and approximately 1,900 faculty and administrative staff across five distinctive campuses—Bergen, Førde, Haugesund, Sogndal, and Stord—HVL combines world-class applied professional education with groundbreaking regional and Arctic-Nordic research. HVL is structured into four major faculties: Faculty of Education, Arts and Sports; Faculty of Engineering and Science; Faculty of Health and Social Sciences; and Faculty of Business Administration and Social Sciences. The institution is renowned internationally for its cutting-edge engineering specializations, maritime simulators, fire safety labs, climate change management, and health care education. HVL emphasizes tight collaboration with Western Norway's vibrant maritime, energy, subsea, aquaculture, and technology industries, providing students with extensive practical laboratory sessions, industrial internships, and high graduate employability across Scandinavia and globally.

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