Finally, we were able to meet physically again after a two-year stay at KBN School due to the corona pandemic. 13 participants came from, among others, the municipalities of Lom, Kongsvinger, Rana and Bamble to KBN's offices in Oslo on Thursday 25 November 2021 to participate in KBN School module I.

KBN The school's principal, Torger Jonasen, smiled broadly when he was finally able to receive his students and welcome them to a two-day course.

"It has been terribly hard not to have KBN School physically for two years, and it was a day of joy to finally be able to receive the participants. I have been looking forward to this for a long time! ” , said an enthusiastic principal.

We arrange the KBN School several times a year, and it is a course that provides a basic introduction to loan management for municipalities. This is a course both for those who are new to the subject, but also for those who have worked with finance in the municipality for a while. Everyone is welcome to learn more and share experiences together.

Introduction to framework, financial risk, macro and interest rates on the timetable

Participant Anders Heber Skumsnes from Rogaland County Municipality came to participate because: «As a new employee in the financial management group in the finance department two years ago, I was recommended by the leader to sign up for KBN School, to get an introduction to municipal debt management. Basically, I was to participate in the course in the summer a year and a half ago, and after several cancellations, I finally got to participate now in November » .

The same also applied to participant Marte Færø-Dahlberg from Rana municipality. She is also a new employee in the municipality and came to introduce loan management and become even more familiar with the tools in KBN Finans.

The schedule on the first day included topics such as financial risk, macro and interest rates, financial reporting and the framework for borrowing.

Tom Pehrsen had stopped by to talk about macro and interest rates. When we ask him about what is important for the municipalities to think about in the future, and how KBN School can help, Pehrsen answers:«Municipalities must think stress tests where borrowing rates can rise from the current level and up to 3% points. For macro, it is important to understand that American policy and interest rate setting affect the interest rate level in Norway for maturities over 5 years. Furthermore, the world is still deeply affected by the corona pandemic and as long as it rages, there will be persistent uncertainty related to economic growth and the final damaging effects after the epidemic. KBN School is therefore a good offer for loan managers, finance staff and also politicians to get a basic introduction to debt management, from portfolio composition to current topics. KBN School also shows which tools can be used to help in the work with a debt portfolio » .

The second day was a review of climate risk and green loans. Marit U. Harstad stopped by to demonstrate opportunities in KBN Finans. Then there were assignments and cases on the agenda before there was a diploma presentation at the end of the day.

What are the students left with?

When asked what has been the best thing about KBN School, Skumsnes answers: “The academic was the most important thing for me on this course, so I was very pleased with good and committed course leaders. In addition, it was nice to meet and talk with the other participants in the course who came from both small and large municipalities .

The same is also said by Hilde Marit Flatmo from Lom municipality: «Actually everything! Has learned a lot about borrowing, capital risk, interest rate risk and loan simulation and also met many nice participants and employees in KBN » .

Kari Gunnarsrud from Kongsvinger municipality came to us to learn more about the functionality of KBN Finans, she says. Kari says that "Review of KBN, meeting customer managers and others from other municipalities who work with the same thing was the best thing about KBN School" . To what was most interesting about the stay, Gunnarsrud replied: "The process around borrowing, tips and advice in KBN Finans" .

"It was very good with theory first and then practical tasks. Very nice to get to know others and hear how others do with them. The dinner in the evening was also very pleasant " , answers Marte Færø-Dahlberg from Rana municipality.

Recommends KBN School to others

Hilde Marit Flatmo also says: "I think a lot of people can benefit greatly from these 2 days!" . Kari Gunnarsrud also agrees with this. "This is very positive. This is the kind of feedback we strive for " , answers KBN School's principal Torger Jonasen.

We have also received several feedback that participants from module I will return for KBN School module II in the new year. The principal, Jonasen, answers: "Nice that several of the participants want to return to KBN School 2. Then it's just a matter of starting to plan for 2022".