The University Centre of the Westfjords (UW) is delighted to share the news that yet another master’s student has received funding from the Westfjords Development Fund. The fund aims to support cultural projects, business development, and innovation in the Westfjords, and to provide support for start-ups and operating costs to cultural institutions in the Westfjords. Brendan Kirby, a master’s student at UW in the Coastal Communities and Regional Development program, received a 400,000 ISK grant to develop a climbing guide for the Westfjords.

At the turn of the year there will be a new service provider of internet services towards UW. The FS-net, once made for distance learning service centres in the countryside, will cease operations. Instead, the University Centre of the Westfjords now has made an agreement with local Snerpa internet provider.

For the past couple of days, our academic director, Matthias Kokorsch, attended the 6th Nordic Ruralities conference in Kiruna. The title of the conference was New paths to sustainable transitions? Apart from the conference theme, the city itself– yet not being coastal– is highly relevant for our program on Coastal Communities and Regional Development, and Matthias left with much inspiration for coming courses. Kiruna is on the Move - The mining town is relocating its entire center to make way for continued mining operations— an ambitious plan stretching to 2100. The move began in 2014 and includes shifting historic buildings, designing a denser, greener, and more sustainable city. Yet, the development is not uncontested. As we learned during the conference, the relocation of Kiruna has faced criticism for prioritizing mining profits over the rights and livelihoods of local Sámi communities, whose reindeer herding lands are heavily impacted. This has sparked debates about green colonialism, as the project highlights the tension between sustainability goals and the exploitation of Indigenous territories for resource extraction.

A new research article, "Invasive species management: The case of pink salmon in Iceland" has been published in the journal Marine Policy. This collaborative study, authored by Hjörleifur Finnsson, Catherine Chambers, and Guðni Guðbergsson (Marine and Freshwater Research Institute), investigates strategies for managing the presence and impact of pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha) in Icelandic waters.

The University Centre of the Westfjords (UW) is thrilled to announce that applications for its two unique master’s programs are now open for the upcoming academic year! Whether you’re passionate about community development or the sustainable management of marine resources, these programs offer the opportunity to study the pressing issues facing coastal and marine environments in a dynamic, interdisciplinary setting.

Recently, we at UW were honored to host a visiting group, funded through the Uarctic, Memorial University’s Harris Centre, Global Arctic Leadership Project, Indigenous and Northern Relationships Development Fund, and the Marine Biomass Innovation Project, which is funded by the New Frontiers in Research Fund - Transformation Stream.

The University Centre of the Westfjords (UW) has a new addition to its team. Hjördís Þráinsdóttir started her role as a project manager in a 50% position on November 1st. Originally from Súðavík, Hjördís has lived in Ísafjörður for 25 years. She is married with three sons and has primarily worked as a records manager for the municipality of Ísafjörður since 2008. Hjördís holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Akureyri and is currently pursuing an M.Ed. in Educational Sciences along with a diploma in Special Education from the same university.

Dr. Catherine Chambers, UW’s research manager and project leader for the Jules Verne project, along with project coordinator and UW alumna Alex Tyas, have just returned from a trip to Bayonne, France in association with a Jules Verne grant which supports research collaboration between Icelandic and French partners. Catherine and Alex also gave presentations during the Haizebegi festival that celebrates Basque culture.

Every year, the University Centre of the Westfjords (UW) provides a unique opportunity for students to attend the Arctic Circle Assembly as part of two of its key courses: Arctic Ocean Governance and Just Transitions. The assembly, held annually in Reykjavík, brings together a wide range of global experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss pressing Arctic issues. For UW students, it offers much more than just attending sessions; it’s an experience that adds to their academic journey and broadens their professional horizons. This year, the group attending the assembly consisted of staff from UW, instructors, and numerous master's students.

In light of the Global Ethics Day on October 16th, we are reflecting on the importance of ethical decision-making in environmental management. Students in the course “Ethics of conservation and resource use” went on a field trip this week where they visited the hydropower plants at Engidalur, to learn more about hydropower development throughout the Westfjords, and the existing conflicting interests around it. The course introduces the students to a diverse set of theories and principles for ethical environmental management.