Status of content work at ViteMeir

Installation work is well underway

ViteMeir shall be relevant as a regional knowledge center in that the content reflects the natural and resource base in our county, and the technological opportunities and challenges that lie in our interaction with nature. The subject areas the center has chosen to focus on are identified through the REINT profile: Resources-Energy-Improvement-Nature-Technology. These themes underpin the overall academic profile, Sustainable Development, where the environmental dimension is particularly important.

Western Norway University of Applied Sciences contributes monetarily

The center is well underway with the development of the center's content. Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (one of the owners of the center) is making a huge contribution to this work. Stein Joar Hegland, academic coordinator for HVL at ViteMeir, has prepared an Idea Basis Report that summarizes the content work done through both the pilot project (2016-2017) and the main project (2018-2019). An important arena for the development of ideas was the brainstorming sessions arranged by HVL and ViteMeir in the fall of 2018. Many committed and creative people from kindergartens, schools, colleges, and other work and business sectors participated to develop ideas and sketches for what could become concrete content at ViteMeir in the shorter or longer term.

We are now further developing these ideas together with relevant academic environments at HVL, Vestlandsforsking and other players in the business community.

Exhibition and public space

Development of the exhibition and public area in the center will be an important focus area in the fall of 2019. The feasibility study will start this summer. This work will result in a comprehensive master plan that provides guidelines for the development of the exhibition and public areas, as well as the presentation of content elements at the center. The goal is to have this plan in place before the interaction phase with the building owner starts in the fall of 2019.

Funding of content

In order to make good progress in our work on the content, we are dependent on funding. It is particularly gratifying that several players from both the public sector and the private sector have supported this work.

Sparebankstiftinga Sogn og Fjordane was early on the scene in 2018 and donated a total of NOK 2 million for content and installations at the center. Sogndal municipality has decided to allocate NOK 3 million for the same purpose. Sogn Næring also contributes with grants for content development. These are important contributions in a larger indoor work that is already underway. We hope for more positive commitments from other actors we are in contact with.

ViteMeir partners

Important contributions to the realization of ViteMeir also come from several regional and local companies that have entered into cooperation agreements with the center. To date, the following companies have become ViteMeir partners:

- Hydro Aluminium, Årdal and Høyanger Metallverk

- Western Norway University of Applied Sciences

- Vestlandsforsking

- Innovation Norway

- Lerum

- Difi

- Holen Installation

- Jatak

- Toyota Sogn

- Quality Sogndal Hotel

- Nordbohus Parish

- Parish network

- Daco Mechanical

- Vesterland Feriepark

If you want to become a ViteMeir partner, just contact us.