University of the Faroe Islands

University of the Faroe
Fróðskaparsetur Føroya
Latin: Academia Færoensis
Motto Mildar veittrar tendraðu ein vita føroyum stjørnuleið frá øld til øld
Motto in English
 Gentle elves set light to lead the Faroes on the starry way from age to age
Established 1965
Type Public
Budget 68,178,000 DKK (2010)
Rector Sigurð í Jákupsstovu
Academic staff
 45
Undergraduates 558 (2010)
Postgraduates 23 (2010)
5 (2010)
Other students
 65 (2010)
Location Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Affiliations UArctic
Website www.setur.fo
Map of a part of Tórshavn, showing where the university buildings are located.

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 all three 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.

History

The University of the Faroe Islands was founded in 1965 by members of the Faroese Scientific Society, founded in 1952.[1] 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.[2]

Organisation and administration

The University of the Faroe Islands is administered by a Board of Directors made up by of seven members.[3] Four of its members are appointed directly by the minister while the remaining three are appointed on recommendation from the university.[3] The Board of Directors is responsible for appointing the rector.[4] The seat of the rector is currently held by Sigurd í Jákupsstovu.[4]

The University of the Faroe Islands is publicly funded.[2] In 2010 the University's was allocated 68,178,000 DKK by the government.[2] 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.[2] The university is a member of UArctic.[5]

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.[4] 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.[4] 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.[4][6][7][8] For 2010 there were reported 146 students in the Department of Nursing.[9] A further 266 students were reported in the Department of Education (formerly the Faroese Teachers Training School) [10] 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.[11]

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.[12][13] Research is focused on various fields including linguistics and literature of Faroese language, education, didactics, competitiveness, democracy, weather, tidal streams , waves and aquaculture.[13][14][15][16][17] [18][19] The Research Center for Social Development is an institution connected with the university which undertakes 3 to 5 year research projects.[20]

Noted people

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The history". University of the Faroe Islands. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "About the University". University of the Faroe Islands. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Board of Directors of the University of the Faroe Islands". University of the Faroe Islands. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "Organisation and structure". University of the Faroe Islands. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "Members List". University of the Arctic. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  6. ↑ "MA degree programme in Faroese language and literature". University of the Faroe Islands. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  7. ↑ "Master Degree Programme in Law". University of the Faroe Islands. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  8. ↑ "Joint Master’s Programme in West Nordic Studies, Governance and Sustainable Management". University of the Faroe Islands. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  9. ↑ "Nursing College, students by class". Hagstova Føroya. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  10. ↑ "The Faroese Teachers Training School, students by education, classes, year and gender". Hagstova Føroya. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  11. ↑ "The University of the Faroe Islands, students by by education, year and gender". Hagstova Føroya. 1 November 2011. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  12. ↑ "Purpose". University of the Faroe Islands. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Research". University of the Faroe Islands. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  14. ↑ "Ensuring Faroese Competitiveness". University of the Faroe Islands. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  15. ↑ "Research Projects". University of the Faroe Islands. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  16. ↑ "Department of language and literature". The Faroese Research Council. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  17. ↑ "Department of History and Social Sciences". The Faroese Research Council. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  18. ↑ "Department of Science and Technology". The Faroese Research Council. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  19. ↑ "Department of Education". The Faroese Research Council. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  20. ↑ "The Research Center for Social Development". The Faroese Research Council. Retrieved 7 December 2014.

External links

Official website of the University (Faroese) (English)

Coordinates: 62°00′26″N 6°46′48″W / 62.00722°N 6.78000°W