The University of Iceland strives to encourage education, research, and support for informed discourse on multiculturalism. Therefore, in autumn 2015, a working group was established, comprising representatives from all University schools, central administration, and the student body. Its scope quickly grew. The working group was conceived as a forum for gathering expertise within UI in the field of multicultural studies with the aim of building bridges and spreading the knowledge that UI has to offer. The group works under the name of 'Academia and Multiculturalism' and focuses on issues relating to immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. Members of the group The members of the group are: Representative of the Rector: Sæunn Stefánsdóttir Project Manager: Auður Birna Stefánsdóttir, University of Iceland Institute of International Affairs Representative of the School of Social Sciences: Guðbjörg Ottósdóttir Representative of the School of Health Sciences: Helga Bragadóttir Representative of the School of Humanities: Guðrún Theódórsdóttir Representative of the School of Education: Hanna Ragnarsdóttir Representative of the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences: Þóra Margrét Pálsdóttir Representative of the UI Student Council: Aron Ólafsson Representative of the Division of Marketing and Public Relations: Björn Gíslason The group also collaborates with University faculties, academics, institutes, and organisations within and outside the University who focus on similar issues. Integration of refugees The Institute of International Affairs in collaboration with Academia and Multiculturalism conducted an assessment report on the quality of services to refugees in Iceland and potential opportunities for improvements. The report was commissioned by the Ministry of Welfare and the Ministry of the Interior. Click here to read the summary of the main conclusions in English. For the full report in Icelandic, click here (published in 2017). Academia and Multiculturalism conference The conference Academia and Multiculturalism 2016 is a series of seminars that began this autumn under the same title. Three seminars have taken place already. The first seminar in the series discussed multiculturalism, politics and the media, the second discussed education and multiculturalism and the third the situation in Syria – hundreds of thousands of Syrians have applied for asylum in Europe since the conflict began. Recordings of all the seminars are available on YouTube. facebooklinkedintwitter
