Research and Education Centres in

Rural Icelandlooking back over a decade

dr. Rögnvaldur Ólafssondirector

University of Iceland, Regional Research Centres

NVL SymposiumFaroes

The Nordic House21 September 2011

Will talk about:

• Background– Iceland– Population– Demographic changes

• Local education networks• Research centres of The University of

Iceland• Knowledge centres

Iceland

103.300 Km2

Population is very small

• 318.452• Iceland is basically a micro state• But a state with an ambition

– to be an educated, internationally minded society

• Expensive• Demanding on manpower• Requires education• The long literary

tradition helps

The demographic changes

The population multipliedduring the 20th century

Population of Iceland 1900-2011

1900 1906 1912 1918 1924 1930 1936 1942 1948 1954 1960 1966 1972 1978 1984 1990 1996 2002 2008 -

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

2X

2X

From 80 to 300 thousand

in 100 years

(Statistics Iceland, 2011)

They all went to Reykjavík

• In the rest of the country the population remained stable

• Only Akureyri increased its population somewhat

30. maí 2000

Population 1997and changes from 1987 to 1997

Stefán Ólafsson: Búseta á Íslandi,Byggðastofnun 1997

Size of circles shows the population size of urban nuclei. Colour of circles:

Red = negative; yellow = positive, below national average; green = positive, above national average.

Annual average population change by urban nuclei 2006–2011

(Statistics Iceland, 2011)

Iceland and the Nordic Countries

Norden i tal 2010

Population Areal km2Population

density pers/km2

Danmark 5.534.738

43.561 127

Finland 5.351.427

338.441 16

Island 317.630

103.300 3

Norge 4.858.199

323.782 15

Sverige 9.340.682

450.295 21

Much fewer people in IcelandMuch lower population density

But even more important

• There is only one densely populated area in Iceland, the capital region around Reykjavík

• A very large portion of the population lives there– Much larger portion than in the other

Nordic countries

3/4

During the last decade or two

big changes have occurred in Iceland, not

least in rural areas

The situation some decades ago

• Plenty of jobs in the basic industries that did not require education– Plenty of possibilities and plenty of money

for hard working, uneducated people• Consequently

– neither need for education– nor was it highly regarded

This has to be taken with a grain of salt !

The fishing industry....

Huge changes in the last 20 years

• Fundamental changes in the labour situation– A new fishing quota system– Mechanization of fish processing

• The abundance of well paid unskilled jobs disappeared

• With rationalization the skilled jobs tended to be transferred to the capital region

• People moved to Reykjavík as never before

... and farming

(Statistics Iceland, 2010)

Landbúnaður

Fiskið

naður

Annar iðnaður

Hótel- og ve

itingahúsarekstur

Fræðslu

starfs

emi 0

500010000150002000025000

1991 2000 2009

The development of some industriesfrom 1991 to 2009

Acriculture Fishing industry Other industry Hotels & restaurants

Education

The service industry grows

Heimild: Mikilvægi þjónustugeirans fyrir íslenskan þjóðarbúskap. Skýrsla unnin af viðskiptadeild Háskólans í Reykjavík fyrir SVÞ – Samtök verslunar og þjónustu. Katrín Ólafsdóttir og Vilhjálmur Wiium, Hagfræðisetur Viðskiptadeildar Háskólans í Reykjavík, 2006

Production

Commerce

Service

But much less in the regions

Source: Katrín Ólafsdóttir and Vilhjálmur Wiium, 2006

Production

Commerce

Service

RegionsCapital area Iceland

Great differencein educational level

• People with university degree:– About 25% in the capital region– About 15% outside the capital

• The need for education is recognised

Hefur þú þörf fyrir aukna þekkingu og menntun?

87,4

12,6

0 20 40 60 80 100

Já Nei

Do you need more education?

Yes

No

How can a sparsely populatedcountry like Iceland

ensure the availability of

education to all its inhabitants?

In 2000 the question was:

A grass root movementwas borne

• For increasing the availability of education– By using the possibilities of the new

technologies– Internet, ADSL, Video conferencing

• Local education networks were established in all regions– They were outside the official educational

system– They got special finance through the local

parliamentarians

The local education networks

• The networks were established in 1998 and have grown since

• They are:– now well established in the Icelandic

education scene– beginning to have an effect on the

Icelandic regional politics– based on the new technologies

http://www.fraedslumidstodvar.is/

Local education networks

• Independent, self governing• Basically networks• Participation:

– Local industry– Local authorities– Labour unions– Secondary schools– Universities

The facilities

• The larger centres have good access to internet – through a net set up with the assistance

of the Ministry of Education• Reading facilities• Facilities for group work• Student assistance and advice• Video conferencing • Cooperate with the universities

running a video bridge

Their emphasis

• The emphasis varies according to local needs and circumstances

• All levels of education– Continuing education– Secondary education– University education

• In Iceland the individual pays for his continuing education

The present state

• Considerable demand for the service• Lack of courses from the universities• The centres are financed by a yearly

fixed contribution from the ministry of education– The amount is not related to “output”– Decided from year to year

University of IcelandInstitute of Research Centres

• Research institute– Under the senate, not a department

• The contact point with the regions– local councils, institutes, private firms

and individuals

• A collection of small research units– independent

Háskólasetrið á HornafirðiHöfn og Kirkjubæjarklaustri

Rannsóknasetur HÍSuðurlandi, Selfossi og

Gunnarsholti

Rannsóknasetur HÍVestmannaeyjum

Háskólasetur SuðurnesjaSandgerði

Háskólasetur SnæfellsnessStykkishólmi

Rannsóknasetur HÍVestfjörðum

Bolungarvík og Patreksfirði

Rannsóknasetur HÍNorðvesturlandi

Skagaströnd

Rannsóknasetur HÍNorðausturlandi

Húsavík

Rannsóknasetur HÍAusturlandiEgilsstöðum

Nine research centres

Staff• Selected by same process as other

university staff

• Duties:– 80% research

– 20% other duties

• Recently signed contract with the department of Life and Environmental Sciences

Institute of Research Centres

• 2009• Turnover around 170 MIKR• 19 employes• Over 20 master and doctor students

Why situate researchin the regions?

Some important research is better done outside the capital region– Land use and preservation– Forestry research– The effects of glaciers– Research on birds– Snow avalance research– .........

Research policy depends on:

• Local facilities and interest– Natural and social

• Knowhow inside the University

• Fundamental research– Akademic, not applied research

Important:

• Carefully define field of study• Stick to it• Ensure quality of:

– research– teaching

• Form networks:– national– international

Húsavík• North Sailing News• February 25th 2011• Researches• Each year, researches of whales are becoming a

bigger part of Skjálfandi Bay • • Ever since North Sailing began offering regular

whale and nature watching in Skjálfandi Bay the company has striven to assist scholars and researchers, both Icelandic and foreigners, to perform various marine biology studies in the bay.

Vatnajökull National Park

Höfn and Þórbergssetur

The effectof the research centres

• New job oportunities in new fields• Research that otherwise might not

have been done• Projects connected with culture and

new employment• Close cooperation with the University• Local and foreign researchers and

students• Impact on local life

Knowledge activitiesin the regions

• Local Education Centres• Research Centres of the University of Iceland• Natural history institutes• Branch offices of research institutes

– Marine Research Institute– Icelandic Fisheries Laboratories

• Agricultural service institutes• Regional Environmental Research Institutes• Business and Regional Development Centres• ................

This activity forms a few nets

• Each with their own properties– Local educational networks – teaching

and training– Research centres – mostly academic

research– Natural history institutes - mostly

applied research– Regional development agencies -

development, employment, innovation

How can this activitysupport

research, educationand

developmentin the regions?

Research Continuingeducation

University TeachingCentre

KnowledgeCentre

Distanceeducation

Localeducation

The knowledge centres are centres of cooperation

Þekkingarnet Austurlands, Egilsstöðum

Þekkingarsetur Þingeyinga, Húsavík

Háskólafélag Suðurlands ehf, SelfossiHáskólasetur Vestfjarða, Ísafirði

Þekkingarsetur Vestmannaeyja

Extensive cooperation• The aim is to house in one building all

knowledge related activity in the area• Create a community of the people

working in the so called „information sector“

• Collective facilities and service

Nýheimar, Höfn

Examples

• Þekkingarnet Þingeyinga– http://www.hac.is/

• Þekkingarnet Austurlands, ÞNA– http://tna.is/

• Háskólafélag Suðurlands, HfSu– http://www.hfsu.is/

http://www.hac.is/english/

Lifelong learning• a centre for lifelong learning and adult education• expand educational offering• offer vocational and recreational courses and

study programmes• be a centre for distance learning in co-operation

with schools offering such programmes• provide guidance and counselling to students and

prospective students• work with businesses, municipalities and

institutions in shaping their educational policy and provide customized study programmes

Research and development

• a hub for research and researchers in Þingeyjarsýslur county

• initiating research in the region• provide service to the scientific community;

independent researchers, postgraduate students, institutions and organizations

• facilitate co-operation and increased activity among those who do research in the region

• take active part in shaping a dynamic environment of innovation in the region

• facilitating collaboration in research and innovation

University study

• operate a well equipped study facility in Húsavík and, as needed, elsewhere in the region

• work with universities to increase the offering in distance learning and local study opportunities in Þingeyjarsýslur

• work with universities to develop study programmes and courses based on natural and cultural traits unique to the region

Coordination of academic studies and research

• Strengthen the community in Þingeyjarsýslur by offering dynamic lifelong learning programmes, distance learning programmes and active research

• coordinate research, academic work, education and development among the parties of interest in this field

Local teaching

• Distance master courses from the School of Education at the University of Iceland– Two courses

• Quantative Research Methods (5 ECTS)• Qualitative Research Methods (5 ECTS)

• Local groups of students• Local assistant lecturers• Meet once a week for tutorial and

assistance

Supporting localtourism

• Weak easterly part• Analysed the

situation• Strengthen the

tourism industry• Lengthen the

tourist season• Establish a geopark

• Networking local operators• Courses in geotourism and local geography for local

guides• Master courses with foreign students in cooperation

with the University of Iceland

Katla Geopark – Geological Map of Area

Katla Jarðvanguror

Katla Geopark

Admitted into European Geopark Network and Global Geopark Network last Friday

Effect of knowledge centres on employment and innovation

• Considerable in some places– Nýheimar Höfn

– Átaksverkefni Háskólafélags Suðurlands

• The tendency goes this way

• In most places better cooperation and contact has still to be built up

From Erla Björk Örnólfsdóttir, Sjávarrannsóknasetrinu Vör, Ólafsvík

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Num

ber o

f job

s

Year

New research jobs in Snæfellsnes

VörHSNSVÞSHafró

Evaluation• Too limited• General lack of research on

regional development in Iceland

• In 2010 a study on the number and turnover of regional activities in the field of:– Education and training– Research and development– Culture– Service and consulting

http://www.menntamalaraduneyti.is/frettir/Frettatilkynningar/nr/5550

Regional employment

Áfangaskýrsla um þekkingarsetur á Íslandi. Ministry of Education and Culture Oct. 2010

Area Nr. of workplaces

Nr. of employees

Nr. of whole year positions

Permanent positions

Temporary positions

West 25 136,1 91,6 73,0 63,1

Westfjords 24 202,0 76,6 58,0 144,0

Northwest 32 98,1 72,9 58,5 39,6

Northeast 35 160,5 114,4 100,7 59,8

East 32 105,2 76,1 63,2 42,0

South 33 124,5 89,2 75,8 48,7

Southwest 8 38,0 31,4 30,0 8,0

Total 189 864,4 552,2 459,2 405,2

Some results

Educational level of staffPersons Ratio

Ph.D 60 6,9%Master 172,9 20,0%Diploma 69,5 8,0%General university degree 202,7 23,4%Secondary education 91,5 10,6%Technical education 61,5 7,1%Other 206,3 23,9%Total 864,4 100%

Total turnover: 5.052.234.000 IKR

How can a small and sparsely populated country

as Icelandensure jobs for educated people

in all regions?

In 2011 the question is:

The communities need

• Similar diversity as big places– in employment

– socially

• Young, educated people

• A better self image

Rural development

• A clear policy is needed

• The solutions need to be local, not imported from Reykjavík or abroad

dr. Rögnvaldur ÓlafssonInstitute of Research CentresUniversity of IcelandSæmundargötu 2, 101 Reykjavíkrol@hi.is