The University of Iceland and the University of Minnesota celebrated 35 years of collaboration at the University of Iceland today by renewing the universities’ cooperative agreement, and holding a symposium to reminisce and seek further opportunities for co-operation. The University of Minnesota is UI's oldest partner university.
A delegation of ten representatives from the University of Minnesota came to Iceland for the occasion, and will acquaint themselves with University operations and meet with representatives from various University divisions. The group participated in an interesting anniversary programme at the University of Iceland; Celebrating 35 Years of a Prosperous Partnership: The University of Minnesota and the University of Iceland.
The programme was launched with the signing of a continuing contract between the two universities by Jón Atli Benediktsson and Eric W. Kaler; rectors of the universities. The contract stipulates extensive collaboration for students and staff, as well as employee exchange. Two students from each university will be to attend the other every year, and those going from Iceland to the University of Minnesota will not pay any tuition, and also receive a grant for maintenance from the Val Björnson Foundation. Over 70 students have been a part of a student exchange between these university since the beginning of their collaboration.
Furthermore, the universities have in recent years strengthened their research work which covers nursing, medicine, information technology in the field of health sciences, public health sciences and education. Today’s symposium reviewed the collaboration thus far, discussing successful academic collaboration with a view to further collaboration; e.g. in the field of engineering and languages.
UI's first international partner university
The University of Minnesota was the first international university that the University of Iceland made a partnership agreement with; marking the beginning of extensive international collaboration for the University of Iceland.
Numerous University employees have attended the University of Minnesota and a dynamic alumni association is operated here in Iceland. Jónína Ólafsdóttir Kárdal, career and guidance counsellor at the University of Iceland, is head of the association; but she is one of the grantees of the Val Björnsson Foundation. The Icelandic association in Minnesota, the Hekla club, active since 1925, is, furthermore an avid sponsor of the universities’ collaboration, and has supported students in their exchanges between the two universities. The club was originally a social women's club and is currently the oldest Icelandic national heritage society in North-America.
The Carol Pzandak Iceland-Minnesota Travel fund is operated at the University of Minnesota, enabling University staff to go to the University of Minnesota for research or work. The late Carol Pzandak was a professor in psychology at the University of Minnesota and has been described as Minnesota's bridge to Iceland. The origin of the collaboration can be traced back to Carol's visit to Iceland and she also promoted the launching and development of studies in Career Counselling and Guidance at the University of Iceland.
The collaboration with the University of Minnesota is a great asset for the University of Iceland, the student body is comprised of almost 70 thousand students and the university is ranked in place 54 on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings.
A reception was held after the symposium at the University Centre with members of the Minnesota University alumni. Among those who addressed the group was Jill Esposito, the stand-in for the United States Ambassador in Iceland.
