Forty-one new students at the University of Iceland, coming from 19 upper secondary schools across the country, were awarded grants from the Student Achievement and Incentive Fund in a ceremony in the Aula yesterday. This is a record number of grant recipients and the thirteenth year that grants have been allocated from the Fund.
In recent years, the grant award ceremony has taken place in the University Centre in June, attended by the grant recipients and their families. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the decision was made to postpone the ceremony until the start of the academic year. Only the grant recipients were invited to attend in order to comply with the restrictions on mass gatherings set by the public health authorities. However, the ceremony was live streamed for family and anyone else who wanted to watch.
This spring, a record number of people applied to study at the University of Iceland and so the decision was made to significantly increase the number of grants available from the Student Achievement and Incentive Fund. As stated above, a total of 41 grants were awarded this year. They went to new students who had achieved outstanding grades in their Icelandic matriculation examination and excelled in other areas, such as art, sport, or student organisations. Among the grant recipients are also students who had shown incredible tenacity and resilience and had achieved highly in their studies despite very difficult circumstances.
They come from 19 different upper secondary schools across Iceland and are now starting on 23 different study programmes across all five schools at the University of Iceland. The group includes 13 people who have been valedictorian or salutatorian at their schools in recent semesters, as well as 7 people who received the University of Iceland Education Award on graduating.
Images of the award ceremony by Kristinn Ingvarsson
The first grants from the University of Iceland Student Achievement and Incentive Fund were awarded in 2008 – since then, over 300 new students have received a grant. Each grant is ISK 375,000, with a total sum of over ISK 15 million awarded.
The grant recipients are:
- Aðalheiður Lind Björnsdóttir
- Alexandra Kristín Hafsteinsdóttir
- Anna Karen Marinósdóttir
- Anna Lilja Atladóttir
- Anna Magnúsdóttir Eirúnardóttir
- Ari Óskar Víkingsson
- Arnar Ágúst Kristjánsson
- Arnar Sigurðsson
- Arnbjörg Ella Sigmarsdóttir
- Ástrós Hind Rúnarsdóttir
- Berglind Erna Tryggvadóttir
- Bjarki Baldursson Harksen
- Brynja Marín Bjarnadóttir
- Eva Maggý Lindudóttir
- Fehima Líf Purisevic
- Guðjón Ari Logason
- Guðrún Guðjónsdóttir
- Guðrún Lilja Kristófersdóttir
- Guðrún Ósk Ólafsdóttir
- Helga María Magnúsdóttir
- Hlynur Aðalsteinsson
- Iðunn Andradóttir
- Jason Andri Gíslason
- Jóhanna Ingisól Sævarsdóttir
- Jóhanna María Bjarnadóttir
- Katla Rut Robertsdóttir Kluvers
- Lieu Thúy Thi Ngo
- Magnús Gauti Úlfarsson
- Margrét Björk Daðadóttir
- Marta Carrasco
- Monika Jóhanna Karlsdóttir
- Nanna Kristjánsdóttir
- Reyn Alpha Magnúsar
- Salóme Pálsdóttir
- Sóley Halldórsdóttir
- Steinunn María Egilsdóttir
- Theodóra Björk Ægisdóttir
- Urður Andradóttir
- Valdimar Örn Sverrisson
- Þorri Þórarinsson
- Örn Steinar Sigurbjörnsson
Grants from the University of Iceland Student Achievement and Incentive Fund are awarded with support from the University of Iceland Centennial Fund and the University of Iceland Lottery. The board of the University of Iceland Student Achievement and Incentive Fund comprises: Steinunn Gestsdóttir, pro-rector for academic affairs and development and chair of the board, Ólafur Pétur Pálsson, professor at the Faculty of Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science, and Guðbjörg Vilhjálmsdóttir, professor at the Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology and Folkloristics.