Peer support with academic writing at the UI Centre for Writing

Emma Björg Eyjólfsdóttir has been appointed director of the University of Iceland Centre for Writing. Emma has worked as a project manager at the Centre for Writing since the autumn of 2020, primarily responsible for improving the Centre's services to students and staff who are not native speakers of Icelandic. Emma has MA degrees in philosophy and cultural studies and is currently studying for a PhD in philosophy. She has previously worked as a sessional lecturer at the University of Iceland and in labour communications from 2015 to 2020, including a position as public relations officer for the State Conciliation and Mediation Officer.

"Peer support with academic writing for all UI students has always formed the backbone of the Centre for Writing's activities. This winter we are trying to build up these services on the campus itself, following the pandemic. The Centre for Writing employs students studying at the University of Iceland and we are always looking for new staff. We help students from all five schools, so we want staff from all schools as well.

We work from the basis that everyone is capable of learning the skills needed for academic writing and that peer support in the form of face-to-face sessions is the best way to achieve this. During a session, everyone gets to talk and access support based on their individual needs and we aim to ensure that everyone will come out a more skilled and confident writer and a better scholar.

We have focused on reaching students who are taking their first steps in academic writing early in their programmes or students who are taking on major writing projects at the end of their programmes, including doctoral theses. In recent years we have put particular effort into reaching students and staff who are not native speakers of Icelandic in order to help them with writing in Icelandic. The Centre for Writing also offers support with academic English.

The Centre for Writing's website has been steadily growing and we already offer a wide range of resources on academic writing. We have many exciting projects on the agenda, such as opening an academic phrasebank that has been in development this last year, and creating course material on academic writing that will be made available to all teaching staff at the University of Iceland."