University of Iceland

Welcome to Reykjavík, Iceland, the northernmost capital of any sovereign state in the world. This vibrant city is also home to the University of Iceland (Háskóli Íslands in Icelandic, often abbreviated as HÍ or UI), the country’s oldest and largest higher education institution. Established in 1911, the university has evolved from a modest start with only 45 students to its current stature, catering to approximately 12,500 students, with over 1,500 coming from all over the world.

At the University of Iceland you will be able to further develop your research skills with a focus on Tourism Studies and/or Natural Hazards. You will choose between one Thematic Theoretical Specialisation course from the list below.


Or the Advanced and Specialized Research Methods course below.


In addtion, all students take the following courses

Staff at the University of Iceland involved in the ISLANDS programme

Prof. Benjamin Hennig

Benjamin is the local coordinator of ISLANDS in Iceland. He is a geographer interested in social and spatial inequalities, humanity’s impact on the earth, global sustainability and the development of concepts for analysing, visualising and mapping these issues through the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), remote sensing and cartographic methods.

Assistant Prof. Anna Karlsdóttir

Anna’s research specialises onn coastal areas, rural and urban, Arctic, international affairs, societal and occupational changes across sectors such as tourism, primary industries (fisheries and agriculture), mega industries and creative industries. She is a deputy for the local coordination of ISLANDS in Iceland.

Marissa Sigrún Pinal

Marissa is a teaching assistant in the ISLANDS programme, leading tutorials for the Individual Research Training, and providing guidance and support for ISLANDS students during their Iceland mobility.