The education system of the country is guided by the principle that focuses on providing education to everyone regardless of their social background. The overall goal of the country is the provision of quality education for Norwegian and international students. A range of nine universities and five specialized colleges offer Higher Education in Norway. Further 25 university colleges and a range of private colleges have contributed significantly to raising the height of the education system of Norway. The academic year of the country has two semesters; from August to December and from January to June. The responsible institution to caretake the education system in the country is the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research.