BI Norwegian Business School cancels marketing exam for 700 students over procedural error

Nearly 700 students at BI Norwegian Business School in Bergen and Trondheim must retake their final exam in marketing strategy after the school annulled the test due to procedural failures, Dagbladet reports.

The exam, held Tuesday in Markedsføringsledelse og strategi (Marketing Management and Strategy), was split into two groups with questions presented in different orders—though all students received the same questions. School officials determined this may have given some students an unfair advantage.

Eilin Lleshi Brahimi, one of the affected students, said she “burst into tears” upon receiving the cancellation notice Friday. “I was so happy to finally have summer break,” she told Dagbladet. “Now I have to study all over again while working full-time. It’s not our fault the school didn’t prepare a proper exam.”

Ole Petter Syrrist-Leite, BI’s communications director, called the incident a “deeply regrettable human error” and acknowledged the frustration among students. “Some may have gained an advantage,” he said. “While many likely didn’t share information, we must ensure fair assessment.” The school has not confirmed how many formal complaints it has received but pledged to reschedule the exam “as quickly as possible.”

Students reported widespread disappointment, with many considering formal appeals. “Taking an exam once is stressful enough,” Brahimi said. “Now we’re facing more stress because of their mistake.”