Friday June 2, 2023, the High North Centre’s very own research assistant Maja Wolland Blomberg received the award for best Master thesis in the category High North and Internationalization. She shared the prize with Ziheng Chen, who has been a part of the exchange program Nord University Business School have with East China Normal University in Shanghai.
The award ceremony took place during the graduation ceremony for all Master of Science students at the Business School.
A committee of three researchers at the High North Center evaluated the nominated theses, and the committee found that all the nominated theses were of high quality and of utmost interest.
The committee stated:
“To receive the Prize there is a requirement that the thesis has an explicit relevance to the High North. Two of the theses fulfil completely this criterion. Both these two theses demonstrate advanced analysis and important research findings. In quite different but very interesting ways both these two theses are exploring how policies, laws, regulations, and other relations are important for what happens in the High North.
Both theses demonstrate research results that are relevant for policymakers, stakeholders, and the scientific community, contributing to the sustainable development and prosperity of the High North. After thorough consideration of these two theses and their academic merit, the evaluation committee has decided that they both equally deserve to receive the Prize.”
The award was handed to Maja by Zdenek Dvorak, Special Advisor at the Nordland County council leader's office.
During her acceptance speech, Maja touched upon the hard work and how proud all of the students present should be on this day.
She also told that in the last weeks of work on the thesis, she had started listening to blues music. And because of this, she quoted blues legend BB King:
– The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.
