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University of the Faroe Islands

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Type
  
Public

Budget
  
68,178,000 DKK (2010)

Academic staff
  
45

Founded
  
1965

Established
  
1965

Rector
  
Sigurð í Jákupsstovu

Phone
  
+298 352250

University of the Faroe Islands

Motto in English
  
Gentle elves set light to lead the Faroes on the starry way from age to age

Address
  
25 Jónas Broncksgøta, Tórshavn 100, Faroe Islands

Motto
  
Mildar veittrar tendraðu ein vita føroyum stjørnuleið frá øld til øld

Affiliation
  
University of the Arctic, Cooperative network

Similar
  
University of Greenland, University of Akureyri, University of Iceland, Roskilde University, University of Southern Denmark

Profiles

Study master in west nordic studies at the university of the faroe islands


The University of the Faroe Islands (Faroese: Fróðskaparsetur Føroya) is a state-run university located in Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands. It consists of two faculties: the Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education and the Faculty of Natural and Health Sciences. The university offers bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D.'s in both faculties. The student body is small, having almost 600 students. The university organizes an annual dissertation competition open to all students. The educational language of the university is Faroese, making it the only university in the world to conduct classes officially in that language. The university works closely with the University of Copenhagen and the University of Iceland for research projects and is a member of UArctic.

Contents

History

The University of the Faroe Islands was founded in 1965 by members of the Faroese Scientific Society, founded in 1952. Among their activities, the Society published a scientific periodical and carried out comprehensive work on the compilation of Faroese vocabulary.

The university began with one professor, Christian Matras, and a registrar, Maud Heinesen. In its first years the school offered one-year courses in natural history and Faroese for teachers. In addition to the yearly courses, the university arranged for a collection committee with the task of preserving all Faroese folk culture. Today this material is in the archives of the Faculty of Faroese Language and Literature. A further committee was appointed in 1972 to collect Faroese hymns and spiritual ballads.

On 1 August 2008 the Faroese School of Education and the Faroese School of Nursing where incorporated into the University becoming its departments.

Organisation and administration

The University of the Faroe Islands is administered by a Board of Directors made up by of seven members. Four of its members are appointed directly by the minister while the remaining three are appointed on recommendation from the university. The Board of Directors is responsible for appointing the rector. The seat of the rector is currently held by Sigurd í Jákupsstovu.

The University of the Faroe Islands is publicly funded. In 2010 the University's was allocated 68,178,000 DKK by the government. Apart from the government the university also gets funding for specific projects from the Danish Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation as well as from the private sector. The university is a member of UArctic.

Academic profile

The University of the Faroe Islands is divided in two faculties: The Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education and the Faculty of Natural and Health Sciences. The Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Education is divided in the Department of Faroese Language and Literature, the Department of Education, and the Department of History and Social Sciences, while the Faculty of Natural and Health Sciences is divided in the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Nursing. It offers a total of ten different Bachelor's degrees, two Master's Degrees and a joint master's degree in cooperation with the University of Greenland, the University of Akureyri, the University of Iceland, and the University of Nordland. For 2010 there were reported 146 students in the Department of Nursing. A further 266 students were reported in the Department of Education (formerly the Faroese Teachers Training School) Finally there were 146 undergraduate students, 23 postgraduate students, 5 Ph.D. candidates, and 65 students who took single courses or minor subjects in the other departments.

Research

Research is a priority of the University of the Faroe Islands. Its mission is to increase knowledge within the university and in Faroese society. Research is focused on various fields including linguistics and literature of Faroese language, education, didactics, competitiveness, democracy, weather, tidal streams, waves and aquaculture. The Research Center for Social Development is an institution connected with the university which undertakes 3 to 5-year research projects.

Noted people

  • Christian Matras, founder and first professor of the university.
  • Dorete Bloch, zoologist
  • Jógvan á Lakjuni, alumnus.
  • References

    University of the Faroe Islands Wikipedia