Christmas greetings from the University of Akureyri

I wish my dear students, staff, and fellow Icelanders a Happy Festival of Christmas.

To all of us, the year 2022 has presented several remarkable experiences, regardless of whether we consider world events, matters here in Iceland or issues affecting our university as such. As far as we are concerned, here at the University of Akureyri this has been a singularly pleasant and interesting year. 2022 is the year when we returned from our encounter with Covid. But it is also the year when another war broke out in Europe.

It is quite remarkable to consider that only just over a century ago Europe was in this same situation; a pandemic had just ended as indeed also the war which came to a close in 1918. And yet in our present-day world we must face the tragic fact we cannot resolve our differences without hostilities.

But all this reminds us of what we have got, the importance of the peace we enjoy in this country and the countless benefits of living in Iceland, happy in the security of our mutual way of life.

Christmas gives us a unique opportunity to enjoy our blessings in the embrace of our loved ones with whom we would dearly like to spend the best of our time.

For the University of Akureyri this is also a very special year because it was the year when we witnessed our first doctoral students present their achievements and defend their dissertations. And thereby the university has completed the process of building up an international academic establishment which supports our countrymen in all matters relating to our community on any and every occasion.

In the year 1987, the concept of developing a university outside the area of the capital met with a great deal of scepticism and many articles were written to illustrate the waste of financial and academic resources which needs must accompany such a divisive undertaking. But in this regard, reality has taught us a very different lesson. 

And the words of Haraldur Bessason, our first university rector, remain fresh in our memory – highlighting how a great many people would be astonished when they realised what a strong establishment, we could build up here by our shared effort of enthusiasm and professional expertise. It is only by the co-ordinated effort of our staff, the support of our entire community and of course the students who have decided to attend our courses that we have been able to develop and expand a solid academic establishment in the service of our country. We should take pride and pleasure in this achievement and the opportunities it has given us today.

We advance into the future in a positive frame of mind, despite the blows dealt us by our external environment. And we should be prepared to consider the role of the University of Akureyri in the decades to come. Which tasks are we going to focus on in the service of the Icelandic community and perhaps even the world as a whole? A university education is and will remain the bedrock of our welfare society in the future. Therefore, we must strengthen the universities in this country and as part of this effort continue to improve and advance the University of Akureyri.

I wish to express my gratitude to our staff and students for their co-operation this year as well as during all the years since the foundation of the university. It is thanks to you that the University of Akureyri stands proud in its current position.

I wish all our countrymen a pleasant festivity and I hope you will be able to enjoy Christmas among your nearest and dearest. Let us remember that the safety and welfare we enjoy in this country must never be taken for granted. Let us remain grateful for good things. Merry Christmas to all of you.