Students in Svalbard, Norway, are taught how to use a shotgun and ammunition to fend off polar bears at the beginning of every school year.

Since polar bears can outrun a human in a matter of seconds, every student at the University Center undergoes weapons and arctic survival training, Aftenposten reported Monday.

“It’s absolutely necessary,” said UNIS director Gunnar Sand.

(From UPI)

The Svalbard University is a very remote college:

The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) is the world’s northernmost higher education institution, located in Longyear at 78º N. UNIS offers high quality courses at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate level in Arctic Biology, Arctic Geology, Arctic Geophysics and Arctic Technology.

The student wiki offers some humorous advice to prospecitive students:

It is also illegal to carry weapons in shops and cafés.

Students can borrow rifles and other safety equipment at Fred’s office.

So PLEASE!!!!! – give your rifles back as soon as you are finished using them

The top photo shows a student of the university. I cannot make out what rifle he is carrying. A Mauser? Any ideas? Click on the photo to enlarge it.

Hat Tip to Bitter