A group of students from the School for International Training (SIT) for Vermont, USA is presently hosted by the University Centre. The two institutions have collaborated very well during the past years and this is the 6th group that the Centre now welcomes to the Westfjords. These students are enrolled in a study programme called Renewable Energy, Technology, and Resource Economics in Iceland and the students is being taught about renewable energy in the form of lectures and introductions as well as field trips.

 

As well as learning about energy sciences the students take Icelandic classes and are taught about the history and culture of the area. They will e.g. be taken on a boat trip to the island Vigur, a popular resort in the area. The Saga of Gísli will be introduced by a saga trail hike and a monologue and there will be a sailing trip with viking ship replica ‚Vésteinn‘.

 

In order to get a chance to practice speaking Icelandic and to get acqaited with locals, the students are accommodated by families in the area for their first two weeks. These homestays sre in important part of the programme and is something that the students really enjoy during their stay in Iceland.

 

The SIT group is the first one of three field school groups scheduled this summer. In a weeks time a group attending the CHID (Comparative History of Ideas) programme of the University of Washington will arrive and on July 9 we once more welcome a group from the Dept. of Icelandic of the University of Manitoba, Canada.