University of Iceland 389672 220230159 2008-06-18T21:38:18Z 140.180.7.237 /* Notable faculty members */ {{Infobox_University |name =University of Iceland |native_name =Háskóli Íslands |latin_name =Universitas Islandiae |image =[[Image:HI Seal.jpg|Seal of the University of Iceland.]] |motto = |established =[[1911]] |type =[[Public university|Public]] |endowment = |staff = 993 (2007)[http://mbl.is/mm/greinilegur/frett/1278732/] |faculty = |rector =[[Kristín Ingólfsdóttir]] |students = 9,939 (2008)[http://student.is/?action=grein&id=4653] |undergrad = |postgrad = |doctoral = |profess = |city =[[Reykjavík]] |country =[[Iceland]] |campus =[[Urban area|Urban]], [[suburban]] |free_label = |free = |colors = |mascot =[[Athena]] |nickname = HÍ |affiliations = |footnotes = |website =[http://www.hi.is www.hi.is] |coor = |logo = }} The '''University of Iceland''' ([[Icelandic language|Icelandic]]: ''Háskóli Íslands'') is an [[Iceland]]ic [[state university]], founded in [[1911]]. During its first year of operation 45 students were enrolled. Today, the University of Iceland serves a nation of approximately 300,000 people and provides instruction for about 9,000 students studying in eleven faculties. ==History== [[Image:UniversityIcelandSeasons.png|thumb|320px|The [[University of Iceland Main Building]]. Panorama showing it during both summer and winter.]] The University of Iceland was founded on [[June 17]] [[1911]], uniting three former Icelandic schools ''[[Prestaskólinn]]'', ''[[Læknaskólinn]]'' and ''[[Lagaskólinn]]'', which taught theology, medicine and law, respectively. The university originally had only faculties for these three fields, in addition to a faculty of [[humanities]]. The first [[rector]] of the university was [[Björn M. Ólsen]], a professor in the faculty of humanities. For its first 29 years the University was housed in the Icelandic Parliament building, [[Alþingishúsið]], in central [[Reykjavík]]. In [[1933]], the University received a special licence from [[Alþingi]] to operate a cash-prize lottery called ''[[Happdrætti Háskólans]]''. The University Lottery, which started in [[1934]], remains a major source of funding for the construction of new university buildings. In [[1940]], the University moved into the [[University of Iceland Aðalbygging|Main Building]], designed by Icelandic state architect [[Guðjón Samúelsson]]. The Main Building forms the core of the University Campus on [[Suðurgata]], where most of the principal buildings of the University are located today. In addition to the major faculties there are numerous research institutes attached to the University. With more than 400 tenured teachers, approx. 1,800 non-tenured teachers, and about 281 researchers and administrators, the University of Iceland is the largest single work-place in [[Iceland]]. ==Curriculum== [[Image:University of Iceland-Arnagardur.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The [[University of Iceland Árnagarður|Árnagarður]] building, home to the [[Árni Magnússon Institute]]]] The University of Iceland offers studies and research in more than 60 degree programmes in the humanities, science and social sciences, and in professional fields such as theology, law, business, medicine, [[odontology]], nursing, pharmacology and engineering. Some of the resources available at the University are uniquely Icelandic; these include the manuscripts preserved in the [[Árni Magnússon Institute]], Icelandic census records dating from [[1703]], exceptionally complete genealogical data, and climatological, glaciological, seismic and geothermal records. The principal language of instruction is [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]]. Textbooks are mainly in English and Icelandic. Most departments offer courses in English and allow foreign students to take their examinations in English. ==Administration== [[Kristín Ingólfsdóttir]] is the current [[Rector]] of the University of Iceland. She took over from [[Páll Skúlason]] and is the first woman to serve as Rector. ==Faculties== [[Image:University of Iceland-Askja.jpg|thumb|260px|[[Askja (building)|Askja]]]] In addition to a re-education center, there are faculties of: * [[Business and economics]] * [[Engineering]] * [[Humanities]] * [[Theology]] * [[Law]] * [[Medicine]] * [[Natural science]] * [[Nursing]] * [[Odontology]] * [[Pharmacology]] * [[Social sciences]] ==University Area== [[Image:University of Iceland-Logberg.jpg|thumb|250px|[[University of Iceland Lögberg|Lögberg]], home to the Faculty of Law]] The University has the following buildings: * [[University of Iceland Aðalbygging|Aðalbygging]] (main building) * [[Askja (building)|Askja]] * [[University of Iceland Árnagarður|Árnagarður]] * [[University of Iceland Eirberg|Eirberg]] * [[University of Iceland Endurmenntun|Endurmenntun]] * [[University of Iceland Lögberg|Lögberg]] * [[University of Iceland Læknagarður|Læknagarður]] * [[University of Iceland Oddi|Oddi]] * [[University of Iceland Tæknigarður|Tæknigarður]] * [[University of Iceland VR|VR I, II and III]] * [[Háskólatorg]] * [[Gimli (building)|Gimli]] There is also a gymnasium, a student service center and several dormitories and research institute buildings. ==Notable faculty members== [[Image:Læknagarður.JPG|thumb|260px|Læknagarður, which houses the Faculty of Medicine]] ===Current=== * [[Hannes Hólmsteinn Gissurarson]] (political scientist) * [[Páll Skúlason]] (philosopher) * [[Trausti Valsson]] (engineer) * [[Vilhjálmur Árnason]] (philosopher) * [[Þorvaldur Gylfason]] (economist) * [[Þór Whitehead]] (historian) ===Former=== * [[Erlendur Haraldsson]] (social scientist) * [[Guðmundur Finnbogason]] (writer, teacher) * [[Halldór Ásgrímsson]] (lecturer, 1973-1975) * [[Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson]] (political scientist, now [[President of Iceland]]) * [[Sigurður Nordal]] (Medieval literature scholar) * [[Sigurður Þórarinsson]] (geologist) * [[Þorsteinn Gylfason]] (philosopher) == Notable alumni == [[Image:VR II.jpg|thumb|260px|[[University of Iceland VR]]]] * [[Bjarni Ármannsson]] (banker) * [[Ásgeir Ásgeirsson]] (politician) * [[Björn Bjarnason]] (politician) * [[Elín Hirst]] (news anchor) * [[Einar Pálsson]] (literature) * [[Einar Már Guðmundson]] (writer) * [[Friðrik Sophusson]] (politician) * [[Davíð Oddsson]] (politician) * [[Guðmundur Finnbogason]] (writer, teacher) * [[Hreiðar Már Sigurðsson]] (businessman) * [[Kristín Steinsdóttir]] (writer) * [[Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir]] (writer) * [[Sólveig Pétursdóttir]] (politician) * [[Guðrún Kristín Magnúsdóttir]] (writer) * [[Sigurjón Sighvatsson]] (film producer) * [[Sigurður Kári Kristjánsson]] (politician) * [[Vigdís Grímsdóttir]] (writer) * [[Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir]] (politician) * [[Þórarinn Eldjárn]] (writer) ==Student funding== The University of Iceland is a public, government-funded university, and as such it does not charge school fees (although a small enrollment fee must be paid). In terms of living expenses, most students at the University of Iceland either work part-time to finance their studies or receive student loans at favourable interest rates from the [[Icelandic Student Loan Fund]]. The Icelandic Ministry of Education, Science and Culture annually offers awards to foreign students for the study of [[Icelandic language]], [[Icelandic history|history]] and [[Icelandic literature|literature]] at the University of Iceland. Scholarships are usually restricted to students from selected countries each year. Awards are tenable for one academic year and aim to cover board and lodging. The major source of funding available to foreign graduate students is the [[Eimskipafélag Íslands]] University Fund, which is open to both scholars and current or prospective [[PhD]] students. Each grant from the fund is approximately 2,5 million [[ISK]] per year, for a period of up to three years, and is intended to cover living expenses. ==Student politics== There are three major parties that participate in the student politics of the University of Iceland. These are [[Röskva (University of Iceland)|Röskva]], [[Vaka (University of Iceland)|Vaka]] and [[Háskólalistinn (University of Iceland)|Háskólalistinn]]. ==See also== *[[National and University Library of Iceland]] *[[Icelandic scholars]] *[[Icelandic Student Loan Fund]] *[[RES - The School for Renewable Energy Science]] ==External links== *{{Is icon}} [http://www.hi.is Official homepage] *{{En icon}} [http://www.hi.is/id/1002800 Official homepage] * [http://hi.is/page/stortkort Map of the University area] * [http://www.hi.is/pub/gis/ Map of the University area in Google Earth and in Google Maps] * [http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=672be6d0-ea69-49ec-86c3-23b8b5452e00 University of Iceland Geocache] {{coor title dms|64|08|26|N|21|56|58|W|region:IS_type:landmark_source:dewiki}} [[Category:Educational institutions established in 1911]] [[Category:Business schools]] [[Category:Nursing schools in Iceland|Iceland, University of]] [[Category:University of Iceland| ]] [[Category:Icelandic culture]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Iceland]] [[cs:Háskóli Íslands]] [[de:Universität Island]] [[fr:Université d'Islande]] [[ga:Ollscoil na hÍoslainne]] [[is:Háskóli Íslands]] [[ko:아이슬란드 대학교]] [[no:Háskóli Íslands]] [[nn:Háskóli Íslands]] [[pl:Uniwersytet Islandzki]] [[fi:Islannin yliopisto]] [[sv:Islands universitet]]