Rector´s speach
Dear wonderful new students at Østfold University College
Let me tell you, you have come to an absolutely incredible institution.
Østfold University College - THAT is a name that sounds strong - REALLY strong. NO ONE runs a college better than we do - believe me.
You are here to get an education, and you are going to get the BEST education, no doubt about it.
We have the BEST teachers, the SMARTEST minds, ONLY top quality. You will learn SO much and people will be shocked at how much you can do when you are done here.
And let me tell you, your campuses, they are absolutely amazing. It's just spectacular. Beautiful buildings and everything you need to succeed. You will have a great time here, believe me, there will only be winners.
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And the welcome speech could have ended here. Here I could content myself with saying: WELCOME TO ØSTFOLD UNIVERSITY COLLEGE!
But, then the questions are….does what I have just said make sense? How do you perceive the language? And - not least, do you trust the message?
Well, there is no doubt that there are several problems with the speech so far. Perhaps not particularly inspiring, rather empty of content and linguistically weak. BUT, most importantly - THESE ARE NOT MY WORDS.
Those are the words of ChatGPT, or artificial intelligence if you will. It is the result of me giving it the task of writing a welcome speech to new students at Østfold University College and starting from the fact that it was Donald Trump who was to deliver the speech.
Dear new students
You become students in the age of technology, and even for a headmaster it could be tempting to resort to artificial intelligence. But, even if the technology makes it possible and is here, what does it do to the society we are a part of? What does it do to us? What does it do to our language? Our own ability to reflect, reason and think critically?
I don't have all the answers, and although the technological possibilities are enormous, we need to discuss together how we meet the technological development, how we use technology for the best for learning and how we avoid technology undermining the integrity of education.
You become students in the age of information and disinformation. Never before has knowledge, but perhaps also ignorance of knowledge, been so great. Every day, every hour, every second we are inundated with claims, images and information that are not quality assured. Every day, every hour, every second has some interest in consciously influencing our perception of reality and our behavior.
This reality demands a lot from us. It requires us to expose demagogues and charlatans. It requires the search for facts and evidence, it requires reason and logic, it requires an understanding of science. Yes, it requires knowledge of how knowledge is created.
The university's basic principle is to give our students quality-assured knowledge and not opinions. It is our basic ingredient to encourage you to question established knowledge and old dogmas. It is and must be our basis to tolerate and promote free and critical debate.
So no, I can't promise that we are the BEST at everything, that everyone will be WINNERS, that everything with us is BEAUTIFUL or that everything is just TOP quality.
But, I can PROMISE that we will do our best.
Dear new students
“Today is just one day of all the days that will ever be. But what will happen in all the other days to come may depend on what you do today" wrote Ernest Hemingway.
Perhaps the start of studies is just such a day. Perhaps it is precisely the choice you have made to take higher education that can influence what will happen in the other days to come.
Many of you carry with you different life stories and many of you have butterflies in your stomach. This became clear to me when, a few days ago, I had the opportunity to talk to a random few of you. You describe butterflies that are caused by excitement and expectations, expectations for something new, for the future, for us, for yourselves and for each other. Some of you take things as they come, others find this both new and scary. One of you describes fear that people will not be welcoming. Some have never had an exam and hope that they will be integrated into an environment where helping each other and lifting each other up is positive.
Some of you are short-distance travelers, others long-distance travelers, like Kristine who has driven from Vardø, through Sweden to study in Fredrikstad. Some of you carry with you the security that you have friends and acquaintances who will also study or are already studying here. Some have established networks, while others have moved from other parts of the country, left the cozy nest, and are looking for new friends and acquaintances. Some of you find Halden more down-to-earth than Oslo, and some of you are keen not to worry too much.
Dear new student
I became a student long before smartphones, before all my friends and acquaintances were in my trouser pocket. I became a student soon after the introduction of GSM, at a time when both size and price made it possible for ordinary people to own a mobile phone. Still, it took a long time before I was the lucky owner of this technological marvel. At the start of my studies, my parents had equipped me with a pager. A small black box, attached to the pocket or on the belt, that beeped every time someone called. Then all you had to do was get on your feet, walk one and a half kilometers to the nearest telephone booth and call the number that had tried to reach you - provided you had coins to put on the phone, of course.
Although I don't want to go back to the pager era and that availability is good, lack of availability can also have its advantages. Perhaps less digital accessibility can provide more interpersonal accessibility.
Dear new student
Be available to each other
“Today is just one day of all the days that will ever be. But what will happen in all the other days to come may depend on what you do today"
Dear new student
Østfold University College is people of all ages, with different identities, different beliefs, different heights, different functions, different openness, different tastes in food, different tastes in music, different opinions and different perceptions.
Østfold University College is diversity and Østfold University College is respect and generosity for diversity.
Dear new student
Welcome to the University as who you are!
Welcome to higher education!
Welcome to us!
Good luck with your studies!
Student leader's speach
Hello everyone and welcome to Østfold University College
My name is Christiane Thøgersen Krogfoss and I have been elected as this year's student leader. I am 20 years old and exactly one year ago I was standing there as you are standing now!
Before I really get started, I have a small wish. I want you to join me on something that I learned from my fellow student at IPL Patrick who taught us this during a project we had. Okay, what we are going to do is take the arms at the sides and forward with the chest. Everyone join, including you Lars Petter and the gang. At the same time as we do this, we shout, "The student leader is the best!" Okay ready. 1 2 3 no, just kidding! But what I actually want you to do while you're standing like this is to think to yourself that I'm good enough and I'll try to do my best, because that's the most important thing
Hope you feel a little more ready and confident now. To be completely honest, when I was standing there like you are standing a year ago, I was extremely nervous. I actually knew someone who was going to start the same course as me, but I was still incredibly nervous. I didn't know anyone else and was really unsure of what the future held. But now I'm actually standing here in front of you and giving a speech, something I was never thought I was going to do. Just know that if you're a little nervous, it's completely normal and you're not alone! I can almost bet that the majority of people here today are excited and a little nervous. Not just you new people, but also the management, all the lecturers and not least me. Right now I'm running on 2 hours of sleep and an energy drink, so to put it that way I've been quite stressed about this. I think even our headmaster, Lars Petter, was a little excited for the day today.
Study time is not just about reading for lectures, sitting in lectures, reading after lectures and doing work requirements. Your time as a student is the time when you make new friends and experiences. My number one tip is to get involved in something, whether it's the student parliament that I'm the leader of or Fredrikstad Student Association that the cool Andreas is the leader of, or Halden Student Association that the wonderful Mats is the leader of.
Regardless of whether it's the sports team or politics, get involved in something, it makes a small difference and it also looks very good on the CV.
Hope everyone has a wonderful day ahead and an awesome Fadderuke, I know that Mathias and the gang have worked incredibly hard for this. And good luck with your year or years here at Østfold University College!