"Knowledge is the currency of the future"

"Knowledge is the currency of the future," said Jón Atli Benediktsson, rector of the University of Iceland, at the graduation of 437 candidates last Saturday. "Research and innovation combined with focused utilization of research results has brought more prosperity and more security to Iceland than anyone could have anticipated. Life expectancy and the standard of living has improved greatly, and opportunities in education and continuing education multiplied. More Icelanders now have the opportunity to find and cultivate their talents and ideals than ever before," said rector and welcomed that the Icelandic government had prioritised education in their government agreement. 

In his address the rector touched upon the many challenges facing mankind and the importance of education in tackling them. Furthermore, Jón Atli mentioned information pollution that was undermining democracy in the world, and how robots would increasingly replace manual labour. "The compilation of wealth for the elite few threatens social balance and increased numbers of refugees cause tension in the international community. We need a strong University to face today's challenges - a university that is on par with the best universities in the Nordic countries, and one that the nation has full confidence in. Education, innovation, critical thinking, freedom and broadmindedness are the keys to a peacful and prosperous future. Interaction and social skills are the prerequisite for communicating knowledge ensuring that as many as possible enjoy the fruits of science."

Jón Atli said in his address to the candidates that Icelanders need to eradicate archaic attitudes and poisonous habits and the gendered misuse of power that has been exposed in recent months. "The University of Iceland can here set a good precedent by using its specialised knowledge and equality ideal."

Jón Atli pointed out that this year Icelanders celebrate the centennial of their national sovereignty and the foundation of the University of Iceland of Iceland in 1911 was in fact a strategic step in Iceland's journey for that freedom. "The vision of the pioneers for the University of Iceland is quite impressive. Now a modern University that sparks new ideas and improves quality of life; a university that creates knowledge, provides education and degrees, to use worldwide, a university that is a valuable asset for international university networks, a university that attracts students and staff from all over the world, a university that is the foundation for industry and progress."  

To support this, Jón Atli pointed to the considerable progress in Icelandic society during the operation of the University of Iceland, especially in the field of equal rights. He said that that the teaching staff at the University of Iceland was comprised of only men when it was founded a century ago. There were 45 students enrolled the first academic year of the University; 44 men and only one woman, Kristín Ólafsdóttir, medical student. She graduated from the University of Iceland in 1917, the first of many Icelandic women. 

"This year over eight thousand women study at the university," said rector, "and last year over two thousand women graduated. The first woman who became professor at the University of Iceland was Margrét Guðnadóttir, professor at the Faculty of Medicine; a title achieved 58 years after the university's foundation. Margrét had a singularly successful career in teaching and research at the University of Iceland, but she passed away last 4 January."

Jón Atli quoted Leonard Cohen in his speech where he writes about our existence, never perfect.

Ring the bells that still can ring 
Forget your perfect offering 
There is a crack, a crack in everything 
That's how the light gets in

"Anxiety and depression can be inherent with increased demands and modern stumuli (áreiti), especially for young people," said rector to the University graduates. "It is vital that young people speak up and seek help. The University of Iceland has put measures in place to strengthen academic and psychological counselling and will present other measures shortly. We must bare in mind that nobody's perfect, just as the Canadian poet Leonard Cohen says in Anthem from the album the Future from 1992.