This year's official opening ceremony was held in Bø, but there were local ceremonies on the other Telemark

Stappfullt amfi med studentar ved opninga av studieåret 2011 - 2012 ved Høgskolen i Telemark.

campuses as well on the same day.

In his welcome speechTUC's new Rector, Kristian Bogen reminded the new students that the development of their character is just as important as the satisfaction of getting straight As.

- It's our opinion that your studies and the years you spend as student also are important for your personal development, he pointed out.

Privileged

Key-note speaker for the ay was Dag Olav Hessen, professor in biology and winner of several prizes for excellence in communicating academic topics to the public. He is also known in Norway as a popular member of a panel of professors in a prime-time TV-show. Now he inspired new and older students at TUC.

He also reminded the students that they are privileged.

- You live in one of the best countries in the world, agewise you're on the top of the world, our age is the best in the history of the world. He encouraged everyone to grab these oportunities.

July 22nd

At the beginning of the opening ceremony on all campuses the victims of the July 22nd-tragedies were remembered. In Bø one minute of silence was observed, followed by the Norwegian poet Nordahl Grieg's song "To the young" ("Til ungdommen") sung in unison.