University of Akureyri
The University of Akureyri (Háskólinn á Akureyri) is located in North Iceland. The University has built a reputation for academic excellence and good industrial relations. Located in the capital of North Iceland, Akureyri, the University has been instrumental in the economic growth of the region and is central in its planning for a future as a knowledge-based society. The University was founded in September 1987, by establishing two Faculties, in Health Sciences and in Industrial Management. The University is at present operating in three Schools; School of Business and Science, School of Humanities and Social Sciences and School of Health Sciences. The number of students is around 2,000 and members of staff are around 210. Around 2000 students of which 55% are distance learners around the country and the world.
School of Health Sciences
Within school of Health Sciences are tree faculties; Faculty of Nursing, Faculty of Occupational Therapy and Faculty of Graduate Studies. Around 400 students in this tree faculties.
Faculty of Nursing
The main objective of the Nursing programme is to provide education in the basic subjects of health sciences corresponding to the needs of Society at each time. Nurses from the University of Akureyri should possess professional skills to perform general nursing duties, as well as administrative and instructive work in most fields of health care services. The programme is internationally accredited and is actively participating in research cooperation with different countries.
The specific character of the nursing programme
Emphasis is on educating nurses for work in the society of the future. Clinical training begins as early as in the first year of study. Nursing programme for BS degree is 240 ECTS. Students pursue clinical studies at health service institutions in Akureyri, in Reykjavík and in other parts of the country. The School of Health Sciences cooperates, through exchange programmes, with schools in the Nordic countries and other parts of Europe. This provides interested students with the possibility to conduct parts of their clinical studies abroad. Students are required to complete the first half of the programme, for example the courses covered in the first two years of study, before commencing the third year, thus completing each half of the programme separately. The maximum time allowed for completing the programme is six years; three years for each half of the programme. Students must acquire three months of work experience in patient care. At least 80% of this work should be conducted in health care institutions, in addition to the organized study training. The number of students to acquire the right to continue study in the spring semester of the first year in nursing is annually decided by the University Council upon receiving the Faculty‘s proposals: Professional nursing, Anatomy, Ethics of Health Care, Cell biology and histology, Practical skills. Students with the highest marks are allowed to continue.
Organization of studies
Education at the University of Akureyri is available both as on-campus studies and as online studies. Students enrolled at the University live all over the country; in Akureyri as well as in other places. The courses and modules are taught simultaneously for on-campus and distance learning students, creating an integrated on-campus and virtual learning environment. Study materials are available on a dedicated website for the respective course/module, which can consist of recordings of lectures, talking slides, direct interactive communication and more. All students are required to attend at least one on-campus study session at the University per semester for practical training and group discussions. The on-campus study sessions lasts for five to ten days.
Access to instructors and fellow students
Communication between instructors and distance learning students mainly takes place via each course or module's designated website and communication platform. In addition, instructors either offer special telephone hours, or appointments can be made by request by both on-campus and distance learning students. Students use various means of communication during their studies, for example, chat rooms and Facebook groups.
Faculty of Graduate Studies
The Faculty of Graduate Studies offers a 120 ECTS Master's degree programme in Health Sciences consisting of 60 ECTS of course-work and a 60 ECTS Master's thesis. The degree is a Master's degree in Health Sciences, MS. A 40 ECTS postgraduate diploma is also offered.
Admission requirement
A Bachelor's degree, BS, in the field of health sciences, or related subjects, completed at a higher education institution, corresponding to a 180–240 ECTS accredited study programme with a first-class grade.
Staff profiles of UDINE-C members
Dr. Árún K Sigurðardóttir
Dr. Árún K Sigurðardóttir is Professor in Nursing at University of Akureyri, Iceland. Árún holds a Ph.D. in Health Sciences from University of Iceland, she obtained her master degree from University of Wales in Great Britain. Árún has been a visiting scholar at University of Bergen Norway several times and has stayed for longer periods in Norway, Denmark, Great Britain and USA. She has an extensive international experience through participating in teaching in foreign Universities in Europe and is one of the founder of the UDINE-C group which focuses on nursing education. She has been participating in international research teams and has published numerous scientific papers in cooperation with international and national teams of researchers.
Árún´s research interests focus on health and well-being of people with chronic illnesses and how to enhance self-care in people with chronic illness and especially those with diabetes. Also, how safe and effective care of people living in rural and remote areas can be organized and executed. Árún has been teaching and supervising projects for graduate and undergraduate students for over two decades.