About the Norwegian Register
The Register is an official list maintained by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir). It classifies publication channels (journals, series, and publishers) and identifies those approved as academic at Level 1 and Level 2. Level 2 is the higher tier; both Level 1 and Level 2 are approved academic channels.
How Keenious uses it
The Norwegian Register is a way to highlight well-known peer-reviewed journals, which helps you quickly recognize established scholarly venues.
When a paper's venue appears in the Register, Keenious adds a small label on the result card:
Leading Peer-reviewed Journal — a Level 2 venue. Conferences read Leading Peer-reviewed Conference.
Peer-reviewed Journal — a Level 1 venue. Conferences read Peer-reviewed Conference.
If a venue is not in the Register, Keenious shows its plain type instead (Journal, Conference, or Repository) with no quality label.
Where the labels appear
On result cards in search lists, next to the venue name.
On a paper's details view under Source / Venue.
If a venue changes status in the Register, the labels update accordingly. (HK-dir makes level decisions on a cadence, and some changes take effect on future-year schedules.)
Filtering by Norwegian Register status
One control lets you choose a venue status, so you can filter by your preferred level.
Level 2 – leading academic venues.
Level 1 – approved academic venues.
Level 0 & Unlisted – not approved or not in the Register (these do not get labels).
A second filter, 'Peer-reviewed venue' keeps venues whose journals are Level 1 or Level 2.
Important information
The Norwegian Register is widely used across the Nordic and South African research ecosystems and administered with subject-expert oversight. Still, it isn't exhaustive: many legitimate journals and conferences are not listed or are under assessment, and being unlisted does not imply poor quality. Use the label as one helpful cue among others (topic fit, methods, citations, recency, etc.). For this reason, Keenious does not use the Register to label other venues (Level 0 or unlisted).
FAQs
What's the difference between Level 1 and Level 2?
Both are approved academic channels. Level 2 denotes higher international standing within a field and is limited to a smaller share of venues per discipline, as determined by a national expert panel.
Do you ever show labels for "not approved" or "under review" venues?
We only display labels for approved channels (Level 1 or Level 2). This ensures the labels draw attention to established, well-regarded journals. We avoid labelling other journals to prevent the misleading implication that they are of lower quality simply because they have a Level 0 or no level designation.
Where can I check a venue myself?
You can search the Register directly on HK-dir's website at https://kanalregister.hkdir.no/en to see a venue's current status and level.
What's the difference between "Level 0" and "Unlisted"?
Level 0 means the venue is present in the Register but not approved based on the extensive criteria for Level 1. Unlisted means it is not present in the Register, perhaps because it has not been reviewed or is in the process of being reviewed. Both appear under the Level 0 + Unlisted filter and do not receive labels.
Do preprints or repositories get labels?
Generally no, unless the channel itself is listed in the Register (which is rare).
Do conferences get labels?
Yes, when listed in the Register (e.g., a Level 1 conference appears as "Peer-reviewed Conference").
Can I combine the Register filter with other filters?
Yes - date, open access, cited by count, etc., work alongside it.
How do I submit a venue to the Norwegian Register?
Submissions and evaluations are handled by HK-dir. Please use the forms/instructions on the Register's site (kanalregister.hkdir.no). Keenious is not part of the review process and cannot influence decisions; we simply display the Register's current statuses.