Several staff members recently traveled up north to visit the University of Akureyri (UNAK). The main purpose of this visit was to renew the master´s program contract between UW and UNAK. Whilst up north the staff also used the opportunity to meet with numerous officials at UNAK.

The first contract between UW and UNAK was signed February 1st 2008 and it included the Coastal and Marine Management master´s program. The contract was renewed during UW´s annual meeting in 2013 where an additional program, Marine Innovation, was added to the curriculum.  This fruitful collaboration was renewed for the fourth time with the addition of the new Coastal Communities and Regional Development program added.

The contract was signed by the UW Director Peter Weiss as well as the Rector of UNAK, Eyjólfur Guðmundsson.

When we look back over the last 10 years and reflect on the collaboration between UW and UNAK we can see that a lot of trust and understanding has been built up between the institutions. This strong connection makes any contract negotiations run smoothly regardless of their implications.

Catherine Chambers, master‘s program director and Sigurður Halldór Árnason, program coordinator met with colleagues to discuss on-going and future collaboration. Our colleagues from The University of Akureyri in the Polar Law Program, Northern Research Forum, and the School of Business and Science and School of Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as other institutions in Akureyri such as the International Arctic Science Committee, Stefansson Arctic Institute, and Arctic Iceland all have close connections to the topics of research and teaching in UW masters programs.

Margrét Björk Arnardóttir, director of education and teaching at UW, met with office managers at the Schools of Business and Science, the School of Humanities and Social Science as well as staff of the university library, the UNAK examination supervisor and the staff of the Centre of Teaching and Learning. Margrét Björk also attended a course on Canvas Learning Management Systems which UW aims to implement next school year. Further collaboration has also been sought regarding the future of developing learning and teaching protocols with the Centre for Teaching and Learning at HA.

UW staff would like to thank HA for their warm welcome and we look forward to further strengthening our collaborative relationship.