, next to Diakonhjemmet Hospital , next to Diakonhjemmet Hospital VID Specialized University roots lie in 1843, making VID the oldest private institution of higher education in Norway. The current university was established on 1 January 2016 through a merger of the School of Mission and Theology in
Stavanger, Haraldsplass Diaconal College in
Bergen, Betanien University College in
Bergen, and the Diakonhjemmet University College in
Oslo and
Sandnes. On 1 January 2018, Diakonova University College became part of VID. The constituting schools have traditionally been involved with missionary and diaconal activities both in Norway and abroad. VID continues with this tradition, offering health, social work, management and religious formation for a national and global public.
Colleges The School of Mission and Theology or Misjonshøgskolen (MHS) was founded in 1843 in Stavanger, which makes it the third-oldest institution for higher education in Norway, after the War School (1750) and the University of Oslo (1811). Long associated with the
Norwegian Mission Society, MHS was the first college to concentrate on the world outside Europe. It was also the first European college open for African students (since the 1860s), and over the 19th and the first part of the 20th century, gave the opportunity for priesthood education for young people from poor classes. MHS was accredited in 2008 as a research university The Haraldsplass Diaconal College in Bergen began as a diaconal house in the late 19th century. Later, it became a hospital and college. The Betanien University College was in 1923 as a nursing school at Kalfaret in Bergen. Since it is a foundation it has been linked to the Methodist Church. The Diakonhjemmet University College was a diaconal home started in 1890. It had campuses in Oslo and Sandness. The Diakonova University College was a diaconal institution owned by a foundation part of the Church of Norway, and joined VID in 2018. The Kirkelig utdanningssenter nord/Girkolaš Oahpahusguovddáš Davvin (KUN) in
Tromsø joined VID in 2019. KUN has a cooperation agreement with the
University of Tromsø – The Arctic University of Norway (UiT), and collaborates closely with the Department of History and Religious Studies, the Faculty of Arts ("The Conservatory"), the
Nord University. The constituent institutions – especially the diaconal ones – have historical significance for the development of social work and
nursing professions as well as being pioneer in female higher education in Norway. ==Academics==