LIMPI has strengthened its Quality Work – Approved by NOKUT

The systematic quality work at the Lillehammer Institute of Music Production and Industries (LIMPI) has now been assessed as satisfactory.

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After NOKUT concluded in May 2024 that there were significant deficiencies, the university college has carried out solid work to correct and further develop its quality system. NOKUT’s board has now decided that all the requirements in the Universities and University Colleges Regulations §§ 1-7 and 1-8 have been met.

“LIMPI has taken the supervision very seriously and demonstrated how targeted efforts and good teamwork can produce results. It is inspiring to see how the institution has used the improvement process to strengthen its internal quality culture,” says NOKUT Director Kristin Vinje.

The expert committee believes that LIMPI has ensured systematic documentation of its quality work and successfully anchored this work in the board, management, and academic community. The committee particularly highlights the institution’s reflective approach to artistic development work, describing it as both inspiring and an example to follow for similar higher education institutions.

  • The Norwegian National Agency for Quality Assurance in Education (NOKUT) was established in 2003 with the mandate to review both quality practices and the quality assurance work at the country's higher education institutions. NOKUT abides by the European Standards and Guidelines 2015 (ESG) which are operationalized in the national Regulations to the University and University Colleges Act.

    The reviews are periodic in nature and each institution gets called upon every six to eight years. NOKUT appoints expert committees for these reviews. In the first phase, the committee examines targeted documentation from each institution, consisting of strategy, framework and implementation of internal quality assurance systems and systematic quality work. The second phase consists of a site visit during which the committee interviews key stakeholders such as the leadership group, the board, relevant faculty members, administrative staff and students. If the expert committee concludes that the institution falls short of the ESG criteria as operationalized in the national regulations (i.e., non-compliant) NOKUT may limit the institution’s accreditation rights.

    Lillehammer Institute of Music Production and Industries (LIMPI) was established in 2015 and is a private institution located in Lillehammer. LIMPI offers an English-language post-bachelor's programme, Advanced one-year Program in Professional Music Production and International Music Industries (60 ECTS), focusing on popular music production and performance. In 2025, LIMPI had 66 students enrolled and the equivalent of 6.1 man-years.

    NOKUT reviewed LIMPI for the first time in 2023. The expert committee concluded that LIMPI’s quality work did not comply with the national regulations. LIMPI was given a deadline of 7 May 2025 to demonstrate satisfactory compliance with all applicable requirements relating to its quality system and systematic quality work.

    LIMPI submitted new documentation within the deadline. After reviewing the new documentation and meeting with staff and students during the site visit in late May 2025, the committee concluded that the quality work at LIMPI meets the required standards. The institution has conducted a periodic review of its programme, developed a new strategy and documented systematic review processes that ensure that the programme aligns with accreditation requirements.

    Furthermore, LIMPI has established a faculty meeting point which fosters both engagement in and knowledge of quality work, documented its use of internal and external sources, and developed new practices for documenting its quality work. The committee is impressed with the effort made by the institution over the last year and considers the quality assurance system and the quality assurance work at LIMPI to be satisfactory.

Facts about LIMPI

LIMPI was established in 2015 and is a private college that educates songwriters, artists, and producers, recruiting students both nationally and internationally. The school offers one study program – Advanced one-year Program in Professional Music Production and International Music Industries (60 ECTS credits, full-time).

LIMPI is located in downtown Lillehammer, in a specially adapted facility that includes 17 studios and a large classroom with a stage. In the 2024/25 academic year, LIMPI had 66 students and 6.1 full-time equivalent staff. The college does not receive government funding but has, since its founding, been supported by Talent Norge and the Sparebankstiftelsen DNB.

LIMPI and NOKUT

As a university college without institutional accreditation, LIMPI must apply to NOKUT for accreditation of study programmes at all levels. NOKUT accredited LIMPI’s current program in 2016. The NOKUT audit in 2023/24 was the institution’s first, resulting in a decision of significant deficiencies and a twelve-month correction period.

After this correction period, LIMPI has documented solid and systematic quality work that meets all regulatory requirements.

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