Ingrid Schulerud
Encyclopedia
Ingrid Schulerud is a Norwegian
diplomat. She is the Deputy Director General for Central Europe
and EEA
-financing in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
. She is also the wife of Norwegian
Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg
.
Schulerud is the daughter of Mentz Schulerud
, an author and radio personality well known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of their home city of Oslo
. Her aunt—Mentz' sister—was the children’s book
author Anne-Cath. Vestly.
Ingrid Schulerud attended Oslo Cathedral School
, where she met Jens when they were both 17. Here she defeated her future husband in the election for representative to the national students’ union, running for the Socialist Left Party
.
After travels in Latin America
, Schulerud wanted to work for developmental organisations, but was engaged by the Ministry of International Development to study the environmental impact of World Bank
projects. This led her to break off her ongoing master's degree
, and undergo the basic training for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which she finished in 1988. In 1990, while stationed at the Norwegian embassy in Budapest
, her husband was appointed State Secretary
in the Ministry of the Environment
, and this caused her return home to Norway. Subsequently she has held different positions in the Ministry, mostly with matters relating to the Baltic countries
and Central Europe. Schulerud has also been active in the Norwegian Civil Service Union, and has attended the Norwegian National Defense College; an institution for education on military and strategic matters for both military personnel and civilians.
Being the spouse of the prime minister in two different periods (2000–2001 and 2005–present) Schulerud has chosen a somewhat withdrawn position. During the first period she did not accompany her husband on any official state visits for over a year, until the two visited India
in April 2001. All in all, however, she has chosen to stay out of the media's scrutiny primarily to shield her children. The couple has a son and a daughter. They used to share a house with Stoltenberg's sister and her family in the Oslo neighborhood of Nordberg
. However, while Stoltenberg serves as Prime Minister, they live in the Prime Minister's official residence
, close to the Royal Palace
in Oslo.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
diplomat. She is the Deputy Director General for Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
and EEA
European Economic Area
The European Economic Area was established on 1 January 1994 following an agreement between the member states of the European Free Trade Association and the European Community, later the European Union . Specifically, it allows Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway to participate in the EU's Internal...
-financing in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the foreign ministry of the Kingdom of Norway...
. She is also the wife of Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg
Jens Stoltenberg
is a Norwegian politician, leader of the Norwegian Labour Party and the current Prime Minister of Norway. Having assumed office on 17 October 2005, Stoltenberg previously served as Prime Minister from 2000 to 2001....
.
Schulerud is the daughter of Mentz Schulerud
Mentz Schulerud
Mentz Schulerud was a Norwegian author, radio personality and theatre director. He was known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of the city of Oslo....
, an author and radio personality well known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of their home city of Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
. Her aunt—Mentz' sister—was the children’s book
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
author Anne-Cath. Vestly.
Ingrid Schulerud attended Oslo Cathedral School
Oslo katedralskole
Schola Osloensis, known in Norwegian as Oslo katedralskole and more commonly as "Katta" is an upper secondary school located in Oslo, Norway. The school offers the college preparatory studiespesialisering of the Norwegian school system...
, where she met Jens when they were both 17. Here she defeated her future husband in the election for representative to the national students’ union, running for the Socialist Left Party
Socialist Left Party (Norway)
The Socialist Left Party or SV, is a Norwegian left-wing political party. At one point one of the smallest parties in Parliament, it became the fourth-largest political party in Norway for the first time in the 2001 parliamentary election, and has been so ever since...
.
After travels in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
, Schulerud wanted to work for developmental organisations, but was engaged by the Ministry of International Development to study the environmental impact of World Bank
World Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
projects. This led her to break off her ongoing master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, and undergo the basic training for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which she finished in 1988. In 1990, while stationed at the Norwegian embassy in Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, her husband was appointed State Secretary
State Secretary (Norway)
In Norway, a State Secretary is a partisan political position within the executive branch of government. Contrary to the position Secretary of State in many other countries, the Norwegian State Secretary does not head his or her Ministry, rather, they are second in rank to a Minister...
in the Ministry of the Environment
Norwegian Ministry of the Environment
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of the Environment is a Norwegian ministry established in 1972. The ministry is responsible for environmental issues in Norway. It is led by the Minister of the Environment, Erik Solheim...
, and this caused her return home to Norway. Subsequently she has held different positions in the Ministry, mostly with matters relating to the Baltic countries
Baltic countries
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
and Central Europe. Schulerud has also been active in the Norwegian Civil Service Union, and has attended the Norwegian National Defense College; an institution for education on military and strategic matters for both military personnel and civilians.
Being the spouse of the prime minister in two different periods (2000–2001 and 2005–present) Schulerud has chosen a somewhat withdrawn position. During the first period she did not accompany her husband on any official state visits for over a year, until the two visited India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in April 2001. All in all, however, she has chosen to stay out of the media's scrutiny primarily to shield her children. The couple has a son and a daughter. They used to share a house with Stoltenberg's sister and her family in the Oslo neighborhood of Nordberg
Nordberg
Nordberg is a neighbourhood in Nordre Aker in Oslo, the capital of Norway.From 1934 to 1992 it was served by Nordberg Station on the Sognsvann Line, but is now served by Østhorn and Holstein on the same line.-References:...
. However, while Stoltenberg serves as Prime Minister, they live in the Prime Minister's official residence
Inkognitogata 18
Inkognitogata 18 is the official residence of the Prime Minister of Norway. It is located in Oslo the capital of Norway. The residence was completed in 2008 and is a complexe of new and old buildings...
, close to the Royal Palace
Royal Palace, Oslo
The Royal Palace in Oslo was built in the first half of the 19th century as the Norwegian residence of Norwegian and Swedish king Charles III and is the official residence of the present Norwegian Monarch. The crown prince couple resides at Skaugum in Asker west of Oslo...
in Oslo.