Strengthening links with our community

Jón Atli Benediktsson, Rector of the University of Iceland, sent the following message to University staff and students today (7 May 2021):

"Dear students and colleagues,

In recent years, we have concentrated on the important goal of consolidating the University of Iceland's position as a leading international university, but at the same time we have endeavoured to cultivate the University's other primary role, which is our relationship with Icelandic society and industry. Together, these roles combine to address the challenges currently facing us. Over the past weeks, the main examples would be University's research and projects related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the volcanic and seismic activity on Reykjanes peninsula. This week it was revealed that the University of Iceland is ranked 87th in the world for earth sciences, in accordance with a review by U.S. News & World Report. This remarkable success is thanks not least to the diverse range of research conducted at the University of Iceland, which focuses not only on natural disasters and movements in the Earth's crust, but also remote sensing, exploitation of geothermal energy, energy production, new opportunities to neutralise carbon dioxide in the earth, and much more.

The University of Iceland's next strategic plan, which is now in the final draft stage, aims to make a good university even better and cultivate even stronger links with our community under the title "Better university, better society". At yesterday's information meeting with the Rector, I explained many points from the new strategy and also went over the most pressing issues at the University right now. At the same meeting, Ragnhildur Ísaksdóttir, Director of the Division of Human Resources, explained equal pay certification and the results of the wage analysis at the University.

In order to measure the success of the University's strategy and operations, we use a wide range of metrics and regularly invite international review teams to evaluate our work. One such team visited us virtually this week and conducted some important interviews with a large group of people from the University community. We hope that this evaluation will provide confirmation of what we are doing right, as well as clear suggestions of areas for improvement so that we can enhance the quality of our University still further over the next years.

The University of Iceland strives to share our scholarship with the public, since knowledge is the foundation of progress. The University has won a number of awards over the past years for its public outreach projects, for example the University of Youth, the Knowledge Train, the Science Centre and the television series Fjársjóður framtíðar (Treasures for the Future), which is in fact being repeated on RÚV right now. This week we received the wonderful news that the University of Iceland will be taking over projects related to innovation and entrepreneurial training for young people, which were previously run by Innovation Center Iceland. The government will continue to support vital projects of this kind in preschools, compulsory schools and upper secondary schools, alongside professional development for teachers of innovation and entrepreneurship. These projects will now be managed by the University of Iceland School of Education.

Summer courses at the University of Iceland will be advertised from next week and open for registration from 17 May. Just like last summer, the University will be offering a diverse range of courses, a mix of preparatory courses, courses for credit, and lifelong learning for the public. The first courses will start at the beginning of June, free of charge for UI students as well as those due to start a programme at the University who pay the registration fee before the summer school begins.

The exam period is now in full swing and, despite the public health restrictions, everything is going extremely well. I would like to thank you all for that, dear students and everyone who has been involved in preparing and organising the exams. The University community tends to associate spring with exams and studying, the final effort before the end of the academic year. Education is certainly important, but we should do our best to clear our minds every now and then, get some exercise and enjoy the verdant growth and gentle breezes of spring. Let's take care and follow public health guidelines.

Have a good weekend.

Jón Atli Benediktsson, Rector"