On the occasion of the United Nations’ second international Day of Happiness,  the University Centre of the Westfjords welcomes to its lunch lecture prof Ruut Veenhoven, who has built up a whole research programme on happiness.

Ruut Veenhoven will talk on the topic: “Greater happiness for a greater number: How can that be achieved?”

Looking over the impressive list of lectures Veenhoven has given during recent years, we would find many more interesting topics. As UW's lunch lecture is too short for that all, Ruut Veenhoven will, after the Lunch lecture, go further into his lecture in the form of an open seminar, where he will dig deeper into particular topics, such as the effect of income or education on happiness; as well as demonstrating some techniques in happiness research, such as the internet based 'Happiness Monitor' and the 'World Database of Happiness'.Of course, participants' questions are an integral part of a seminar and happy Icelanders might have some questions for the professor of happiness – and vice versa.

Ruut Veenhoven (1942) studied sociology and is also accredited in social psychology and social-sexuology. He is emeritus-professor of 'social conditions for human happiness' at Erasmus University, Rotterdam in the Netherlands and extra-ordinary professor at North-West University in South Africa.
Veenhoven's current research is on subjective quality of life. His major publications are: 'Conditions of Happiness' (1984), 'Happiness in Nations' (1993), 'The Four Qualities of Life' (2000) and 'Greater Happiness for a Greater Number: Is That Possible and Desirable?' (2010). Veenhoven has also published on abortion, love, marriage and parenthood. Veenhoven is director of the World Database of Happiness and founding editor of the Journal of Happiness Studies.

The talk will be given in English. The lunch lecture is dependant on flight on Friday morning. UWestfjords lunch lectures start on Fridays at 12.10. Sandwiches for sale.