Support for doctoral students increased 

Thirty-seven doctoral projects from all of the five University Schools have been allocated grants from the University of Iceland Doctoral Grant Fund, an increase from last year. The projects cover everything from studies on the China-Russia Arctic Cooperation and its implications, to how vision and memory work together to predict the future. 

The applications for Doctoral Grant Funds, a collection of funds for The University of Iceland Eimskip Fund and The University of Iceland Research Fund and other funds that support doctoral students at the University of Iceland are numerous, reflecting the ambitious research work at the university and the intent among students and staff for increased creation of knowledge for society as a whole. 

This year the fund received 149 valid grant applications from all of the University's school of which 37 were allocated grants. Twenty-seven grants come from the University Research Fund, 8 from the University of Iceland Eimskip Fund, and two projects got support from the University of Iceland's Science Park. The Science Park's board has decided to allocate two three-year grants annually to doctoral theses in the field of health- and biotechnology, information technology, and renewable energy.  

The projects span a diverse field within sociology, economics, business administration, political science, environment and natural resources, psychology, bioscience, literature, history, Icelandic, archaeology, educational sciences, sport and health sciences, gender studies, engineering, chemistry, biology, earth sciences, mathematics, and chemistry. 

The total number of grants increases somewhat from last year and most of them are for three years. This is in accordance with the Fund's policy that grant recipients be able to dedicate themselves to their studies and research from the beginning of their studies.  

"At the University of Iceland we place great emphasis on financing doctoral studies. It is thus a distinct pleasure to see an increase from the University of Iceland Doctoral Grant Fund this year as the demand is very high. It is important that the University of Iceland's Science Park contributes two new grants and that they plan to continue to do so in years to come in addition to the grants from the Research Fund and The University of Iceland Eimskip Fund. I sincerely congratulate all grant recipients and their supervisors," says Jón Atli Benediktsson, Rector of the University of Iceland.  

Information on the grantees and their projects can be found on the University website.