Doctoral Defence in Educational Sciences – Helgi Þorbjörn Svavarsson

Helgi Þorbjörn Svavarsson will defend his doctoral thesis in Educational Sciences at the Faculty of Subject Teacher Education, School of Education, University of Iceland. The defence will take place on Friday, 2 October 2026 at 13.00 GMT in the Ceremonial Hall of the University of Iceland’s Main Building in Reykjavík.

The thesis is entitled Leadership for Social Justice for Immigrant Students and Their Families in Icelandic Schools.

Helgi Þorbjörn Svavarsson graduated as a music teacher from the Reykjavík College of Music in 1995, completed a diploma in orchestral conducting, management and leadership at the Norwegian Academy of Music in 1998, and earned an M.Ed. from the School of Education at the University of Iceland in 2013. He began his career as a music and instrumental teacher, choir director and conductor of concert bands in Iceland and Norway. Among other roles, he conducted the choirs of Akureyri Junior College and Flensborg College, as well as the Reykjavík Wind Band and ensembles in Norway. In 1999, Helgi became Principal of the Akureyri Music School, a position he held for nine years. From 2009, he worked in adult education, first at the Eyjafjörður Centre for Continuing Education and later at the Education and Training Service Centre, where he served as Iceland’s contact for the Nordic Network for Adult Learning. He also sat on the board of Leiknar, the Icelandic Association for Adult Learning, and chaired the organisation for five years. Since the beginning of 2023, Helgi has worked as an Adjunct Lecturer at the School of Education, University of Iceland, while also teaching part-time at the University of Akureyri. Alongside this, he has performed as a musician with the North Iceland Symphony Orchestra, appeared in concerts and theatrical productions, and taken part in recordings. Helgi is married to Erna Mary Þorsteinsdóttir, who works for the Stapi Pension Fund. They live in Akureyri and have three adult children: Þórey Kara, Svava Guðný and Tjörvi Leó.

About the thesis

The doctoral thesis draws on four related studies that examine how school leaders in Iceland navigate the interplay between social structures and agency to promote social justice for students of foreign origin. The project's theoretical foundation is critical realism, particularly Margaret Archer's theories on the interactive relationship between structure and agency.

The findings show that democratic values, egalitarian ideals, and high social trust support social justice leadership. Conversely, stereotypes about the “normal” student, monolingual perspectives, unclear policymaking, limited funding, a lack of professional expertise, and negative attitudes towards students of foreign origin act as constraining factors.

The leaders who participated in the study based their work on a strong commitment to social justice, high expectations for all students, a fighting spirit, and a realistic approach to limitations. They emphasized creating a shared vision, building trust, and enhancing staff knowledge of multicultural issues. They also distributed leadership within the school community and implemented practices that reflected student diversity and promoted greater equality and participation.

However, the research suggests that leaders' ability to exert influence is significantly conditioned by systemic factors, such as weak policymaking, insufficient funding, and a lack of systematic focus on social justice within the education system. Leaders therefore often operate in a certain vacuum when it comes to creating favorable conditions for social justice.

The value of the research lies in the insight it provides into how social structures and leadership shape schools’ capacity to improve the academic and social position of immigrant students and support the development of education policy and leadership in multicultural contexts.

Opponents: Dr Ann Elisabeth Gunnulfsen, Associate Professor at the University of Oslo, and Dr Nihad Bunar, Professor at Stockholm University, Sweden.

Supervisors: Friðgeir Börkur Hansen, Professor Emeritus at the University of Iceland, and Hanna Ragnarsdóttir, Professor at the University of Iceland.

Doctoral committee: In addition to the supervisors, the doctoral committee included Lars Anders Kulbrandstad, Professor Emeritus at Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences.

Chair of the ceremony: Sara Margrét Ólafsdóttir, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Subject Teacher Education, School of Education, University of Iceland.

All are welcome.