Our university
- the agent of change
Kolbrún Þ. Pálsdóttir
I am running for the office of rector of the University of Iceland because I am passionate about an integrated, strong university that can be an agent of change for all of us. My extensive experience as a leader within the University of Iceland will support me in promoting necessary changes with the interests of students, staff and Icelandic society as my guiding light. I want to see the University of Iceland at the forefront in all fields, put people first, promote the interests of our students and be a spokesperson for university education in our society.
Our university
- the agent of change
Kolbrún Þ. Pálsdóttir
My focus for the next five years
1: University at the forefront
- Work towards the financing of higher education in Iceland be comparable to other Nordic countries
- Strengthen basic research and specific research infrastructure in all academic fields
- Increase the number of grants and improve the working conditions of doctoral students
- Build an interdisciplinary research center of UI in Vatnsmýri
2: University education for society
- Improve the quality of teaching and targeted support services for university teachers and students
- Powerful master’s and doctoral programs in all fields of study
- Teaching development and support for diverse forms of learning
- Increase opportunities for students to tackle practical and creative projects and internships
3: People first
- Promote a positive and flexible work environment for everyone within UI, and make salaries competitive
- A simple but effective administrative framework that puts the needs of staff and students at the forefront
- Reduce the work-burden on staff
- Promote equality and diversity in the university community
4: Students' interests are HÍ's interests
- A real scholarship system in collaboration with the government and students so that they can devote themselves to their studies
- Increased student services and study and career counseling
- Support students’ social activities and create conditions for them to connect and learn together
- Improve study facilities in all academic fields and establish facilities for parents and their children
See more here below
My focus for the next five years
1: University at the forefront
- Work towards the financing of higher education in Iceland be comparable to other Nordic countries
- Strengthen basic research and specific research infrastructure in all academic fields
- Increase the number of grants and improve the working conditions of doctoral students
- Build an interdisciplinary research center of UI in Vatnsmýri
2: University education for society
- Improve the quality of teaching and targeted support services for university teachers and students
- Powerful master’s and doctoral programs in all fields of study
- Teaching development and support for diverse forms of learning
- Increase opportunities for students to tackle practical and creative projects and internships
3: People first
- Promote a positive and flexible work environment for everyone within UI, and make salaries competitive
- A simple but effective administrative framework that puts the needs of staff and students at the forefront
- Reduce the work-burden on staff
- Promote equality and diversity in the university community
4: Students' interests are HÍ's interests
- A real scholarship system in collaboration with the government and students so that they can devote themselves to their studies
- Increased student services and study and career counseling
- Support students’ social activities and create conditions for them to connect and learn together
- Improve study facilities in all academic fields and establish facilities for parents and their children
My vision
The rector’s key role is to secure the University’s funding and ensure operational foundations at all levels. It is necessary to maintain a strategic and regular conversation with the government about the societal role and fundamental activities of the University and thus push for increased governmental funding. Similarly, the rector should take constant measures to increase the university´s independent income. In the coming years, we must target international funding and invest in research infrastructure. We must also emphasize the strategic recruitment of academic staff.
My vision is one powerful research university – where all academic fields unite their strengths to support the Icelandic society and deal with the complex current global and local challenges. I will advocate for the development of a new research venue at the Science Park, where a world-class research infrastructure and diverse facilities should be developed to support research and innovation in all academic fields.
I believe that the University of Iceland should be a leader in the responsible use of artificial intelligence in the field of science and education. Digital technologies and artificial intelligence will continue to transform the way people live and work, and not least the environment of science and higher education.
The rector is one of the most powerful advocates of higher education in Iceland and at the forefront when it comes to strengthening the confidence of the Icelandic public, the owners of the school, in the value of higher education. Universities educate and support the flourishing of individuals, nurture culture, history and language, and drive knowledge creation for the society at large and the industries.
The University of Iceland should be a leader in offering quality teaching and diverse studies for people and the community. It is necessary to follow international standards for the quality of teaching and to increase the participation of our students at all levels of higher education. Digital technology and increased demands on university teachers call for professional development and for increased teaching support and technical services.
I will focus on providing more reliable support for master’s and doctoral programs in all fields of study. We need to create conditions that attract excellent academics to the school, as well as increase cooperation with international partners where opportunities arise.
Consideration must be given to the professional and financial structure of distance learning and micro-credential programs, and continuing education within UI should be promoted. Strategic incentives and ways for faculties to work together on interdisciplinary courses and study programs are needed.
The University’s success is based on the people who work and study within it. I want to promote academic democracy by promoting active participation and regular discussion of academic and administrative issues.
To improve staff conditions, UI finances must be improved, but we must also consider how we can reduce costs at various levels. This means that we must also consider which projects can be reduced or discontinued to create room for salary increases.
I believe it is necessary to appoint a working group of the school’s experts and academics to prepare an action plan to improve the working environment and reduce staff work-load. The work-place and expectations towards university teachers have changed significantly in recent years, which calls for a clearer framework around teaching, research and administrative duties, and improved support and services.
Careful consideration must be given to the working conditions and improved support for staff with immigrant background as well as exchange and immigrant students. I will also advocate for a legal framework and funding for the work-based diploma programs for young people with intellectual disabilities.
As rector, I will prioritize close cooperation with the student body and the student leadership regarding university issues and their participation in the academic community. I have always valued good cooperation with students, both as a university teacher and as dean of the School of Education.
I will join the students’ fight for a scholarship system instead of a student loan system. The current student loan system is not effective, university students in Iceland avoid taking out student loans and are forced to work while studying.
Students have guaranteed access to a wide range of educational programs and can be assured that the program is ambitious and that degrees stand up to internationally recognized standards of excellence.
Equal opportunities for university education should be a core mission. Continued effort to offer distance learning in selected fields in collaboration with faculties and the government is needed.
I believe it is important to improve study facilities, accessibility and academic support for university students in all fields of schools. One of the rector’s urgent tasks is to support students’ social communities and create spaces for them to connect, collaborate and learn from each other.
Experience and achievements
In my work within and outside the University of Iceland, I have devoted myself to the task of improving the learning spaces of children in school and leisure activities. After extensive administrative work in Reykjavik municipality, I chose an academic career to increase knowledge of children’s learning environments in school and after-school centers. As a researcher, I am passionate about shedding light on the different forces that shape the formal and informal learning of children and young people. My studies have highlighted that interdisciplinary cooperation is a key factor when it comes to children’s education and well-being. The same can be said about the field of education itself, which is in many ways an interdisciplinary discipline. In my work as dean of the School of Education, I have strived to nurture a research culture and promote research activities in the field of educational research. In recent years, I have gained a good insight into the diverse academic work of all schools, and I have been involved in central strategic planning for research infrastructure within the University of Iceland.
Various projects and achievements during my tenure as a dean:
- Increased support for research: Recruitment of experts to support research and the new role of an academic research leader.
- Purposeful improvement and quality work: Research self-evaluation used purposefully to revise the research framework and strengthen the field’s research culture.
- Progress of educational research: University of Iceland was evaluated among the top universities in the world in educational sciences for the first time in 2019 and is now ranked among the top 401-500 universities in educational sciences.
- Push for a special educational research fund established in 2021 based on a Nordic model.
- International collaboration: Recruitment of international visiting professors and partnership with diverse international universities and institutions.
- Doctoral program strengthened: Reorganization of the SoE doctoral programs following a review in 2021, such as a clearer support role of the Educational Research Institute, and regular meetings with supervisors and PhD students.
- Nordic doctoral school: Membership of NORTED, a network of doctoral schools in the Nordic countries.
- The Icelandic Youth Study: Conducted annually from 2021 in collaboration with the government and diverse partners, see website
- Analysis of the PISA survey: Cooperation with the government, the Directorate of Education, the Association of Icelandic Municipalities and the Icelandic Teachers’ Association on the analysis of the PISA survey. A well-attended PISA seminar series planned for spring 2024 (see recordings on youtube) and a special publication on PISA by the Journal on Educational Research is underway.
I have been a leader and manager for over two decades, both within Reykjavík municipality and the University of Iceland. As a leader, I work with my colleagues to create a shared vision and common goals, and I have ambitions to see people and faculties flourish and achieve success. I mobilize people to make an impact and believe it is important to promote academic democracy, as the University is not an ordinary company but a thriving academic society. As dean of the School of Education, I have purposefully promoted and established formal cooperation with a wide group of partners inside and outside the school, including the government, the Reykjavík municipality, the Icelandic Teachers’ Association, the Directorate of Education, other universities, domestic and international. This collaboration has opened up new opportunities for researchers, students, and staff, as well as increased the visibility of educational research and promoted community confidence in the School of Education.
I have great ambitions for the University of Iceland and believe it is urgent to seek all ways to promote and develop its multifaceted activities. My career has been characterized by bringing together a diverse group of people to promote necessary changes and innovation. I want to combine the efforts of staff in all academic fields to make a good university even better.
Various projects during my tenure as dean of the School of Education:
- Purchase of Saga at the end of 2021 and the move of the School of Education to the main campus will be realized in the spring of 2025.
- Increased funding: Doubling of independent income of the School of Education in the years 2019–2023.
- Strategic planning and implementation of reforms: Utilization of HÍ26 policy for continuous improvement in the work of the School of Education.
- Changes to the organizational chart of the School of Education and new unit set up to strengthen social impact and support professional development, innovation and the application of research.
- Cooperation on teacher education: Implementation of six joint academic positions with other faculties within the University to strengthen cooperation on teacher education
- Menntaflétta, professional development and learning community has reached thousands of teachers and educators.
I am passionate about mobilizing and empowering university students to lead progress in Icelandic society. As a university teacher, I believe it is extremely important to use diverse teaching and learning methods, and I want to engage university students to participate in the learning community. One of the rector’s most urgent tasks is to support students’ social activities and create the conditions for them to connect, work together and learn from each other. I have been involved in shaping different teaching formats, and the School of Education has been at the forfront of developing distance learning, flexible learning and diverse modes of study.
When I took over as dean of the School of Education in 2018, the number of teacher students had been decreasing annually for some time. It was urgent to reverse to respond to the serious shortage of teachers at all school levels. I am particularly proud of my participation in developing a national action plan to strengthen the teacher profession. However, it would never have happened without the close cooperation of our university staff with the government and a broad group of stakeholders in the implementation of a five-year initiative to increase the number of teachers. Paid internships were established for teacher students at all school levels, and new MT (Master of Teaching) study programs were established. The government offered special incentive grants for teacher students, and we at the School of Education created new pathways for experienced pre-school staff to enter our teacher education program. This project was very successful, and the number of registered teachers tripled between 2019 and 2023.
Learning and teaching during my tenure as dean of the School of Education:
- Increase in the number of graduated teachers: Introduction of paid internships in the fifth year and Master of Teaching programs in 2020 to 2021.
- Preschool teacher education: A changed teaching arrangement in the form of university mornings began in 2020.
- Implementation of accreditation of prior learning at the university level – the first project of its kind at the university level in Iceland started at the School of Education, preschool teacher education, 2021.
- Vocational diploma in Preschool Teacher Education organized for the first time nationwide in collaboration with the University of Akureyri in 2023.
- Icelandic bridge for students with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds that aim to work in education, organized in partnership with the School of Humanities.
- Funding from the government Cooperative Higher Education fund to develop the diploma program for people with intellectual disabilities.
- New diploma course in social and emotional skills established in 2024.
- New program in creative sustainability established in East Iceland in collaboration with Hallormsstaðaskóli from autumn 2025.
I face challenges with an open mind and keep my eyes open for the unexpected that appears when we see things from a new perspective. Sustainable solutions to complex challenges build on scientific knowledge and innovation, when people with different backgrounds and experiences work together. Innovation is necessary in order to develop new ways in science and technology, but also in the social sphere that shapes the lives of all of us. As a leader at the School of Education, I have placed great emphasis on initiating formal and informal cooperation with partners both inside and outside the university.
Emphasis and various new projects in recent years:
- NýMennt: a new work unit in the field that builds bridges between researchers and education professionals with an emphasis on literacy, natural sciences (STEAM), innovation and teaching development, see website.
- Menntahleðsla: implementation of short and practical online-courses for teachers and educators.
- Education Innovation Center: Partnership with the City of Reykjavík and a group of partners, see website.
- Artificial intelligence and education: Emphasis on education and collaborative projects on responsible use artificial intelligence in teaching and learning.
- Educational technology and digital study materials: Cooperation with national and international partners to develop and explore how specific educational technology can benefit students and schools.
- Diverse STEAM partnership projects with the School of Engineering and Natural Sciences and other stakeholders.
- Collaborative project Enhance the future which entails that volunteers visit schools and share their stories to spark student´s interest in diverse career pathways.
I was born in 1971 in Belgium, where my parents lived and studied for several years. We moved home when I was a few months old and I grew up in Hlíðar in Reykjavík, together with my two brothers. I was in Hlíðaskóli and graduated from Menntaskólinn in Hamrahlíð in 1991.
I became a young mother and had two young daughters when I enrolled in the University of Iceland in 1992. Later, my husband, Róbert H. Haraldsson, and I had three children together. Róbert is a professor of philosophy at the University of Iceland and the former director of academic affairs at the university. We have a total of five children and recently our first grandchild entered the family.
We have lived both in Reykjavík and in Garðabær, and we have also lived temporarily in Denmark and USA. Four years ago, we moved to Kársnesið in Kópavogur and are therefore eagerly waiting for the new bridge over Fossvogur, which will shorten our journey to the University of Iceland!
My motto is Carpe diem (Seize the day) and I have various interests, e.g. outdoor activities, exercise, swimming, singing, travelling, theater and culture in the broadest sense.
