The Quality Council is responsible for implementing the University of Akureyri's quality assurance system and ensuring that the University meets external quality requirements.
The Council consists of the Director of Quality and Human Resources, two representatives from each School, two representatives from administration and support services, and two student representatives.
Vaka Óttarsdóttir, Director of Quality and Human Resources, chairs the Quality Council.
The Quality Council is responsible for:
The Quality Council meets monthly. Matters concerning quality assurance may be submitted to the Council by contacting the Director of Quality and Human Resources.
| Representatives | Role/representation | Deputies | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vaka Óttarsdóttir | Director of Quality and Human Resources | Chair | |
| Nanna Ýr Arnardóttir | Associate Professor | School of Health, Business and Natural Sciences | Þorbjörg Jónsdóttir, Associate Professor |
| Verena Karlsdóttir | Assistant Professor | School of Health, Business and Natural Sciences | Kjartan Sigurðsson, Associate Professor |
| Andrea S. Hjálmsdóttir | Associate Professor | School of Humanities and Social Sciences | Ívar Rafn Jónsson, Assistant Professor |
| Garðar Ágúst Árnason | Professor | School of Humanities and Social Sciences | Sunna Kristín Símonardóttir, Assistant Professor |
| Sigríður Huld Jónsdóttir | Head of Division of Learning and Teaching | Administration and support services | Heiða Kristín Jónsdóttir, Office Manager |
| Lísbet Hannesdóttir | Project Manager of Quality and HR | Administration and support services | Rúnar Gunnarsson, Director of International Office |
| Aðalbjörn Jóhannsson | Student representative | Katla Ósk Káradóttir | |
| Aldís Mjöll Hlynsdóttir | Student representative | Rakel Rún Sigurðardóttir |
Higher Education Quality Assessment has been responsible for independent external quality assurance of Icelandic universities since 2011, with the aim of enhancing quality and supporting continuous improvement across Iceland's higher education sector.
Its main responsibilities include:
Higher Education Quality Assessment operates in accordance with international standards for the independence of quality assurance agencies and has full autonomy over its activities. Its work is therefore carried out independently of higher education institutions, government authorities and other stakeholders.
At the same time, emphasis is placed on consultation with stakeholders through various forums, including the Higher Education Quality Committee, the Advisory Committee on Research Assessment and the National Union of Icelandic Students. These groups play an important role in the continued development and enhancement of quality assurance within Icelandic higher education.
Higher Education Quality Assessment bases its work on current standards and guidelines for quality assurance within the European Higher Education Area, while also meeting national requirements for quality assurance in higher education. Each quality enhancement framework issued by Higher Education Quality Assessment covers a seven-year period, during which each university undergoes an Institution-wide Review.
As part of an Institution-wide Review, the University's quality assurance activities are reviewed by a team of international experts, supported by an Icelandic student. The University of Akureyri has undergone two Institution-wide Reviews. The reports, together with summaries in Icelandic, are available below. The University has also published progress reports in connection with the reviews, which are available below.
In May 2024, the third Quality Enhancement Framework, QEF3, came into effect. It is described in Handbook for Quality Enhancement in Icelandic Higher Education 2024–2029.
A new feature of QEF3 is that each university submits an annual quality report on its quality assurance activities. The University of Akureyri's annual quality reports are available below.
The University of Akureyri awards degrees at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels.
