It is located in the town of Volda, Møre og Romsdal county, Norway.
HVO has a long tradition in Volda dating back to a teachers' training college which was first established here in 1895.
The current rector is Odd Helge Mjellem Tonheim (2025) and it has approximately 4,500 students and 350 employees (2020).
HVO is host of the annual Norwegian Documentary Film Festival (since 1997, a.k.a.
[4] In the 2010 feature film Trollhunter, the main characters are said to be students at HVO.