Nordic exchange scheme (NORUT)
Nordisk utbytesordning ger statligt anställda möjlighet att lära känna förvaltningen i ett annat nordiskt land (länder) än hemlandet. Utbytesstipendierna fördelas, utbetalas och redovisas nationellt. Ansökarna bör därför vända sig till sina nationella kontaktpersoner.
The annual grant pot is divided between the Nordic countries including the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland by a group consisting of one contact person from each Nordic country including the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Åland.
Two important conditions are that the applicant retains their salary during the period, and that they apply for the exchange position in another Nordic country or countries themselves.
The typical length of an exchange period is one to two months, but periods of up to six months do occur.
On this website, you can read about the general rules that apply to an exchange placement, what can be achieved with it, and some experiences of it by the participants and authorities. The website also indicates which authorities in the Nordic countries can provide more information about the national regulations that supplement the general rules.
With financial support from the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Nordic exchange scheme enables employees in public administration to learn about the conditions in neighbouring Nordic countries by working in another Nordic administration for a shorter or longer period of time.
In addition to enriching Nordic co-operation, Nordic public-sector activities, and the participants themselves, the exchange scheme often serves as a natural continuation of the careers of the participants and their interest and engagement in the Nordic Region that has been fostered during their schooling, further education, vocational work and, in recent years, through internships with Nordjobb.
For nearly three decades, the Nordic exchange scheme has served to mediate ideas and be a source of inspiration in many of the activities that it has been deployed in.
The Nordic Council of Ministers provides a grant of DKK 18,000 for each month of the placement. Additionally, the Nordic Council of Ministers reimburses the travel expenses to and from the place of service.
If the exchange placement lasts for six months, travel expenses for accompanying family members and the transportation of necessary personal belongings can also be reimbursed. In such cases, the participant and their family may also be granted a return visit home.
The participant is required to submit a report to their home authority about their experiences, etc., within one month of completing their exchange placement.
In recent years, the realisation has grown that public-sector activities cannot only be reformed based on one’s own experiences, but that external impulses are equally as important. If the welfare system is to be maintained and further developed, ideas sourced beyond national borders are also needed.
International experiences have become an increasingly important part of efforts in the review and improvement of public-sector undertakings.
The exchange scheme has thus gained growing significance. It provides the employee with insight into related activities in other Nordic countries from an internal perspective, as well as the opportunity to practically study and work with different problem-solving methods in an environment different from their home workplace.
Similarities and differences in the Nordic countries
For several reasons, the Nordic countries play a prominent role in the international exchange of experiences.
For centuries, the view of the role of society has developed in parallel in the Nordic countries. Through common legislation, joint conventions, and agreements, Nordic citizens today have largely equal rights to services from society in all the countries.
But the means used to provide these services haven’t always been the same. Various cost and quality comparisons made in recent years show significant differences between similar activities.
These concern, for example, staff input per service provided, higher or lower labour costs, or differences in other costs or in quality.
The Nordic Region and European co-operation
Through membership in the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA), the opportunities for comparative studies between the countries have increased, along with access to solutions other than the traditional Nordic ones.
Consequently, Nordic co-operation can assume a new and significant role in efforts to transpose general European development efforts to a Nordic framework.
The Nordic exchange scheme can effectively contribute to the development of a common Nordic perspective on the possibilities in the Nordic Region for the ideas of European co-operation.
Through exchange placements, opportunities are provided for the individual countries in the Nordic Region to participate in the implementation and application of co-operation rules in the other Nordic countries.
This is particularly true, of course, for the EU directives and efforts to incorporate them into national regulations.
When properly utilised, an exchange placement becomes an in-depth study of the ideas and experiences discussed in international co-operation in Europe, within the Nordic Council, and in the many vocational and trade union associations.
Get to know the Nordic Region better
Another factor that provides new perspectives on the need for intensified Nordic co-operation between the Nordic authorities is the opening up of the Nordic Region to other cultures through immigration.
Although many immigrants have turned to the public sector for assistance, quite understandably they don’t share the same view of the public sector or feeling for the Nordic Region and the community of interests that is so characteristic of the Nordic administrations.
A Nordic exchange placement can impart knowledge about the Nordic Region and the co-operation between Nordic authorities, helping the individuals involved feel more included in Nordic co-operation.
Sometimes, the national application of general rules can differ.
The national co-ordinating authorities are responsible for providing information about the activities in their respective countries.
If you want to know more, please contact the relevant authorities or – if applicable – visit their websites regarding the exchange scheme.