Bjørn Olav Megard took his family to the United States for his studies at Harvard Kennedy School. In return, he got invaluable leadership skills, fresh perspectives and new friends around the world.
“I’m sure many of my colleagues aren’t aware of my Harvard background. It’s not something that I tend to talk about.”
Bjørn Olav Megard, Director General of the Norwegian Department of Indigenous and National Minority Affairs, sits back in his office chair in Akersgata, Oslo.
“My time in the U.S. provided me with a theoretical framework that I use every day — as both a bureaucrat and a leader. If you’re trying to put forward a convincing argument for something, then you have to understand other people’s perspectives. Asking questions from the opposing viewpoint of your own is always a useful exercise”.
Another point of view
We’re here to discuss Megard’s time at Harvard Kennedy School, where he earned his MCMPA in leadership and public administration in 2008-2009. He also took additional courses at Harvard Law School and Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
After being admitted, he received the Kistefos Public Service Fellowship Fund, which supported him during his mid-career master’s degree.
Even before Megard had seriously considered attending Harvard, he had already studied at the University of Oslo for almost a decade. He began with science and mathematics, then philosophy, pedagogy and eventually social anthropology — which was his true calling.
“I started with science and mathematics, but I was gradually drawn to the social sciences. The grey areas. Ambivalence. Duality. Politics. Why do people behave the way they do, even though it seems bizarre or irrational from my point of view? What circumstances contribute to the positions that people take and the opinions they hold?”
While his classmates travelled further afield to India, Borneo, Latin America and the like, Bjørn Olav headed north to study national minorities in Finnmark, Norway’s northernmost county.
“It just felt like the natural choice to me, but it was a lucky decision. This was around the time Norway decided to step up its efforts around our national minorities, so that meant I could go straight from university into a genuinely meaningful job.”
Leaders from around the world
Since 2004, Bjørn Olav Megard has developed his leadership skills as Deputy General Director and General Director in various Norwegian ministries. By the time he began studying at Harvard, he had already gained leadership experience — which was, in fact, a requirement for his degree of choice.
“In a group of 200 students, there were around 50 different nationalities, and everybody had their unique take on leadership.”
The most significant difference between studying in Oslo, Norway and Cambridge, Massachusetts, was what Megard describes as ‘a greater educational pull’.
“I wouldn’t call it pressure, but there’s certainly a higher expectation of participation during classes. You read what you’re supposed to, pay attention and participate in the class discussions. Being unprepared in classes is not an option.”
“Some courses are tracked by teaching assistants who then evaluate your performance every week. The intention isn’t to discourage students, but to motivate them to be at their best. It works.”
Group presentations, collective educational exercises and a more hands-on, social approach to learning suited Megard perfectly.
“My year at Harvard was, without doubt, the year I’ve learned the most so far in my life. That social way of learning laid the foundations for some long-lasting friendships around the world as well. Whether I’m in India, Australia, California or Guatemala, there’s always someone to call up and meet with.”
An inauguration for life
Already a family man on arrival, Bjørn Olav’s weekends and holidays revolved around his wife and their children.
“We did all kinds of fun stuff together as a family. We drove through New England, travelled to Washington DC several times, and visited Florida. We also visited a tribe that was rafting in the Grand Canyon. I probably wasn’t seen as the most social person on campus, but I had to prioritize being a father.”
One particular memory from his stay at Harvard sticks out — and will continue to do so.
“I was there when Obama won the presidential election. People were dancing in the streets. My 10-year-old daughter and I attended the inauguration. Most of the people surrounding us were DC locals, and I’ll never forget seeing all these elderly African-American men crying tears of joy. It was a really special moment
“Another thing that comes to mind is my astronaut classmate, who has been to space four times to date. He took my family and I to an incredible shuttle launch, but what made the biggest impression on me was his reflections on the Challenger disaster. He told me about his experience working at NASA during that awful time.”
Planning is key
When asked if he could share his advice on how to proceed with an application for the Kistefos scholarship, Bjørn Olav Megard points out some harsh truths:
“The hardest part is being admitted to the school. You should probably start working at least a year ahead. There’s a fair amount of economics and mathematics, which is what many people struggle with.”
The importance of planning stretches far beyond writing essays but to gathering recommendations and articulating your motivation for applying at Harvard. It also has a more practical side to it.
Megard’s stay at Harvard was sponsored by Kistefos, Fulbright and his employer at the time. — who granted him paid leave of absence.
“It’s an expensive education, so make sure you apply for all available scholarships. For me, learning about the Kistefos scholarship was the moment when I realised that this could happen.”