The establishment of talent centers in science is a follow-up to the science strategy "Close to science", which was presented by the Ministry of Education and Research in the fall of 2015. The Talent Centre in science is an adapted educational offer for students with high learning potential. In the spring of 2019, the talent center program was established as a permanent educational offer for students with high learning potential, subject to the Education Act, on behalf of the Ministry of Education and Research. The Talent Centre is an offer for students in grades 7 to 10 of primary school, and students who are in the first two years of upper secondary education. 

The Talent Centre in science takes as its starting point theoretical science subjects such as mathematics, chemistry, physics and biology, and integrates them with technology development, prototyping and practical use of theory. The obligation in the Education Act to adapt the education also applies to pupils who need extra academic challenges, who are particularly eager to learn, and who quickly get bored because they quickly master the tasks they are given.

Who is the talent centre for?

There are many different terms used to describe students who are at a higher academic level than other students. Examples of this are gifted students, talented students, strong students, intelligent students, high-achieving students and students with academic talent. This is in many ways a very heterogeneous group of students. Some of the students generally have a high IQ, others have a special talent in one subject, while others have extraordinary talent in several academic subjects. Some students may, in addition to their abilities, have difficulties such as dyslexia and ADHD. For example, students may have high learning potential, but low motivation or low social functioning. There is therefore no one solution that fits all students with high learning potential.

Students with high learning potential make up 10-15% of the student population. It is not only the brightest students in the class who have top grades, but also those who have great potential to achieve fantastic results in one or more subjects, and at a level that is much higher than their peers if they receive properly adapted education and support in school (NOU, 2016)*. Our target group is therefore both students who perform at a high level, and students who have the potential to perform at a high level. 

The Talent Centre in science will:

• Provide an academic offer based on mathematics, science and the science program subjects for students who need greater challenges.
  
  
• Help students with great learning potential connect through organized student networks.
  
  
• Contribute to improving competence in the school sector regarding students with high learning potential and their needs.

Deltakerne vil i løpet av skoleåret jobbe i tverrsnittet av teoretiske realfag, praktiske ingeniørfag og kunst og design, med en praktisk tilnærming til tung fagteori. Tverrfaglighet er en sentral del av talentprogrammet og vil utfordre deltakerne på etisk og bærekraftig teknologiutvikling, bruk av teknologi og historiske betydninger av realfagene vi i dag lærer på skolen.

The Talent Centre tar i mot søknader en gang i året, og elever som får plass på the talent centre deltar i ett skoleår om gangen. Søknadsportalen åpner medio mars hvert år.