Una Lilja, a second-year master’s student at the University Centre of the Westfjords (UW) in Coastal and Marine Management, is researching how education systems prepare people to make decisions that support a healthy ocean. Her supervisor is Dr Catherine Chambers, UW’s new Director, who began her role on April 1 this year. Her research focuses on ocean literacy, understanding the relationship between people and the ocean, and its role in shaping awareness of environmental issues, sustainability, and the responsible use of marine resources. The concept has gained increasing attention in recent years and is especially relevant in coastal communities, where the ocean is part of everyday life. Una will explore how teachers use the ocean and coastal environments in their teaching, and how ocean literacy is integrated across subjects at all levels of education. She invites teachers to take part in a short survey, which takes around 2–5 minutes to complete and will be open for a limited time. Participants are also encouraged to share the survey with other teachers in their networks. The survey, which is in Icelandic, can be accessed here: Könnun um haflæsi á Íslandi - Háskólasetur Vestfjarða

We are excited to launch COLAB: Coastal Laboratories Connecting People and Nature, an international initiative funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Prosperous Future programme. COLAB brings together partners in Iceland, Poland, and Lithuania to co-develop practical methods for empowering coastal communities to build resilient local economies based on coastal natural and bio-based resources. The project focuses on sustainable resource use, community knowledge, and nature-positive practices that strengthen both ecosystems and livelihoods.

The University Centre of the Westfjords will be closed over part of the Easter holidays. The building will be closed on Good Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4. The entrance from Suðurgata will be locked, and key cards will not be active during that time. In case of emergency, please call 844 3148.

From 16 March to 1 April, the course Planning for Climate Change in Coastal Regions: Adaptation and Mitigation is taught at the University Centre of the Westfjords, where students take a closer look at one of the most pressing issues facing coastal communities today.

From 16 March to 1 April, the course Aquaculture, Environment, and Society is taking place at the University Centre of the Westfjords.

From March 2–13, students at the University Centre of the Westfjords are diving into the world of Marine Spatial Planning — a field that sits right at the meeting point of ocean use, environmental sustainability, and decision-making.

A course exploring how people and societies respond to crisis is now underway at the University Centre of the Westfjords. Running from March 2–13, Coping with Disasters introduces students to the foundations of Disaster Risk Management while encouraging them to think deeply about how disasters take shape and what helps individuals and communities recover when hardship strikes.

From February 9–27, the University Centre of the Westfjords holds the course Outlook to the Future: Coastal Arctic Scenarios, an interdisciplinary course that gives students practical tools for thinking ahead and planning for change in Arctic coastal communities.

From 9–27 February, the course Data Analysis and Interpretation is underway at UW, giving students the opportunity to strengthen their knowledge and skills in analyzing both quantitative and qualitative research.

Dr. Catherine Chambers, who will take on the position of Director of the University Centre of the Westfjords on April 1, is currently living in Japan with her family, where she is on research leave as a visiting professor at the University of Tokyo.