The Norlys network for nursing was established in 1994, at first linking Uppsala Vårdhögskolan (which later became part of Uppsala Universitet) and Mikkeli Polytechnic (later Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences).
In 1997 the University of Iceland joined the network and in 2001 Høgskolen i Oslo came in. In 2004 the Karolinska Institutet was added to the network and in 2005 Metropolitan University College, School of Nursing Copenhagen (former the H:S Sygeplejerskeuddannelsen, CVU Øresund in Copenhagen) joined the network. The participating institutions take pleasure and pride that all the Nordic countries are represented in the Norlys network and that Estonia joined the network in 2008. In 2006 Svenska Yrkeshögskolan in Vaasa participated in the network meeting in Mikkeli and became a full partner from the year 2007. In 2007, Turku University of Applied Sciences participated in the network meeting in Vaasa and became a full partner from the year 2008. In 2008 Tallinn Tervishoiu Kõrgkool participated in the network meeting in Turku and became a full partner from the year 2009. The network has considered inviting Universitet i Lund and some institutions from other Baltic countries to the network in the future.

There has been considerable student and teacher exchange between the network members, with students mostly doing clinical studies abroad. Also, there have been 4 intensive courses for students and clinical teachers, which have been planned jointly by teachers from all institutions; the topics have included Psychiatric Nursing, Global Health, Final Projects and Research in Nursing, and Clinical Teaching Methods.- Teachers have also been involved in sharing learning methods and research projects with colleagues, graduate and undergraduate students at the partner institutions, other examples involve problem – based learning methods. The first intensive course was in Psychiatric Nursing and was held in Mikkeli and in Uppsala in 14-26.10.1996. 2 teachers (Mrs Riitta Kuismin, Mr Myron Zaluha) and about 30 students altogether participated in the course. The second intensive course was held 19.-20.10.2000 also in Uppsala, Sweden. There were 2 teachers and 6 students from Iceland, 2 teachers and 4 students from Mikkeli and 4 teachers and 5 students from Uppsala. At that time, the network was still small (Uppsala Universitet, Mikkeli University of Applied Sciences and University of Iceland formed the network). In 2004 there was an intensive course for clinical teachers on this matter in Mikkeli, Finland and in 2005 there was an intensive course in Reykjavík, Iceland on integrating nursing research into undergraduate students´ final projects. The result has been an increased use of problem-based learning in nursing education.

The main objective of the network is to continue providing opportunities for both students and teachers to become acquainted with each others institutions, health institutes, health care systems, teaching and learning methods, and research activities, and to benefit from each others expertise and experience from a Nordic and now also from the Estonian perspective. There is a constant increase in student exchanges. Students show great interest in going to other Nordic countries to do clinical practice and to take suitable theoretical courses. The positive experiences from the networks intensive courses have created great interest in developing further cooperation in this area. The Norlys steering group, which is made up of international coordinators from each institution who evaluates and plans the network´s activities, has decided to apply for intensive courses for students and teachers almost every year, with an emphasis on fostering interest in nursing research among students. Teachers are also very interested in the development of clinical teaching methods, especially those that link theory and practice. As our intensive course application was rejected in 2007 and in 2008 the network decided in its network meeting in Turku not to apply for intensive course this year. The network has created a website, and the goal is to keep updating and developing it in step with the networks expansion towards future Nordic-Baltic co-operation, as well as integrating into it instruction in the intensive courses and a publishing forum for development and research findings.

The representatives from each institution meet approximately once a year to make plans for the year ahead.