Agder University College

University of Agder

Universitetet i Agder
Type	Public university
Established	2007 (1994, 1839)
Rector	Frank Reichert
Administrative staff	1100
Students	11879
Location	Kristiansand & Grimstad, Norway
Campus	Gimlemoen Grimstad
Website	www.uia.no

Coordinates: 58°9′46.82″N 8°0′11.6″E / 58.1630056°N 8.003222°E / 58.1630056; 8.003222

The University of Agder (Norwegian: Universitetet i Agder), formerly known as Agder College and Agder University College, is a public university with campuses in Kristiansand and Grimstad, Norway. The institution was established as a university college (høgskole) in 1994 through the merger of Agder College and five other colleges, including a technical college and a nursing school, and became one of Norway's new universities in 2007. It is among the youngest and smallest of Norway's eight universities.

The idea of a university in the Agder region is not completely new. In his short period as ruler of the union of Denmark–Norway, Johann Friedrich Struensee planned on reforming the University of Copenhagen. He gave Bishop Johann Ernst Gunnerus of Trondheim the task of developing more detailed plans. Gunnerus presented a proposal in 1771 in which he suggested establishing a new university in Norway, and placing it in Kristiansand.