Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698059049053.pdf (Liberia)
Self-Evaluation Report Department of Design and Architecture Submitted for Subject-Level Review according to the Quality Enhancement Framework for Icelandic Higher Education 1 January – September 2020 1.

2.

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FOREWORD .......................................................................................................................................... 4 FORMER REVIEW .................................................................................................................................. 7 DEPARTMENT PROFILE: GOALS AND CONTEXT ...................................................................................... 9 3.1.

3.2.

3.3.

3.4.

3.5.
INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT ........................................................................................................................... 9 FINANCIAL RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................ 11 DEPARTMENTAL OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................... 13 HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT .................................................................................................................. 14 DEPARTMENT MISSION AND GOALS WITH PRIORITISATION ............................................................................. 15 4.
DEPARTMENT ORGANISATION AND DECISION-MAKING ..................................................................... 18 4.1.

4.2.

4.3.
4.2.

4.3.

INTERNAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT ......................................................................................................... 23 TEACHING EVALUATION ........................................................................................................................... 25 SURVEY AMONG GRADUATING STUDENTS ................................................................................................... 26 5.
STUDY PROGRAMME DESCRIPTION .................................................................................................... 28 5.1.

5.2.

5.3.

5.4.

5.5.

5.6.

5.7.

5.8.
NUMBER OF STUDENTS AND COMPOSITION ................................................................................................. 28 LEARNING OUTCOMES ............................................................................................................................. 30 CURRICULUM AND STUDY STRUCTURE ........................................................................................................ 30 STRUCTURE OF TEACHING ........................................................................................................................ 34 ASSESSMENT ......................................................................................................................................... 37 COLLABORATION WITH INSTITUTIONS AND BUSINESSES IN ICELAND .................................................................. 39 INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION .............................................................................................................. 40 INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY ....................................................................................................................... 43 6.
STUDENT TRAJECTORY ........................................................................................................................ 45 6.1.

6.2.

6.3.

6.4.

6.5.

6.6.

6.7.

6.8.
NUMBER OF STUDENTS ........................................................................................................................... 45 RECRUITMENT ....................................................................................................................................... 46 ADMISSIONS PROCESS ............................................................................................................................. 47 ENROLMENT AND ORIENTATION ................................................................................................................ 49 ANNUAL DEAN’S MEETINGS ..................................................................................................................... 50 ANNUAL RECTOR‘S MEETINGS .................................................................................................................. 51 ALUMNI AND PROFESSIONAL PROSPECTS ..................................................................................................... 51 RELATIONS WITH BUSINESSES AND SOCIETY ................................................................................................. 54 7.
FACILITIES, RESOURCES AND SUPPORT ............................................................................................... 56 7.1.

7.2.

7.3.

7.4.

7.5.

7.6.

7.1.
FACILITIES AND RESOURCES IN THE DEPARTMENT OF DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE ............................................... 56 WORKSHOPS ......................................................................................................................................... 57 LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES ........................................................................................................ 59 LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATION ............................................................................. 61 PROFESSIONAL STUDENT COUNSELLING SERVICE ............................................................................................ 61 PROCESSES FOR STUDENT CLAIMS AND ETHICAL ISSUES .................................................................................. 63 STUDENT EQUALITY ................................................................................................................................ 63 8.
ACADEMIC FACULTY ........................................................................................................................... 64 8.1.

8.2.

8.3.

8.4.
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS ...................................................................................................................... 64 SIZE AND COMPOSITION OF ACADEMIC FACULTY .......................................................................................... 65 FACULTY SUPPORT .................................................................................................................................. 68 HUMAN RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................... 69 2 9.
RESEARCH ........................................................................................................................................... 72 9.1.

9.2.

9.3.

INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT ......................................................................................................................... 72 DEPARTMENTAL RESEARCH ORGANISATION AND RESEARCH CULTURE.
.............................................................. 74 DEPARTMENTAL RESEARCH POLICY ............................................................................................................ 76 10.

11.

12.
11.

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SUMMARY ..................................................................................................................................... 81 ACTION PLAN ................................................................................................................................. 82 SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS ............................................................................................................. 84 3 1.
Foreword This self-evaluation report (SER) is the result of an internal evaluation process within the Department of Design and Architecture at Iceland University of the Arts.

The process was conducted as part of an internal quality procedure in accordance with the Quality Enhancement Framework for Icelandic Higher Education 2017-2024.
Representatives of the Department of Design and Architecture in the self-evaluation committee are: • Sigrún Alba Sigurðardóttir, Dean of the Department of Design and Architecture • Anna Dröfn Ágústsdóttir, Adjunct Lecturer and Programme Director for Theory • Eva María Árnadóttir, Adjunct Lecturer and Programme Director for Fashion Design Departmental Coordinator Hafdís Harðardóttir also worked with the committee throughout the process.
Furthermore, Programme Directors read the self-evaluation report, attended several meetings on special themes and contributed to specific chapters.
The Programme Directors (apart from those already mentioned above) are: • Rúna Thors, Assistant Professor and Programme Director for Product Design • Lóa Auðunsdóttir, Assistant Professor and Programme Director for Visual Communication • Massimo Santanicchia, Associate Professor and Programme Director for Architecture • Garðar Eyjólfsson, Associate Professor and Programme Director for MA Design Representatives of students in the self-evaluation process are: • Harpa Hrund Pálsdóttir, student of MA Design • Kristjana Finnsdóttir, student of Architecture • Anton Jónas Illugason, student of Visual Communication 4 Representatives of stakeholders are: • Karl Kvaran, president of the Architectural Association • Halldór Eiríksson, representative from The IUA Stakeholders Association (Bakland Listaháskóla Íslands) • Brynhildur Pálsdóttir, representative and former President of The Association of Icelandic Product and Industrial Design • Gísli Arnarson, representative from The Association of Icelandic Graphic Designers • Guðbjörg Jakobsdóttir, representative from the Fashion Industry Representatives of alumni are: • Inga Rán Reynisdóttir, Architecture • Helena Rut Sveinsdóttir, Visual Communication • Jón Helgi Hólmgeirsson, Product Design • Sigmundur Freysteinsson, Fashion Design • Sigríður Birna Matthíasdóttir, MA Design The self-evaluation process started in January 2020.
The representatives of the Department had several meetings in January and February, gathered data and wrote most of the report with active input from Programme Directors in February and March.

During this period, the Dean also had three meetings with Ólöf Gerður Sigfúsdóttir, Director of The Division of Quality, Teaching and Research (QTR).
The plan was to finish the evaluation process in March with meetings with students, stakeholders and alumni, but because of the Covid-19 lockdown the process took longer.

Meetings with students, stakeholders and alumni where cancelled in mid-March, but all representatives received a draft of the report and where asked to comment on it.

Representatives from stakeholders handed in some very good written comments which had considerable impact on the report.
Finally, in June there were two meetings with stakeholders and alumni, but only few of those invited were able to attend.

Therefore, neither students, stakeholders nor alumni took active part in the final process as intended.

5 Meetings with the external expert, Maria Göransdotter from Umeå University, were intended in May 2020 but were postponed to late September because of Covid-19.
The writing of the report was mostly finished in June under the supervision of the former Dean, Sigrún Alba Sigurðardóttir.

Due to key organisational changes both at the departmental as well as institutional level in May and June 2020, no action plan for 2020-2025 was made during this process.

Sigrún Alba Sigurðardóttir finished her contract period as Dean in June 2020.
In august 2020 a new School of Architecture, Design and Fine Art was founded, and three new positions came into being Dean of School of Architecture, Design and Fine Art, Head of the Department of Design, and Head of the Department of Architecture.
It will be the task of this new leadership to continue the work and finalise the action plan for 2020-2025 along with the staff of the two new departments.1 1 When the word “Dean” is used in the report, it refers to the Dean of Department of Design and Architecture before the changes “New Dean” or “Dean of School” refers to the Dean of School of Architecture, Design and Fine Art.
Head of Department of Architecture and Head of Department of Design, refers to the new positions that came about with the organisational changes implemented in August 2020.

6 2.

Former Review The self-evaluation process in 2014 was an important instrument in structural and cultural changes.

As part of the self-evaluation process an action plan for 2013-2017 was made and followed.

Teaching and Learning: Status: Celebrate good teaching and support innovative teaching.
Discussion within the Department on a regular basis about new ways of teaching.

Promote professional training for faculty members.

Faculty members are encouraged to attend courses within their respective fields and to apply for funding from the IUA.

Clarify and simplify the curriculum and consider lengthening modules.

Completed in 2014.

Reviewed in 2018 and 2019 for all programmes.

Define correlation of BA and MA programmes.

Support interdisciplinary collaboration within the IUA.
Support interdisciplinary collaboration with community and industry.

Completed in 2014.

In 2018 new learning outcomes where made for the new MA programme.

The MA programme became more transdisciplinary and independent from the BA programmes.

All learning outcomes across disciplines within the IUA where revised in 2019-2020.

“Teachers café” is an interdisciplinary meeting of teachers to exchange ideas and learn from each other.
The Department participates in various projects within the professional field of design and architecture as well as the community.

E.g.

common lecture series and various community collaborations where specific community/industry related topics are included in the teaching.

New courses such as Dialogue and Companies and visits are mainly focused on the respective industries.

Curriculum: Status: Create a conceptual map of programmes.

2013.

Reviewed in 2018 and 2019 for all programmes.


Map skills and learning outcomes for programmes and student progress between years.

2013.

Reviewed in 2018 and 2019 for all programmes.

Support continuing development of existing programmes and develop new programmes in design.

Ongoing.

No new programmes have yet been developed.

Establish an MA programme in Architecture.

The aim was to start an MA in Architecture in 2016.

Failed.

The aim now is to start a M.Arch in 2021 with support from the IUA board.
7 Research: Status: Develop research labs and support research activities within the Department.

Research culture has developed intensively, and academic staff has more support, both on the departmental and institutional level, and more opportunities for research funding.

No formal labs have been founded within the Department.

Provide research methodology workshops for academic staff.

Ongoing, across departments.

E.g.

writing workshop.

Plan Research time.

Further integration research and teaching.


Disseminate research and project activity in design and architecture.

Host conferences and exhibitions on design and architecture.

New Dean and Head of Department will, in dialogue with each faculty member, plan for research time and set up schedules for the year.

Has to be taken further.

Not very focused combination, but various ways are being discussed at the institutional level.

Has to be taken further.


Platform and ways of disseminating have been quite open and up to each member to find a path for themselves.

From 2018 the Dep.

of D&A has put more emphasis on this, e.g.

exhibitions at Design March and collaboration on seminars with the Association of Architects in Iceland (AÍ).

Administration: Foster an inclusive community of learning.

Status: Ongoing.

Write a mission statement for every programme in the Department.

Not completed.
Not completed.

Write key targets/action plan key indicators for each programme.

Completed in 2013.

Not in use.

Clarify meeting schedules and administrative processes.

Completed in 2013-2014.

Reviewed in 2018.

Hire a project manager to support admin in the Department.

Completed in 2015.

Improve introduction and support to part-time lectures.

Create framework agreement for part time lecturers.

Clarify contracts for collaboration and copyright issues.
Collation of students’ occupation and learning experience following graduation.

Has not been completed at a formal level Has not been completed at a formal level All contracts where reviewed and clarified in 2018.

Ongoing at the institutional level.

Establish an archive of work accessible to public.

Not completed.

8 3.

Department Profile: Goals and Context 3.1.


Institutional Context The Iceland University of the Arts (IUA) is the only higher education institution in the field of the arts in Iceland, and thus responsible for education, research, and policy making in that sector of Icelandic society.

The IUA is conscious of the responsibilities of being at the forefront of knowledge enhancement and innovation in the field of the arts in Iceland.
The University seeks to communicate knowledge and expertise, and to promote professionalism in the arts nationwide.

It is a self-governing institution providing education in design, architecture, fine arts, theatre, dance, music, and art education.

The IUA benchmarks itself against other art universities in the Nordic-Baltic countries by participating in Nordic-Baltic networks at the subject level, as well as being a member of ELIA and the annual Nordic Rectors’ Conference.
The Charter for the IUA was signed by representatives from the Federation of Icelandic Artists and the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture (MESC) in 1998, leading to its legal status as a higher arts education institution a year later with the admission of the first student cohort.

Two decades later, the IUA has developed into a dynamic and diverse institution, running six departments from August 2020.
Currently, the IUA offers a total of 24 study programmes, eight of which are at the graduate level.

In the current academic year, a total of 506 students are enrolled, thereof 134 at the graduate level.

A total of 130 permanent staff members are employed, filling 96 full-time positions (thereof 57 full-time academic positions).

Each year, around 400 part-time and guest lecturers contribute to the institution.

9 Organisational chart, as represented in the IUA Strategy 2019-2023.
The Management Council (MC) is the main decision-making platform within the University.

The council discusses issues shared by all departments and support services, quality assurance and the general organisation of the University’s operations, including teaching and research management.

The MC consists of the Rector (chair), the Managing Director and the Deans.

Members of support services and central administration occasionally participate in MC meetings.

Academic Council and Sub-Committees.


The Academic Council (AC) is a cross- departmental consultation and information-sharing platform for the IUA administrators, lecturers, and students on academic affairs.

The AC discusses the University’s professional objectives, performance, and quality, and provides leadership for administrators in academic affairs.
The AC takes the initiative on formulating its agenda, while also addressing issues from the Rector and the MC, Departmental councils, and the institutional committees.

The AC consists of the Rector, one Dean, one faculty representative from each department (a total of five), two representatives of part-time lecturers, two student representatives, one at the undergraduate level and another at the graduate level, and one representative from the Alumni Association.
The AC elects a chair from the group of faculty representatives for one year at a time.

The chair calls meetings, prepares agendas, and chairs meetings.

The council meets at least once a month throughout the academic year.

10 The AC supervises the operations of its sub-committees, the Teaching Committee and Research Committee.

The sub-committees operate with the support and guidance of administrative staff from the Division of Quality, Teaching and Research (QTR).
The committees are represented by an academic faculty member from each department and a student representative.

Each committee elects a chair, who reports to the AC once a semester.

The committees meet once a month.

Reflections • Among the aims of the organisational changes was to clarify the different roles of the two councils.

From August 2020 The MC discusses shared issues across the University, e.g.

quality management and academic organisation, managerial issues, and facilities.
It consists of the Rector (chair), the Managing Director, the new Deans and the University Office Director.

The AC discusses academic aims of the University, its performance and quality enhancement.

The Council has a preeminent role for leading staff in teaching, research, and academic development.
It consists of the Rector, the two new Deans, all Heads of Department, the Project Manager of Teaching and the Project Manager of Research, who are members of the Teaching Committee and Research Committee respectively, and a student council representative.

• A School Council was founded alongside the changes in the institutional structure done in August 2020.

The School Council focuses on interdisciplinary collaboration within the School and follows up on the strategic vision of the University.
The School Council consists of the new Dean, the Heads of Department, one member on behalf of faculty, one member on behalf of part-time teachers, one student at the BA level and one at the MA level.

3.2.

Financial Resources The IUA is a self-governing institution that is responsible for its own funding.

However, it has had a service contract with the Ministry of Education from the year 2012 onwards.
In recent years, the university has received approximately 80% of its revenues through this contract (80,5% in year 2019).

The total amount of revenue through the service contract is based on a 11 funding model that applies to all universities in Iceland.

The key model inputs are number of completed ECTS credit points and the student composition.

In other words, it takes both volume and type of teaching into consideration.
In comparison to most other IUA students, design and architecture students receive considerably less funding through the model.

This is due to economies of scale in the teaching at the Department, which most other departments are not able to reach.

As of May 2020, the model is being revised by the Ministry and stakeholders.

This will likely lead to a major update in the model and funding policies in coming years.
Apart from the service contract, tuition fees are the most important revenue source for the IUA.

In recent years, tuition fees have accounted for approximately 18% of the revenue (17,8% in year 2019).

Various other revenues make up the remaining 2%.

In recent years, the IUA has been underfunded.

Although revenues have increased, they have not matched increases in salary and facility costs.
In 2014, these two cost items accounted for 86,4% of total expenses, but in 2019 this proportion had grown to 90,0%.

This trend will continue in year 2020.

The result is less funding for all other initiatives which has a negative effect on both students and staff.

Every year, all IUA departments go through an extensive budgeting process.

Apart from the Dean and other staff, the Chief Financial Officer, the Managing Director, and the Rector contribute to the process.

The budget is approved by the Board.


Deans receive monthly cost reports that show a comparison between the budget and actual year to date spending, broken down by type of costs and a comparison to previous period.

Generally, the departments have been successful at keeping spending within the budgets.

Between 2014 and 2019, the departmental expenses grew by 63,8% while the IUA total expenses grew by 55,1% (numbers are not adjusted for inflation).
At the same time, the number of completed ECTS credit points in the Department grew by 2,1%, while the total completed ECTS credit points at the IUA grew by 13,0%.

12 Reflections • The cost increase at the Department of Design and Architecture was mainly due to an increase in the number of full-time equivalent employees.

This may have been partly caused by the Department being understaffed at the beginning of the time period.
• From August 2020, cost reports are viewed by the new Deans and Heads of Department.

3.3.

Departmental Overview The Department of Design and Architecture is the University’s largest department with 174 active students (from a total of 196 students enrolled) and 24 staff and faculty members.

About 30-35% of all students studying at the IUA are enrolled at the Department of Design and Architecture and the size of the Department affects all aspects of its activities.
The Department of Design and Architecture offers five programmes of study, four subject-specific BA programmes and one trans-disciplinary MA programme.

• BA Architecture • BA Fashion Design • BA Visual Communication • BA Product Design • MA Design: Explorations and Translations BA programmes are 180 ECTS credits, equally divided between three academic years.

The MA programme is120 ECTS, equally divided between two academic years.
Icelandic is the teaching language at the BA level, but efforts are made to accommodate the needs of international and exchange students by providing individual tutoring in English, teaching parts of courses in English and ensuring a steady selection of theory courses taught in English across all departments at the IUA.

English is the teaching language at the MA level.


Reflections • With the two new departments formed in August 2020, the BA in Architecture is now the only programme within the Department of Architecture.

However, the University plans to offer an additional MA programme within the department in the fall of 2021.

13 3.4.

History of the Department Design education in Iceland at university level was launched formally with the establishment of the Department of Design and Architecture at the IUA in 2001.
The two programmes of Visual Communication and Fashion Design trace their origins to previous programmes at The Iceland College of Arts and Craft (ICAC), the IUA predecessor.

Graphic design was launched at the ICAC as early as 1962 and in 1993 the study programme was first considered an equivalent to a BA degree.

Textile Design had been taught for years at the ICAC and was to become a study programme in Fashion Design at the IUA in 1999.
During 1999-2001, study programmes in Visual Communication and Fashion Design were taught in the already established Fine Art Department at the IUA.

The study programmes in Product Design and Architecture were established in 2001 and 2002, respectively.

In its formative years, Product Design hosted both fashion and products as a programme under the umbrella 3D Design, but later these became individual programmes with their own degree awards.
Thus, the establishment of the Department of Design and Architecture created a new and unprecedented environment of culture of design in Iceland.

The MA programme in Design, founded in 2012, is the latest introduction to the portfolio of programmes.

The Department was founded on the idea of providing core disciplinary programmes, whilst simultaneously building and creating a multi-disciplinary culture of design, with the aim of establishing a platform for the discourse of design practice and education.
The ethos was to provide an environment of cross-fertilisation of ideas and design methodologies, allowing for co-education and collaboration across study programmes.

Initially, numerous courses were communal across programmes, but with time they have become more independent, focusing and developing teaching and learning models for subject-specific skills and issues.
The number of students has been stable throughout the years with a limited cohort of students accepted onto each study programme, in line with agreement between the IUA and Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.

Reflections • The ethos of the Department of Design and Architecture is as of yet unchanged within the newly established two departments and will be developed under new leadership.
14 • The splitting of the department is not thought to eliminate its multi-disciplinary culture and collaboration.

3.5.

Department Mission and Goals with Prioritisation In the Department of Design and Architecture, a strong emphasis is placed on cultivating critical thinking and social responsibility of students as they acquire competence and knowledge in their particular field of study.
In the first year of study, it is strongly emphasised that students gain foundational knowledge in their particular field of study, that they are exposed to different aspects of that field and that they acquire competence to work independently and creatively.

In the second year of study, collaboration and social responsibility are strongly emphasised and students work on various projects in relation to the environment, social development, global contexts and various systematic factors.
In the third year of study, it is strongly emphasised that students work in an independent and critical manner and develop their own ways towards becoming responsible designers in society.
What defines education at the Department of Design and Architecture is: • That students are trained to work as independent designers, with a strong artistic vision, • • • • • that students are familiar with the professional field of designers and the opportunities their education offers, the development of students’ imagination, critical thinking, knowledge, creativity, collaborative skills and independent working methods, that students learn to analyse their subject matter and understand the material and social contexts affected by their design practices, that students understand the social effects of their design practices and their own social responsibility, that students become aware of the effects of their design practices on nature and environment and that they are guided by environmental values in their design practices, • that students cultivate thinking about their projects and design practices in both the Icelandic and international context.
15 The priorities of each study programme are guided by these goals and this is attested to by the respective curriculum of each study programme.

Chapter 5.3 features an account of the defining elements of each study programme, that is apart from the shared priorities listed above.
It is the policy of the Department to hold its course and develop the professional specification of each study programme while systematically promoting interdisciplinary collaboration; both between study programmes within the Department, but, just as importantly, with study programmes across other departments of the IUA.

Simultaneously, it is the policy of the Department to promote research activity and participation of faculty members and cultivate the ties between academic research and teaching.
See further in chapter 9.3.

Reflections • The discussion on the prospects of dividing the Department of Design and Architecture into two departments began in the wake of the periodic review of study programmes in Fashion Design, Product Design and Visual Communication in 2018 and 2019, as well as in connection to the self-evaluation and structural analysis of the Department in the winter of 2019-2020.

In October 2019, the Dean submitted a proposal for the division of the Department.
The proposal was worked on by staff and members of faculty, with consultation with students, alumni and external stake holders in the field of design and architecture.

• Since the two departments were established in August not many visible changes can be detected, except for the two new Heads of Department and some structural changes on the institutional level.
Ahead is a phase of implementing this change and forming a new vision and culture within each of the departments aligned with the IUA institutional vision.

Below are the key reasons for dividing the Department: • Design and architecture are two distinct subject areas of different professional fields.

There are no precedents found at international partner institutions of a joint Department of design and architecture.
16 • The size of the Department of Design and Architecture compromises professional dialogue and internal collaboration.

With two smaller departments, faculty members may actively contribute to internal dialogue and decision-making processes of each department.

• Currently, the size of the Department and the status quo compromise the establishment of additional study programmes in the subject areas of design and architecture.
• It is highly probable that new opportunities will arise for deliberated collaboration with other departments within the IUA as well as departments at other HEIs.

Below are the key reasons against dividing the Department: • There are concerns that a Department of Architecture, with few students, might become isolated within the IUA.
This may be avoided with strategically working towards cultivating interdisciplinary collaboration with other study programmes and departments at the IUA, which is one of the main tasks of the new Deans.

• It has been a distinct feature of the Department since its establishment to accommodate those two subject areas, design and architecture.

This could even further distinguish the Department on an international level.

17 4.
Department Organisation and Decision-Making Dean Department Coordinator Project Manager Academic Faculty and Part-time Lecturers Dean The Dean directs policy and guides all activities of the Department.
The Dean is responsible for academic development and has supervision of learning and teaching, international collaboration, interdisciplinary collaborative projects and research.

The Dean is in charge of the Department’s finances, prepares the budget and decides on the distribution of funds, in addition to managing staff and supporting and advising faculty members.
The role of the Dean is, for instance, to ensure the effective application of human resources within the Department and to promote the occupational wellbeing of staff and faculty members as well as facilitating the different components of their work; be it teaching, research or administration.

Furthermore, the Dean is responsible for the administration of student affairs and holds ultimate authority within the Department in matters of students’ progress and development.
The Dean, in collaboration with Programme Directors and Project Manager, plans and leads the Department’s public relations and partnerships with other HEIs, public institutions, NGOs and businesses.

The Dean leads international partnerships and shapes the Department’s international strategy in collaboration with Programme Directors and other faculty members.
The Dean chairs and calls meetings of Programme Directors, Departmental meetings and 18 Departmental Council meetings and ensures the enactment of decisions made in these meetings.

The Dean, in collaboration with Programme Directors, chairs the triannual periodic review of all programmes as well as the self-evaluation of the Department.

The Dean serves as member of the IUA Management Council, as well as being circumstantially seated on other councils and committees.
Programme Directors and Meetings of Programme Directors Each study programme is overseen by a Programme Director who leads and organises studies and activities within the programme.

Furthermore, one Programme Director for Theory works across the Department, with supervision of all studies defined as theory in the BA programmes.

This division between workshops/technology and theory, applies for all BA programmes (see further in chapter 5.4), but not for the MA programme.
The role of Programme Directors is to: shape and organise studies in specific subject areas in dialogue with other faculty members; lead the development of a creative study environment, seek out opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration and cultivate the relationship to the respective professional field and to society; develop the curriculum, write course descriptions and learning outcomes for both the programme and individual courses; be in a continuous dialogue with teachers in other programmes about syllabi, assignments, workloads and assessment, as well as following up on these tasks; plan schedules in dialogue with the Departmental Coordinator; employ part-time lecturers as well as organising the teaching of other faculty members in dialogue with the Dean; administrate students’ progress and development in collaboration with the Departmental Coordinator and the Dean when needed; welcome international exchange students; oversee the admissions process and set up admissions committees in dialogue with the Dean; choose external examiners and international guest lecturers in dialogue with the Dean and fellow teachers, as well as supervising their reception at the Department; organise and shape the public relations of each programme as well as partnerships with HEIs and other partners in collaboration with the Dean, both domestically and internationally; lead the periodic review of their study programme in dialogue with the Dean.
19 Meetings of Programme Directors are usually held fortnightly throughout the academic year.

The meetings are chaired by the Dean and attended by the six Programme Directors as well as the Departmental Coordinator and the Departmental Project Manager, that takes the minutes.

On the agenda is the professional policy of the Department, as well as various matters concerning its routine activities.
The departmental representatives in different councils and committees across the IUA report on various affairs from these committees that concern the operation of the Department or the University as a whole.

The Dean chairs and calls the meetings of Programme Directors and prepares an agenda for each meeting.
Reflections • The above serves to demonstrate that Programme Directors are key faculty members and the closest associates of the Dean in matters concerning decision-making and policy in the Department.

It also demonstrates the heavy workload and frequent interaction between Programme Directors and the Dean.

Programme Directors have described an increase in workload, especially in regard to administration.
• There are opportunities for support staff, the Department Coordinator and the Project Manager, to be leading in projects within the department.

By involving them as well as redesigning procedures might lift some management workload of programme directors.

• As of August 2020, there is no Programme Director in the new Department of Architecture.

Instead, tasks are taken on by the Head of Department.

• Programme Director of Theory has managed all theory related matters for both new departments.
However, all theory related matters for the Department of Architecture should be taken care of by the Head of Department from the beginning of 2021.

• The study programmes have many part-time lecturers.

From the external teachers’ point of view, it is important that they are a part of an ongoing dialogue regarding the programmes’ vision.

This has been improving in recent years.

At the moment, it seems that not all part-time teachers are involved in the programmes’ vision and that can be enhanced.
The feeling of isolation has been very strong when teaching individual courses.

20 • Changes in leadership have led to a temporary lack of dialogue on vision within the department.

Looking further ahead there is aspiration that the structural changes will however help strengthening the internal dialogue and vision.

A dialogue between disciplines is important and positive.

Fluctuation among permanent staff members has, to some degree, had the same effect, but over a longer period of time.
Each study programme is specific in its own field and when it comes to development, a dialogue with a colleague from that same field becomes essential.

This has not been the case due to leaves.

• It has proven to be difficult for some disciplines to hire part-time lecturers since there is a substantial difference in salary for teaching and salary in the professional field.

However, this does not apply to all disciplines.

Architecture and Visual Communication.


• Opportunities to hiring part-time lecturers may lie in digital teaching methods and international networks, where there are possibilities for exchange.

• There is an important dialogue to be had with part-time teachers in developing the study programmes and on being connected to the professional field.
Departmental Meetings and Departmental Council Meetings Departmental meetings are attended by 26 employees: 23 faculty members, a Departmental Coordinator, a Project Manager and a Departmental Service Representative.

Three to four times each academic year, representatives of the Student Council are invited to the Departmental meeting, making it effectively a Departmental Council meeting.
A novelty, introduced in the winter of 2019-2020, was the invitation of part-time lecturers to one Departmental Council meeting for the sharing of information and dialogue.

This goes for part- time lecturers who supervise courses or teach at least 4 ECTS in a single academic year.

Departmental meetings and Departmental Council meetings are held every 5-6 weeks throughout the academic year.

The agenda for both meetings can e.g.


consist of sharing of information among staff and faculty members concerning the activities, events and projects, institutional or departmental policies, dialogue on teaching development, communication with part-time lecturers, departmental events and partnership projects.

Furthermore, individual faculty members report on and present their own research in some meetings.

21 Reflections • Each of the new departments has their own departmental meeting.
Meeting structure is under development but within the Department of Design there will be both Programme Directors meetings as well as Departmental meetings and Departmental Council meetings.

In the Department of Architecture there will only be Departmental meetings and Departmental Council meetings.

• The Department of Design and Architecture was, as already mentioned, by far the largest department at the University, and thus certainly set apart.
Departmental meetings are attended by 26 employees, whereof 23 are faculty members.

The number of faculty members in other departments, bar the Department of Music, is between 5 and 11.

Consequently, decision-making and organisation within the Department of Design and Architecture differ from that of other departments where Departmental meetings are the most important consultation venue for the Dean and a platform for policy making in matters both large and small.
To some extent, the size of the Department certainly impedes effective dialogue and consultation, increasingly relaying responsibilities that should be delegated between all faculty members towards Programme Directors.

Efforts have been made to counter this effect, e.g.

by delegating seats on various councils and committees, both within the Department and the whole school, to others than Programme Directors.
A case in point is the appointment of a committee responsible for reviewing the assessment system of the Department in the year 2019 (see further in chapter 5.5).

Student Council Currently, the Student Association at the Department of Design and Architecture is seated by 6 delegates.

The chairman also holds a seat on the IUA Student Council, comprised of the chairpersons from all five student associations within the IUA.
Delegates of the Student Association have a seat on the Departmental Council and present proposals and concerns from the student body.

The representatives and the Dean relay information back to the Student Association, following up on procedures and actions taken due to concerns raised.

22 The aim of the association is to ensure students’ interest within the Department as well as the larger institutional context.

The Student Association organises social events as well.
Reflections • In September 2020 students formally established IUA Student Council.

It is yet to be seen how that affects each of the new departments and how the two departments will work together.

4.1.

Internal Quality Management During the last few years, the IUA has been developing its internal quality system with emphasis on formalisation and enhancement.
The main stepping-stones include i) formalisation of working procedures and general administration, followed by a heightened transparency and accountability, ii) higher level of student engagement and participation in academic decision making and administration, and iii) development of a formal and all- inclusive quality management system.
The quality system is being developed in alignment with the national quality framework for Icelandic higher education (QEF), and is designed in line with external benchmarking, such as European Standards and Guidelines 2015 (ESG) and National University Law.

A new administrative body was established in Autumn 2016, Division of Quality, Teaching and Research (Division of QTR), whose role is to oversee central administration in the relation to these three components of the institution’s workings, e.g.
collection of official data and key statistics, teaching evaluation, survey among graduating students, alumni survey, management and evaluation of research output, dissemination of curriculum, monitoring of LOs and study programmes, publication of internal quality procedures.

Two fundamental working procedures were recently implemented in accordance with ESG 1.2 Design and Approval of programmes, and ESG 1.9 On-Going Monitoring and Periodic Review of programmes (see Appendices 1 ESG 1.2 and 2 ESG 1.9).
Approval of New Programmes and Periodic Review of Existing Programmes New study programmes have been developed to meet the needs of the society and in line with institutional strategy developments, the interest and specialisation of faculty and as a 23 response to students’ propositions.

These needs are carefully considered and discussed both on the Departmental Council and during the bi-annual staff weeks, which all permanent faculty attends.
The formal procedure requires the initial permission from the Rector to commence the development process, guided by the institutional benchmarking.

The design of the working procedure emphasises student and alumni participation as well as consultation with the respective professional fields, with extended consultation processes with internal decision-making bodies, such as the Division of QTR, The MC and AC.
The Rector presents a complete proposal for a new study programme to the Academic Board for final approval.

Systematic monitoring of programmes is expected to take place every three years, also with emphasis on student and alumni participation as well as representatives from the professional field.

Reflections • The circle for systematic monitoring of programmes has been extended to four to five years.
The culture for frequent small adjustments of programmes to meet the needs of society is well established within the IUA, with strong connection to the professional field through the high number of part-time lecturers.

This change relieves workload of programme directors and continues to ensure that each programme will go through one systematic review between each departmental self-evaluation process.
• The periodic review of programmes turned out to be a welcome opportunity for faculty members to scrutinise the study structure of the Department, talk to students, stakeholders and alumni about particular aspects of the studies as well as the overall thinking behind the study structure.

In some instances, the conversation validated priorities but in other instances, changes were made as a result of the dialogue.

No major changes were made, but the single greatest change is related to assessment.
See further details in chapter 5.5.

• Along with the structural changes the QTR became a part of University Office.

24 4.2.

Teaching Evaluation At the end of each course, students participate in an electronic teaching evaluation in MySchool (the IUA intranet).

The evaluation is in two main parts where students are asked to answer questions about the course and about teacher performance.
Certain changes are being introduced to the teaching evaluation, that are intended to further support student- centred learning by encouraging students to self-evaluate their own participation in addition to generally assessing the course.

As of yet, no experience with these changes has been made but the aim is to ask students about the level of their own efforts, engagement in discussions and whether their interest in the course subject has increased.
Appendix 3 features all questions included in the teaching evaluation.

At the end of each semester, when students have received all their grades, a project manager in the Division of QTR makes the results accessible to the teachers of the corresponding courses.

The project manager reviews the results for the whole institution and shares them with the Deans and Programme Directors.
By end of the semester the project manager has individual meetings with all Programme Directors to discuss the result of evaluation.

The Dean and Programme Directors take appropriate action for resolution of problems that may arise, and the Dean gives feedback to students on how improvements will be made.

Finally, the Rector reviews the results and is informed about the meetings with the Deans and the Programme Directors.
The review is a confidential, enhancement-led process and is linked to staff development.

In autumn 2019, 61% of all students in IUA participated in the evaluation, with a 61% participation in the Department of Design and Architecture.

Reflections • In order to ensure higher levels of participation in the teaching evaluation, there has been discussion of making participation a mandatory prerequisite for students to receive assessment for the course.
In this way, teaching evaluation may be implemented as a routine and inseparable part of each course.

25 4.3.

Survey Among Graduating Students A survey among graduating students in the IUA has been conducted annually since 2013.

The survey, sent via email, enquires about several factors of the students’ studies in general, e.g.

the programme structure, the quality of teaching, the facilities, and the general atmosphere in the designated departments.
In 2019 there was 54,5% participation in the survey at the Department of Design and Architecture, a total of 24 students.

The results from 2019 show that the majority of the participants (86%-90%) were satisfied with quality of teaching, programme structure and atmosphere in the Department.

62% of participants were satisfied with access to workshops, other specialised areas and student work facilities.

All of those who answered, 100% were satisfied with the library services.
Regarding departmental facilities, participants were less satisfied, that is 71% said they were unsatisfied.

In 2019, 90% of the participants said they would recommend IUA.

The pie-charts below feature the results from the surveys in 2017-2019.

The featured results are from selected questions concerning teaching.

Chart A shows the satisfaction of students with study structure.

Chart B shows the ratio of alumni satisfied with the quality of teaching.
Chart C concerns the practical applicability of projects.

Chart D concerns collaboration and the attitudes of faculty members and other staff towards students.

Generally, student satisfaction with all these factors seems less for alumni of 2018, than the years immediately before and after.

In years 2017 and 2019, satisfaction with all evaluative factors is at or over 80%, while satisfaction with the same factors is around 70% in 2018.
26 A B C D Reflections • The results from the survey are displayed respective of the University’s departments, irrespective of individual programmes.

In the Department of Design and Architecture there are five different programmes with different priorities, needs and cultures.

Results presented for each programme would give a clearer view of improvements.

• The survey asks if students plan to pursue further graduate level studies and if so, whether they will do so in Iceland.
Architecture is the only professional field within the Department to require a graduate degree for students to qualify as architects.

As of yet there is no graduate school in architecture in Iceland.

Answers from alumni in Architecture, cannot be differentiated from the answers of alumni of other programmes but may be expected to be somewhat unique.

• It would be beneficial to obtain information about developments within the other programmes in the department.
Are students in these programmes more interested in graduate studies now than before?

Are these students planning to study on a graduate level in Iceland or abroad?

Is the number of students of Architecture going abroad for graduate studies similar to past numbers or are they lower and if so, what may be the main reasons for such a development?

• The focus has been on connecting alumni and current students.
The IUA conducts an alumni survey annually which gives an image of where they are headed after graduation.

27 • There has been an emphasis on developing support for Icelandic and international students, from application to alumni.

5.

Study Programme Description The Department of Design and Architecture offers studies in five study programmes, four subject-specific BA programmes and one trans-disciplinary MA programme.
• BA Architecture • BA Fashion Design • BA Visual Communication • BA Product Design • MA Design: Explorations and Translations BA programmes are 180 ECTS credits, equally divided between three academic years.

The MA programme is 120 ECTS, equally divided between two academic years.

The teaching language at the BA level is Icelandic.

The teaching language at the MA level is English.

Reflections • Icelandic is the main teaching language at the BA level and English at the MA level.
Since the IUA is the only HEI in the field of arts in Iceland, it holds a responsibility for developing the language and terminology for design and architecture.

• From the students’ point of view there is an agreement of Icelandic being the main teaching language.

Students from abroad are being accommodated for by using English instead of Icelandic.

5.1.

Number of Students and Composition In the year 2019-2020, 174 students were enrolled at the Department.
Below, the division of students between programmes may be seen: 28 In the winter of 2019-2020, 119 female students and 54 male students were enrolled at the Department.

One student identified as neither male nor female.This option was made available in the IUA registration system in 2017.

The gender balance has been relatively stable since the last self-evaluation in 2014.

Female students make up 64-68% and male students make up 32-36% of the student body in this period.
In 2019-2020, female students made up 68,4% of the student body, male students made up 31% and students that did not identify as either male or female made up 0,6% of the student body, as displayed in the pie chart below.

Considering statistics from individual programmes, it may be seen that the gender balance between particular programmes has been relatively variable.
Below, there are charts showing gender balance relative to individual programmes in the years 2014-2015 and the years 2019- 2020, respectively: 29 5.2.

Learning outcomes Learning outcomes (LOs) correspond to the National Qualification Framework, published by the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.

LO‘s for the BA degrees are aligned with European Qualifications Framework (EQF) level 6, and the LOs for the MA degrees are aligned with EQF level 7.
The general learning outcomes for the study programmes are available on the IUA website (see Appendix 4 Learning Outcomes).

LOs are accessible in MySchool, the IUA online learning management system, in addition to syllabus, assessment and timetables for each course.

At the start of each course students are introduced to the syllabus and made aware of learning outcomes.

A consistent emphasis is placed on connecting assessment to the learning outcomes of courses, and this emphasis is e.g.
reflected in the new assessment system (see chapter 5.5, Assessment).

5.3.

Curriculum and Study Structure The fall of 2018 saw periodic review of the study programmes in Visual Communication, Fashion Design and Product Design.

Some changes were made to the structure of courses, learning outcomes and study structure in all these programmes.

Furthermore, theory courses were revised, and their learning outcomes redefined.

The consequent changes came into effect in the academic year of 2019-2020.
Below is a discussion of the policies and priorities of each programme, in addition to information about study structure.

Flow charts for all programmes are found in appendices 5A-5E.

30 Fashion Design • A strong emphasis on working with eco-friendly textiles and recycling.

• • It is emphasised that students familiarise themselves with local manufacturing options and develop creative ways to make use of them.
It is emphasised that students acquire solid knowledge of the field, both historical and ideological knowledge, as well as solid knowledge of craft.

• An emphasis on good technical competence that allows students to realise ideas and find creative and innovative channels for their own concepts.

Visual Communication • It is emphasised that students acquire useful knowledge in all areas of visual communication, such as illustration, typography, signage, branding and information design.
• It is emphasised that students develop a set of basic design skills for both printed and digital media.

These skills are trained specifically in individual courses, but it is also emphasised that students can, by choosing certain assignments within individual courses, specialise even further in particular media and the specific subfields of visual communication.
• It is emphasised that each student develops her own artistic expression and is capable of specialising in an area of visual communication that she finds most interesting for her graduating project.

Product Design • Emphasis on both objective and non-objective design, and that students learn to understand production processes and systems that designers may map out and interrupt when seeking to make changes for the better.
• A strong emphasis on studying local elements, such as materials and production processes, and the possibilities these may hold.

• Students are encouraged to experiment with the communication of their projects, by using media such as videos.

31 • A strong emphasis on developing collaborative skills and competence in working on group projects.
It is also emphasised that students acquire experience in working with different groups in society, other professional fields and different businesses and institutions.

• Together with the emphasis on collaborative skills, it is strongly emphasised that students develop their skills for working independently as creative individuals.

Architecture A periodic review of the programme of Architecture took place in the academic year of 2019- 2020.
Consequently, minor changes were made to specific courses and the study structure.

The subject area of the programme of Architecture is the professional field of architecture and the man-made environment in a wide sense, with particular attention to the spirit of place, the interplay of nature and environment, social relationships, urban environment and the effects of architecture on people and nature.
Furthermore, there is particular emphasis on studying buildings in terms of spirit of place and experience as well as analysing the diverse context hosting each and every building.

Thus, students acquire a broad understanding of what architectural intervention entails as well as acquiring different methods and competences that are useful, both for graduate studies in architecture as well as for various other projects related to the man-made environment.
At the end of three years of study, students graduate with a BA degree in Architecture that qualifies them to apply for graduate studies in the subject area which eventually leads to the full professional qualification of architects.
Nonetheless, BA studies in architecture are not only relevant to those preparing for professional qualification but serve also as practical art education appropriate for various different projects and professions related to environment and society, and has proven to be a good preparation for, graduate studies in fields such as planning, geography, environmental studies and philosophy.
MA Design: Explorations and Translations The MA Design programme is aimed at exploring the expanded field of design and is grounded in a range of methodological approaches, such as contextual design, critical design and discursive design, speculative design, design fiction, journalistic design and alternative design.

The studies are aimed at supporting students in developing their own methods and 32 approaches.
Furthermore, the studies are aimed at providing students with time and space as well as facilitating access to specialists, institutions and businesses relevant to students’ research.

In all course work, there is an emphasis on collaboration, either within the group or with artists and scientists from a range of fields, such as biology, biotechnology, engineering, chemistry, computer science, philosophy, performance and fine art.
There is a strong emphasis on research-based approaches and the methods of artistic research are systematically implemented both in group assignments and individual assignments.

The research of faculty members of the MA programme is systematically integrated into teaching in the programme, in fields such as systems research and research in the subject areas of ecology, perception, ontology, posthumanism and their respective intersections with design.
Additionally, the research of faculty members in relation to media and materials is applied in the programme.

Joint Courses All five study programmes at the Department of Design and Architecture are independent and subject- specific.

However, interdisciplinary collaboration across the BA programmes is promoted, with joint workshops on both 1st year (Introduction – 5 ECTS) and 2nd year (Community – 3 ECTS), in addition to theory studies being partly taught across all BA programmes.
Students of the three BA programmes of Design (Fashion, Product, Visual Communication) complete 24 ECTS in joint theory courses but last year it was decided, that students of Architecture would complete only a few of these credit points, or 8 ECTS.

This change was made on the request of both students and teachers of the programme of Architecture, that students rather complete more courses, specifically within the field of architecture.
Furthermore, all BA students may complete 4 to 8 credit points in elective theory courses, both within the Department and across the University.

Students from all BA programmes of the Department participate in an interdisciplinary 2 ECTS workshop course, open to students from all of departments.

These courses are offered to students at the beginning of the 3rd semester of BA studies.

Lastly, MA students have participated in a 2 ECTS course (Dealing), which is a joint course between all IUA MA programmes.
33 Reflections • The IUA is a practise-based institution, and as such it has an obligation to teach technical as well as practical skills more than other higher education institutions in Iceland.

However, it is our responsibility to have a dialogue about where the field is going, how will we develop the curriculum according to that and coin our vision.

• There is a tendency of adding courses to the programmes without omitting something else.

5.4.
5.4.

Structure of Teaching A threefold division applies to all courses at the BA level; a) studio courses, b) theory courses and c) technology courses.

This division has been applied to emphasise the nature of courses and facilitate the definition of work hours.

The credit point structure of each programme is found in Appendix 6.

Workshop teaching takes place on weekdays from 13:00-16:40 and consists of e.g.
contribution from teacher by way of a lecture or presentation, as well as group discussions and individual tutoring.

Individual tutoring is emphasised in all programmes and teachers give each student an interview about their individual assignments 2-3 times a week on average, for half an hour at a time.
Through the years it has developed so that course supervisor has a certain number of hours at his disposal and is responsible for, in dialogue with the Programme Director, to appropriately delegate these hours between teachers and guest and part-time lecturers, according to how group teaching and individual tutoring within each course is organised.

The total number of hours per week is determined by the number of students on each programme.
The programme of Visual Communication has 22 hours a week for workshops, the programme of Architecture, 20 hours and Fashion Design and Product Design 18 hours each.

Frequently, and especially in the larger programmes of Visual Communication and Architecture, there are two teachers simultaneously, doing either individual tutoring or the teaching of smaller groups, in parallel.
Students present their projects and receive feedback from teachers and/or specialists in the field in designated feedback sessions, routinely scheduled throughout the study period within every programme.

Feedback sessions may take place every 2-4 weeks in any given course, depending on the nature of the assignments.

Commonly, 2-4 teachers and/or external specialists are present at each 34 feedback session.
It is expected that all students in the course attend these sessions in order to learn from how teachers review their assignments and those of other students.

The final feedback session of every course is a substantial part of the overall course assessment (see further in chapter 5.5).

Theory courses take place in the morning, in the form of lectures, discussion sessions and assignment presentations.
In the past years, theory teachers in the Department have been adapting more varied teaching methods, based increasingly on assignments, discussions and formative evaluation.

Theory courses are between 2-6 ECTS, 2 ECTS courses are usually 10 lessons, 4 ECTS courses are 20 lessons and so forth.

Each lesson is 45 minutes.

Course assessment may involve tasks such as working journals, group projects, individual essays and tests.

Most courses involve a variety of assessment methods.
Technical courses mostly take place in the departmental workshops in Þverholt and Laugarnes, but they can also involve tutorials for particular computer programs.

It is emphasised that students acquire a certain set of skills and are able to apply those skills.

Technical courses are usually between 1-2 ECTS credit points.

In the MA programme no distinction is made between theory and practice, and there is no defined technical teaching in place.
Instead, students acquire technical skills through workshops according to their own needs.

It is emphasised that design projects and theoretical contributions and discussions are interwoven.

About half of all student assignments are group projects and there is strong emphasis on collaboration skills, shared conceptual work and ideation.
Through individual assignments, students are given the opportunity to develop their work and conduct experiments, guided by a supervisor and in active dialogue with specialists from within the faculty as well as guest lecturers, part-time lecturers and fellow students.

Courses on the MA level extend for longer periods than on the BA level, and there is emphasis on independent working methods, collaboration and individual tutoring.
Feedback sessions are usually similar to those on the BA level, with emphasis on critical feedback from externals and practitioners from the professional field.

.

In the MA programme a course supervisor has 20 hours (V hours) per week at her disposal for working with students and between 2-4 theory hours per week on average.

35 Reflections • The division between theory and practice is quite apparent.

Students follow one design studio at a time, with a continuity between the workshop, theory and studio.
There is a constant dialogue between the programme director, the workshop supervisor and theory teachers.

Each program entails smaller tailormade courses that help to deepen the studio work.

This interconnectivity between theory, workshop and studio practice has proven to be a positive experience for the students.
• Instead of separating workshop and theory courses there is an approach to theory as creative, where students acquire competence to apply the knowledge and skills, they adopt in theory courses to their design projects.

The same holds for the division between technical courses and workshops.

In technical courses, students acquire knowledge and competence to apply the tools, machines and programs they are expected to use for their workshop projects.
Thus, students are systematically encouraged to apply acquired knowledge to their own design projects.

• The division between theory and workshops facilitates the organisation of teaching.

The same holds for the division between technical courses and workshops.

In technical courses, students acquire knowledge and competence to apply the tools, machines and programs they are expected to use for their workshop projects.
Therefore, we find that the threefold division facilitates the organisation of teaching on the BA level, more than anything else.

• There have also been discussions about redefining workshop hours, so that the number of students is better reflected in the number of hours per week at each teacher’s disposal.

Recommendations have been made to the Managing Director and the Director of Human Resources which are now being considered.

• At meetings with alumni the curriculum was widely discussed.
The importance of the balance between technical skills and philosophical approach during the three years of BA studies was pointed out, especially in relation to the product design programme.

IUA being the only University in Iceland teaching design has the obligation to offer study programmes that enable graduating students to enter various kind of MA programmes in design, product design and industrial design as well as more conceptual MA programmes like speculative design and context design.
Therefore, the BA studies must touch upon a 36 variety of things within design and motivate both contextual thinking as well as technical skills.

• The alumni were satisfied with their studies at the IUA and stressed that they had been very well prepared for entering MA programmes in design and architecture abroad.

However, both alumni and stakeholders stressed in regard to the BA programmes that there needs to be an increase in practical studies to prepare students better for the professional field.
• Operating a university during a pandemic is a learning curve.

Opportunities arise for rethinking teaching methods, bringing in teachers from abroad through remote teaching as well as educating our teachers.

• In relation to the architectural programme the alumni stressed that more emphasis could be put on teaching about different kinds of materials and how different materials can open up different possibilities.

5.5.

Assessment Considerable emphasis is placed on diverse assessment.
In workshop courses, it is emphasised that students work on design assignments based on analysis, research and creative output.

Assessment accounts for the final output, the design process and the student’s ability to contextualise his work and demonstrate how artistic vision or innovation are reflected in the output.

Assessment is partly conducted in the final feedback session in the presence of all students in the course.
Assessment for theory courses may involve a working journal, project presentation, written group assignments, shorter and longer essays, as well as exams.

When assessing projects, there is an emphasis on the quality of academic practice and creative processing.

Assessment in technical courses is primarily based on assignment work, which have generally been graded with pass/fail, rather than numerically.
Since the establishment of the Department and until the fall of 2019, a scale from 1- 10 was used for grading.

Furthermore, it has been emphasised that students receive a written feedback for all courses of 4 ECTS or more.

However, there have been faults to this process and there no standard practice for writing feedback has been implemented.

Appendix 7 features the Department’s grading rubric for workshop courses and theory courses.
A growing 37 emphasis on written feedback for individual assignments and final outcome of courses has been emerging in the past few years.

This development has been spurred on through the acknowledgement of both teachers and administrators of the importance of feedback and an awareness of formative assessment as well as by a push from students.
Moreover, students always receive verbal feedback for all workshop courses, both in mid-term feedback sessions and final feedback sessions, that serve an integral role for all formative assessment.

In the spring term of 2019, a committee was established within the Department seated by teachers from all programmes.

The committee analysed the assessment arrangements and suggested changes.

The committee’s work resulted in the incremental implementation of a new assessment system, starting in fall 2019.
The system involves an increased emphasis on student-centred learning and formative assessment.

Traditional numerical grading is abolished, but instead grades are given as pass/fail and emphasis is placed on formative assessment that takes place in feedback sessions, in individual interviews and written feedback.

1st year BA and MA students were integrated into the new system in fall 2019.
In fall 2020, 1st and 2nd year students will be integrated and in fall 2021, the new system will be fully implemented within the Department.

In addition to the teacher’s feedback, students need to answer questions about each course and assess their own performance and development.

Students will do this for all larger courses, logging a student journal throughout the study period.
It is emphasised that the new assessment system should empower students, and that students become more aware of their own study process.

In addition to the formative assessment, provided to students as written feedback and verbal feedback in feedback sessions, students are expected to attend regular interviews with Programme Directors throughout their study period.
In these interviews, students must account for how they have processed the material presented in each course and how they have made use of learning materials and teaching to improve and strengthen themselves.

Students must form an opinion of their own performance and assume a position within their respective subject area.

This supports independent working methods and the competence of individuals to position themselves and critically account for their own artistic practice.
The IUA Strategy for 2019-2023 emphasises student-centred learning (appendix X).

The aforementioned changes to the assessment system at the departmental level are in 38 accordance with the University strategy and serve to implement that strategy into departmental activities.

Appendix 8 features information about standards and procedures of the new assessment system.
Reflections The assessment system is yet to be fully implemented, however there are some indications of change: o learning outcomes are used in a more active way to evaluate students’ progression.

The written feedback gives a more realistic image of the students’ learning and creative development.

o In some cases, there seems to be less competition between students, or less ambition within a class when there is no calculated reward for being especially hard working.
There has been a discussion on if a reward system should be within the new assessment system for outstanding students.

As this is implemented to change learning culture, applying reward system could counteract to the process of culture changing.

The focus should continue to stay on every student’s own learning and progression.
o From the students’ point of view, it took some time to adjust to the new system overall they agree that the written assessments have greater value now than when students got graded.

Overall, the experience has been more positive than negative.

However, there have been some concerns regarding applying for universities abroad where grades matter significantly.

o The new assessment format is more time consuming than numerical grading.

5.6.
5.6.

Collaboration with Institutions and Businesses in Iceland The Department of Design and Architecture participates in various partnership projects, some of which are organised across the programmes of the IUA with the aim of long-term collaboration, but in other cases projects are organised within specific courses.

Appendix 9 features a list of key partners and partnership projects in the Department in 2008-2020.
39 Collaboration in Regional Iceland Collaboration in regional Iceland, through the participation of both teachers and students, is systematically promoted through the partial teaching of specific courses across all programmes outside of Reykjavík.

It is the policy of the Department of Design and Architecture to systematically emphasise project-based collaboration with institutions, businesses and residents of regional Iceland.

Appendix 20 further describes collaborative projects around Iceland.
5.7. International Collaboration IUA is the only art university in Iceland, therefore, a considerable emphasis is placed on promoting international relations and international collaboration in all activities of the Department.

Students are encouraged to undertake exchange studies in their second year, and an emphasis is placed on facilitating opportunities for students to attend shorter courses at partner institutions in the Nordic-Baltic region.
The Department has hosted such courses and received international student groups for shorter periods of time as well as placing an emphasis on receiving incoming exchange students from partner institutions, entering either the 2nd or 3rd year of study.

Exchange students often introduce different perspectives, different study expectations and different methods, which makes them a great addition to the student body.
All this is an important part of the internationalisation of the Department and creates valuable opportunities and experience for both student and staff, increasing their open-mindedness, curiosity and knowledge as well as giving them opportunity to reflect on their own work and skills from a new perspective.
Partner Networks The Department of Design and Architecture is partner to five international HEI networks in the field of design: CUMULUS - International Association of Universities and Colleges of Art, Design and Media CIRRUS - Nordic-Baltic Network of Design and Art Education NBAA - Nordic Baltic Academy of Architecture 40 EAAE - European Association for Architectural Education EASA – European Architecture Students Assembly Appendix 20 further describes participation in partner networks.
Study Trips In the Department of Design and Architecture, efforts have been made to develop the ties of students to the international community of designers as well as introducing students to the possibilities entailed in participating in international design festivals.

The aim is that each student makes at least one study trip abroad during their study period.
Until the year 2018, 3rd year students of all programmes undertook a joint study trip abroad (within Europe) and visited design festivals as well as viewing buildings and visiting design studios, museums and businesses.

These trips were considered not purposeful enough, and not equally useful to all programmes.
Therefore, it was decided that a number of different trips should be organised, suited to the needs of different programmes with the aim that students of each programme would benefit the most from their respective study trip.

Appendix 20 further describes study trips.

Exchange studies and Student Traineeship The Department of Design and Architecture has placed considerable emphasis on encouraging students to apply for exchange studies, in addition to receiving a large number of incoming exchange students.
Twice a year, a meeting with all 1st year students of the Department is called, where students previously on exchange share their experience and faculty members and staff of the International Office respond to questions about exchange studies.

Furthermore, Programme Directors and the Dean encourage students to apply for exchange.
At the end of an exchange study period, the Dean and/or Programme Directors have met with students completing a period abroad, reviewing their portfolio from the study period and discussing the value of the exchange.

In the winter of 2018-2019, 18 students from the Department of Design and Architecture undertook an exchange and 13 students entered student mobility traineeship through Erasmus in the summer of 2019.
Student mobility for traineeship is a vital part of offering an education the supports employability, preparing learners to be effective in a global society.

At the Department of Design and Architecture students are encouraged to explore 41 this possibility both during the summer vacation and after the BA and MA graduation.

This helps graduates to link their studies with a professional career and provides them with skills and knowledge related to their field of practice.
According to the IUA Quality Framework for Traineeships, this experience should culminate in a broader network, increased opportunity for employment, and enhancement of intercultural skills.

In the academic year of 2018-2019, there were 29 incoming international exchange students at the Department of Design and Architecture.
In the winter of 2019-2020, 18 students from the Department of Design and Architecture undertook an exchange and the Department of Design and Architecture received 27 incoming international exchange students in that academic year.
According to the feedback given in the EU participant’s reports, almost all students who went on Erasmus exchange acquired the following competences: more able to adapt to and act in new situations, seeing the value of different cultures, open-mindedness and curiosity, carrying out and planning their learning more independently, and knowing better their strength and weaknesses.

From those same reports, it is clear that IUA staff members also benefit greatly from mobility, e.g.
in terms of increased job satisfaction, enhanced field specific skills as well as organisational and leadership skills, extended professional networks and reinforced cooperation with partners.

Visiting Lecturers Each year, an average of 10 international visiting lecturers teach in the different programmes of the Department, 1-2 weeks per year.
Apart from that, an emphasis has always been placed on receiving experienced international examiners to examine student graduation projects, both on the BA and MA level.

Members of Faculty Members of faculty have also been actively making use of the possibilities offered by the Erasmus program to visit schools, conferences and exhibitions in partner institutions in Europe as well as taking part in teaching abroad.
In the past two years, faculty members have been visiting lecturers at for instance the University of Sussex, Aalto University, Burg 42 Giebichenstein Kunsthochschule in Halle, IUAV University of Architecture in Venice and École Nationale supérieure de la photographie d‘Arles.

Partnership projects The Department has been a participant in several partnership projects.
It was a leading participant in the European capacity building project CLEVER (Creative Leadership and Entrepreneurship – Visionary Education Roadmap), funded by the Erasmus+ programme, concluded in the fall of 2019.

In 2019, the Department initiated a partnership with the Aurora Foundation in Sierra Leone through an Erasmus+ grant for partnerships outside of Europe.
And recently, the Programme of Visual Communication entered a partnership with the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, Central Saint Martins in London, ELISAVA- Barcelona School of Design and Engineering and Vilnius Academy of Art, in the project Plastic Justice.

Appendix 20 further describes partnership projects.

Reflections • There have been intensive courses in rural areas in Iceland, where NBAA, Cirrus or Kuno express students from partner schools have been invited to join in.
Some students that have participated in those courses have later joined IUA as enrolled students.

• The focus of internationalisation used to be on recruitment, now internationalisation has more to do with fostering diverse student group and learning environment as well as choosing international partners that are best suited for collaboration that are for the professional benefit of the IUA.
• At the Department of Design and Architecture, more emphasis could be put on encouraging students to participate in traineeships.

5.8. International Strategy In February, March and April of 2020, work was conducted on the international strategy for study programmes in the Department of Design and Architecture.
All Programme Directors were involved in designing the strategy and broad consultation was carried out with both the 43 International Office, other faculty members (particularly those that have performed key roles in international partnerships of the d Department) as well as representatives of students from all programmes.

It was decided that an international strategy specifically for the study Programme in Architecture would wait.
The main reason is that in April it was clear that a new Department of Architecture would be established, and it seemed clear that an international strategy for the Programme in Architecture or a new Department of Architecture would require more dialogue and consultation with members of faculty.

The International Strategy is to be found in Appendix 10.
As part of the development of the international strategy, key partner institutions have been identified; institutions with which we have already established good working relations and with which we would like to develop yet stronger ties and partnerships.

List over these partner institutions can be found in Appendix 10.

Reflections • Since the finalisation of the international strategy of the Department, the International Office has developed an international strategy for the IUA as a whole.
The international strategy of the Department will be revised accordingly.

44 6.

Student Trajectory 6.1.

Number of Students Each year, between 65 and 70 students enrol at the Department of Design and Architecture.

The year 2019 saw, for the first time, 12 students admitted to the programmes of both Product Design and Fashion Design, in previous years only 10 students were accepted at each programme.
20 students enrolled at the Programme of Visual Communication and 15 students enrolled at the Programme of Architecture.

From fall 2020, the aim is to admit 16 students to the Programme of Architecture, in order to counterbalance dropout.

Eight students enrolled at the MA Design in fall 2019, but the aim is to admit 12 students to the programme next fall.
Number of new students to enrol in fall 2020: Architecture Fashion Design Product Design Visual Communication MA Design Total 16 students 12 students 12 students 20 students 12 students 72 students At graduation in June 2019, 11 students graduated with a BA degree in Architecture, 15 students graduated with a BA degree in Visual Communication, 7 students graduated with a BA degree in Fashion Design, 6 students graduated with a BA degree in Product Design and 4 students graduated with a MA degree in Design; a total of 43 graduating students.
Considerable dropout affected this cohort of students and some students had taken study breaks that delayed their graduation, but the group enrolled in the BA programmes in fall 2016 consisted of 53 students.

Only one of the students admitted to MA Design in fall 2017 was unable to graduate two years later, in spring 2019.

It may be expected that the dropout rate in the BA programmes will be somewhat adjusted during the next two years as some students have returned from taking study breaks.

45 6.2.
45 6.2.

Recruitment Intensive promotional effort is being made by the Department of Design and Architecture, first and foremost carried out by the Project Manager but also the Programme Directors, the Departmental Coordinator and the Director of PR and Communications.
The director of PR and Communications and the Project Manager promote the studies in most gymnasiums, and large groups from both gymnasiums and specialised art and design schools (The Reykjavík School of Visual Arts and the Technical College) are received at the Department.

The Department welcomes those interested in applying and the public during an Open House Day in the fall and the National Open University Day in the spring, engaging in dialogue and exhibiting students work.
Moreover, graduation exhibitions have always attracted much attention, especially the joint BA graduation exhibition, organised in partnership with the Department of Fine Art.

The exhibition, hosted by the Reykjavík Art Museum, has been a fixed point in the Department’s activities since the first students graduated and is a very popular and important event in Reykjavík’s city life.
In relation to the opening of the graduation exhibition in 2019, a website hosting all graduation projects by students of the Department of Design and Architecture was opened, replacing a printed catalogue.

The link for the website is utskrifthonnun.lhi.is.

Apart from that, communicative channels vary greatly.

Student exhibitions (e.g.


at Design March), open lectures, seminars open to the public, active involvement in international networks/exchange and open seminars are an important part of the Department’s outreach policy.

The Department uses the IUA website for sharing information about activities, additionally using social media (Facebook and Instagram accounts) to share information and insights into the studies and Department’s activities.
The Department communicates with alumni via social media and the Alumni association.

The IUA website contains general information about the institution and the individual departments.

It is the main channel for information on the application process, entry requirements, the study structure, and other practical information for prospective students.

In 2017, the complete curriculum became available online, with detailed information on study structure and learning outcomes for each programme.
The international recruitment is challenging especially in terms of PR where the main focus is on online formal and informal strategies.

Promotional videos were produced and 46 channelled via social media and our website.
The MA Design team (students and staff) have created their own web page to promote the studies: http://madesign.lhi.is/ Reflections • Application numbers varies between programmes, the visual communication programme gets some of the highest amount of application each year throughout the IUA.

• There has been an issue getting a holistic feeling for the Master programmes visions in regard of outreach and that there is not a clear vision for the target group.
The IUA receives a diverse group of students from abroad each year to its international MA programmes, the minority of those students are European.

• An outreach project with rural communities outside of Reykjavík is underway, with the main focus on the mutual gain of the areas as well as for the IUA from the collaboration.

• The immigration population in Iceland is growing but that has not yet reflected in numbers of students that have other backgrounds than Icelandic.
This is addressed in IUA Equal Rights Policy and action plan.

(See appendix 11).

• Outreach from a student’s point of view: in preparation for applying, he participated in courses where students were taught some basic foundation and how to prepare for applying at the IUA.

Visiting the IUA on open days and University days and getting presentations from students proved to be very helpful.

6.3.

Admissions Process An admissions committee is set up for each programme.
Two to three specialists in the respective subject area are appointed to the committee and charged with selecting students from a group of applicants.

Applicants submit an online application on the IUA internal website including a portfolio.

Applicants to MA studies may submit a digital portfolio, but applicants applying to BA studies need to submit a physical copy of their portfolio.

1.

When applications have been approved, each admissions committee reviews the submitted portfolios.
This review is based on the professional skill and artistic value 47 attested to in the applicant’s portfolio.

Special emphasis is placed on reviewing projects that applicants have evidently developed on their own terms and attest to independent working methods as well as independent and creative perspectives on topics and challenges.

Applicants, approved by the admissions committee, are shortlisted and offered an interview.

Not all applicants are offered an interview.

2.


The purpose of the interview is to gauge the general interest of applicants in their prospective studies, their opinion of and perspectives on design and architecture, as well as their understanding of the design world and the subject matters and ideas of architecture.

In the interview, applicants may be expected to discuss a project from the submitted portfolio.
Applicants may also expect to be given a specific task before the interview, information about such tasks are provided as soon as the applicant is offered an interview.

The assessment committee is allowed to require applicants to perform an admissions test if considered necessary.

More detailed instructions about the admissions process may be found on the IUA website; lhi.is/en/application-admission-process-ba-programmes-design- architecture and lhi.is/application-admission-process-ma-design.
Applications by Programme 2015 - 2019 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Architecture Fashion Design Product Design Visual Communication MA Design 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 48 Total amount of applications 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Year 2015 Year 2016 Year 2017 Year 2018 Year 2019 Year 2020 Acceptance rate Programme Architecture Year 2019 Year 2020 21,4% (15/70) 21,9 (16/73) Fashion Design 63,2% (12/19) 38,7% (12/31) Product Design 57,1% (12/21) 52,6% (10/19) Visual Communication 21,7% (20/92) 20,4% (20/98) MA Design 85,7 % (12/14) 20, 7% (6/29)* *MA Design offered 17 individuals place, but because of Covid-19 – 11 individuals decided either to cancel their application or postpone for one year.
6.4.

Enrolment and Orientation Students who accept the invitation to study are enrolled in May/June and receive a welcome letter from the Rector.

Early in August, students receive more detailed information with the study programme for their first semester and a login to MySchool, the IUA online learning management system.

The first day of the semester is allocated to orientation of the Department and the IUA infrastructure and support services.
Reflections • One of the focus points is to have a diverse student group, where the interests and skills are on a broad range.

There seems to be a positive growth development in skills from year to year during the studies.

There has been a shift in the provenance of applicants as more upper secondary schools have been implementing courses about design in their studies.

The skillsets currently at a focus when assessing applicants could be taken under a revision.
49 • The IUA is preparing a new framework for applicants that do not fulfil the application criteria of prior education.

This could lead to the IUA receiving a student group that hasn‘t finished upper secondary school but has the experience and skills to do well at IUA.

• The only requirement for applying is to have finished a High School Diploma.

Apart from that applicants are assessed by their work presented in their portfolio.
The quality of applicants is different between years, making it hard to decide on any additional admission qualifications.

6.5.

Annual Dean’s Meetings The Dean meets with students from each study programme every academic year to discuss course content, development of the programme, communication with teachers, facilities and other issues that students want to discuss.
The aim is to ensure that the Dean is informed about subject specific issues that might not come across through the teaching evaluation, and it gives students a possibility to discuss issues related to their studies as a whole.

Minutes from these meetings are shared with all academic staff at each programme.

Until the year 2012, the Dean, accompanied by a Programme Director and Departmental Coordinator, met with each 2nd year student.
Each meeting, of 30 minutes, featured a review of the student’s portfolio and a discussion about the student’s priorities for their studies, study development and their expectations after graduation.

In the winter of 2018-2019, the Dean decided to return to these appointments with students.

Reflection The interviews turned out to be really useful and provided the Dean with valuable insights into the expectations of students and their experience from the studies.
Unfortunately, the interviews turned out to be too time-consuming for them to be repeated in the same way in the year 2019-2020.

Instead, it was resolved that each Programme Director, accompanied by the Departmental Coordinator, would conduct an interview with all 2nd year students in their respective programme.

50 6.6.

Annual Rector‘s Meetings The Rector and the Director of Student Affairs meet with all students in each year group once a year.
At these meetings, educational issues of concern to students are discussed.

These include the organisation and content of study programmes, the teaching and students’ experiences of the studies, facilities and services, social activities and interaction between students, teachers, and administration in general.

Minutes from these meetings are shared with the Dean and the Rector before being sent to all faculty members and students of the departments.
The main purpose of the meetings is to guarantee that the teaching and services comply with students’ needs, in addition to ensuring students’ direct access to the central administrative team.

6.7.

Alumni and Professional prospects The IUA Alumni Association was established as an organisation in 2015.

All graduated students automatically become a member of the Alumni Association.
The Association’s agenda is to enhance the connection between IUA and its alumni, support networking and discourse on education and research in the field of art.

The Department of Design and Architecture invites alumni to various events of the Department, sends them updates about departmental activities and invites eminent alumni to give lectures in the public lecture series, Gestagangur.
Gestagangur is one of two lecture series organised by the Department of Design and Architecture and is ongoing throughout the academic year.

The aim with is to provide insights into the research and practice conducted in the fields of design and architecture, both domestically and internationally, to anyone who might be interested.

The lecturers are either alumni, part-time lecturers or international visiting lecturers at the Department of Design and Architecture.
Furthermore, alumni are often sought out in regard to part-time lecturing and participation in teaching.

Alumni have also been active in various tasks related to the Department’s quality management.

For instance, alumni attended meetings concerning the periodic review of study programmes and participated in focus groups working on the prospective division of the Department.

51 The IUA General Alumni Survey has been conducted among the alumni community graduating between 2003-2015.
In the survey participants are asked about how the studies benefited them in their professional field, about IUA as an educational and cultural institution, and about their salary and employment.

The survey is sent out by email every three years, with the most recent one sent out in 2017 to the graduating classes of 2012 and 2015.

About 50 students from the Department of Design and Architecture responded to the survey in 2017, approximately 45% of all respondents.
A few questions in the survey provide answers respective of programmes but most questions provide answers from everyone, irrespective of the programme they graduated from.

About 85% of alumni, consider studies at the IUA to have been rather useful or very useful in their line of work.
67% of graduated students consider studies at IUA to have been rather useful or very useful as preparation for further studies and about 29% considered the studies neither useful nor not useful as preparation for further studies.

Below, a chart displaying answers to a question about how much respondents earn from doing work in the professional field in which they specialised at the IUA.
Visual Communication 83% 17% Product Design 14% 14% 14% 57% Fashion Design 25% 13% 13% 13% 38% Architecture 50% 6% 6% 13% 25% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 81-100% 61-80% 41-60% 21-40% 1-20% No Earnings 52 The chart shows that those completing a BA degree in Architecture and Visual Communication are most likely to receive earnings from working in their respective professional fields.
About 50% of those graduating from the Programme of Architecture receive 81-100% of their earnings from work conducted within their professional field.

About 83% of those graduating from the Programme of Visual Communication receive 81-100% of their earnings from work conducted within their professional field.
A much lower ratio of those graduating from Fashion Design and Product Design receive the majority of their earnings from work conducted in their respective professional fields, or 25% of respondents from Fashion Design and 14% of respondents from Product Design.

No significant results came from the answers of respondents from MA Design, as only two individuals responded to the survey.

However, it should be kept in mind that the numbers above represent only a small population.
In the survey, alumni of the Department were also asked if they had pursued further studies after graduation and as the chart below shows, more students graduating in 2017 pursued graduate level studies in their subject area, than those graduating in the years before.

There were also more students from this cohort than the years before, who continued studying, but in a different subject area of the arts.

If you continued gratuate studies after IUA, what kind of studies did you undertake?
Continuation in same dicipline as in the BA Other Art or Design programme Arts Education Programme, not related to Art or Design Relations with Businesses and Society Relations with businesses and society are systematically developed within the Department.
A high ratio of teachers, both faculty members and part-time lecturers, are practicing designers and architects and active contributors to both dialogues and developments within their respective professional field.

These teachers implement practical examples from their own work, pertaining to the subject matter of every course.

In feedback sessions, professionals with various specialisations are invited to contribute to the dialogue with students.
All programmes feature courses that address social matters.

For instance: a) The Programme of Fashion Design partners with the Red Cross and the Icelandic Textile Centre in Iceland.

b) The Programme of Product Design partners with the State Prison and Probation Administration (Fangelsismálastofnun), the charity Ás, and the nursing home Droplaugarstaðir.

c) The Programme of Graphic Design partners with Art Without Borders (List án landamæra) and the Iceland Nature Conservation Association.
d) Research activity in the Programme of Architecture, focused on selected urban areas, is presented annually to the mayor of Reykjavík and to the public by way of exhibitions.

In fall 2019, the results from these research workshops were presented in the Reykjavík City Hall.

Further description of these partnership projects is in appendix 20.
3rd year students of all programmes attend the course Design and Society with topics such as the society of professional designers and architects, or the social responsibility of designers and architects.

In this course, students visit the Iceland Design Centre and are e.g.

given presentations on their rights and grant opportunities.
Fall 2019 saw the introduction of the course Discussions (Samræður) where students are either visited by professional designers and architects or undertake visits themselves to studios with the aim of developing relationships to the professional field and providing insights into the professional environment of designers and architects.

54 The Department of Design and Architecture has increasingly been in active partnership with the Iceland Design Centre and the Association of Icelandic Architects.
Both students and faculty members have visited the Design Centre and received presentations from different professional associations in the field of design and architecture.

Faculty members and students have been represented in the committees of these professional associations who have advocated opinions on various matters concerning the respective professional fields.
In the academic year 2019-2020, the Department partnered with the Association of Icelandic Architects in hosting two well attended symposiums.

One was focused on urban spaces, with particular emphasis on the street Hverfisgata, and the other on the design of health institutions, promoting health and wellbeing.

Reflections • From the students’ point of view: The interaction with the professional field should be highlighted as a positive part of the IUA.
A lot of the times students might feel lost after graduation, so having teachers and professors that are currently active in their field really gives students extra support when they graduate in regard of network.

• Many teachers are active in their profession, allowing students the opportunity to be in an active dialogue with the field.

• Most collaborative projects between the IUA and the professional field are driven by individuals within the department, mostly Programme Directors.
Currently, the Department is working on including project managers further in these projects as an administrative support.

55 7.

Facilities, Resources and Support 7.1.

Architecture Facilities and Resources in the Department of Design and The IUA is located in four buildings in different parts of Reykjavík Centrum.

The Department of Design and Architecture is located in Þverholt 11, together with the University Office.
Students have spacious studios on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors of the building at their disposal.

Teachers’ common room is located on the 5th floor as well as the offices of Departmental Coordinator and Project Manager.

The office of the Dean of the Department of Design and Architecture is located on the 3rd floor in proximity to students’ studios.

The Programme Director and academic staff of MA Design have their facilities on the 4th floor in proximity to the MA studio.
The studio of students of Fashion Design is located on the 2nd floor together with a sewing workshop.

The workshop has good facilities with large worktables for cut making.

All tailoring courses are conducted in this space and students also make heavy use of the facilities to prepare both large fashion shows.
The facilities are well equipped with four industrial straight stitch sewing machines, one industrial over-lock machine, two ironing boards with suction as well as an industrial iron and three smaller steam irons.

Students of Product Design also have their main facilities on the 2nd floor, but on the 3rd floor there is a large space that is used for students of Product Design in meetings, group sessions and feedback sessions.
Students of Architecture have good facilities on the 3rd floor with a designated space for feedback sessions and group work.

On the 3rd floor there is also a video studio and a group working space that students and teachers from all programmes have access to.

The studios of Visual Communications and MA Design are located on the 4th floor.

Also located there, are a group working room, a bookbinding workshop and a specified printing facility, integrated in the studio of students of Visual Communication.
The fall 2019 saw an attempt made at accommodating 1st year students of all programmes in one studio on the 3rd floor.

This arrangement seemed successful at first, while students were attending a joint course at the beginning of the school year.

As the semester wore on, students seemed less satisfied and conflicts of interests between programmes seemed to arise.
These conflicts of interest are possibly rooted in the different study cultures 56 of the programmes and perhaps aggravated by disagreements over more space-consuming projects.

It was therefore decided that the space would be reorganised, and 1st year students would be accommodated together with 2nd and 3rd year students of their respective programmes.

In the Dean’s meetings with students of all programmes in January 2020, it transpired that students were generally very satisfied with these changes.
As a consequence, it is most likely that the setup of studios for the next academic year will stay the same as it is in spring term 2020.

On the 1st floor of the facilities in Þverholt there is a textile print workshop (specified for students of the department), a digital fabrication and model making, wood workshop as well as a hacking lab, but the latter two workshops are shared by all students of the Departments of Design and Architecture and Fine Art.
Reflections • There has been an aspiration to move the University under one roof for 20 years.

At the moment the IUA operates in three main buildings and several smaller facilities around the city.

There are negotiations with several stakeholders on how to build a new IUA for all departments.

The goal is to have a new building up and running in 3- 5-year time.

This project is being discussed and developed with the government.
• There are two challenges because of this; in some cases, there are multiple employees in the same position because of those three different locations.

In an academic sense, it is difficult to work on an interdisciplinary level between departments because of geographical issues.

However, the Department of Design and Architecture t is located in the same building, making it easier to collaborate between programmes.

7.2.
7.2.

Workshops The IUA runs different workshop facilities which are available to specific departments in all three buildings.

The following workshop facilities for the Departments of Fine Arts and Design 57 and Architecture are available to all students in both departments.

Teaching takes place in the workshops and supervisors provide both students and instructors with technical assistance in the execution of their projects.
Teachers are encouraged to use the workshop facilities and seek advice from the supervisor or service assistant regarding equipment use and needs.

Students must complete courses on how to operate equipment in the workshops and sign a user agreement.

Photo Workshop – Laugarnesvegur 91 The photo workshop is equipped with computers for digital image processing, scanners for both film and other media and a large format printer.

There are cameras and other photographic equipment that can be loaned.
Additionally, there is a b/w darkroom for film development and enlargement.

Wood Workshop – Laugarnesvegur 91 The Wood Workshops facilities is for most kind of woodwork.

Tools and machinery suitable for performing most operations from rough to more detailed work.

Metal Workshop – Laugarnesvegur 91 The metal workshop provides facilities for general metal work, such as forming and jointing, metal cutting, welding and soldering.
Mould Making and Casting Workshop – Laugarnesvegur 91 Facilities for moulding and casting.

The workshop is also equipped with pottery kiln.

Printmaking Workshop – Laugarnesvegur 91 Students have access to the workshop for developing their ideas in the printmaking medium.

The workshop is well equipped for most printmaking techniques.

Framing Workshop– Laugarnesvegur 91 Shared facilities by the Printmaking Workshop and the Carpentry Workshop for framing.
58 Digital Fabrication and Model Making – Þverholt 11 The workshops main focus is on digital fabrication and it is equipped with 3D printers, laser cutter and cnc-router.

The workshop is also equipped with various types of tools and equipment, which, in combination with digital fabrication, creates an environment for prototyping, model making and other experiments, such as material experiments.
Interactivity Media Lab – Þverholt 11 The interactive media lab offers support for electronics, coding and new technologies.

We have the standard connected toolkit found in most maker-spaces: soldering equipment, rental for various microcontrollers (Arduino, etc), connected sensors + actuators, as well as hardware such as 360 cameras, VR headsets, LEAP motion gesture controllers and more.
Reflections • Part of the workshops are located in a different building resulting in students often hesitant to use those workshops.

During the first Covid wave it became even more clear how heavily students rely on the workshops and books and other actual material from the library rather than e-books.

7.3.
7.3.

Library and Information Services The IUA Library and Information Services is a specialised library in the subject areas of those art forms taught at the University and it is the largest art library in Iceland.

The IUA library operates in two locations: Þverholt and Laugarnes,serving the entire academic community as well as the public.

The library in Þverholt holds a good selection of books related to the fields of design and architecture, but library stock is renewed by Programme Directors.
They may request purchases of new books that are concerned with the development in their respective fields and contribute to research priorities within the Department.

Specified course collections are established for each course where students find of a selection of primary or secondary readings, intended to qualify the approach of students.

Teachers select titles for the collection and submit a list to the library staff.
59 In addition to the physical library, teachers and students have access to a selection of electronic databases and e-journals through the Iceland Consortium (IC) made available online atwww.leitir.is.

The IC is a service agreement between the National and University Library of Iceland and the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture that provides academic and scholarly content to anyone online with an Icelandic Service Provider and an Icelandic IP number.
The IUA is a participating institution in this service, and also caters to students and faculty of all departments by providing access to expert databases and e-journals within each discipline.

The library offers a range of services to both students on the BA and MA level, faculty and part-time lecturers.

In addition to general library services, the library offers course input by teaching information literacy at both degree levels.
The Department of Design and Architecture conducts a writing workshop each fall in the library in Þverholt, intended to support any kind of student writing.

The workshop is offered one morning every week and is first and foremost attended by 3rd year students, preparing their BA Thesis.

The writing workshop is also attended by students in other years of study, seeking counsel regarding the structure of smaller papers, literature search, academic practice, grant applications and more.
Reflections • Due to Covid-19 the Library is currently taking all their services to the digital and online platform.

• From fall 2020 the library operates a Writing Centre at campus but electronically during Covid.

This is new and is currently being promoted for students.
• From the students’ point of view: the Writing Centre used to be very well advertised – what was also useful was that the theory teacher that oversaw it, was the students teacher in the beginning – so they knew her, and knew that she knew what standards they were supposed to work with.

60 7.4.
60 7.4.

Learning Management System and Communication Learning management system MySchool, the IUA online learning management system, is an important source for input and output about the courses and each individual’s progress.

The system is under constant development and construction.

Internal Communication and Filing Systems Currently the University uses mainly email for internal communication.
Students and staff receive all information that does not fall under the learning management system through email.

Official documents such as curriculum, University rules and protocols are stored on outlook One Drive system, which does not offer permanent archiving and does come with limitations.

Recently, the IUA bought access to a filing system, Core Data, which is currently being implemented by the newly appointed Records Manager.

Reflections • IT has been essential in facing the challenges of Covid.
One of the main challenges has been to train employees to use the correct software in the correct way.

That process is going well.

7.5.

Professional student counselling service The goal of student counselling services is to enhance the students’ awareness of their position, interests, and talents for optimal results in their studies.

The main tasks of the services are to offer interview sessions, as well as answering daily emails and telephone calls from students.
Furthermore, it is a venue for students to address educational and personal matters with the support of a student counsellor who acts as their confidant.

The student counselling services also provide support for students with special needs such as dyslexia or other learning disabilities.

It is the student’s responsibility to inform the student counsellor of his/her disability when commencing studies at the IUA.
When students are faced with a challenge regarding their studies, they turn to their teachers or Programme Director who act 61 as the students’ tutor, or to the Departmental Coordinator.

They provide assistance and information regarding the curriculum and the progression of studies.

Reflections • The need for psychological support has increased so discussion on a wide institutional level to improve services was instigated.
The student counsellor has in some cases offered sessions with a psychologist to students in need at cost of the institution.

• The student counsellor is located in Þverholt so there is easy access for students from the department.

During Covid the student counsellor has only had meetings with students on Teams, which has worked surprisingly well.

This practice will continue into the future for the students to have the option to meet student counsellor on Teams or in person.
Covid and Mental Health • It has been the outcome of surveys that many students don’t know what is available in regard to student counselling and seem to think that the service is more restricted than it is during Covid.

Emails are sent to students and posts on Facebook in an attempt to advertise the support.

• The Covid crisis has brought about a lot of problem solving, but also it highlights processes and shows what works and what doesn‘t work in regards of methods connecting with students.
• The teachers are an important link to students when it comes to their mental health and point out students at risk to the school counsellor, who follows up on those students by contacting them.

• From the students’ point of view: the teachers do give themselves time to get to know the students.

In this regard the students feel lucky for how few they are.
• Programme Directors have frequent conversations with part-time lecturers giving an overall sense of the state of the student body, signalling if there is need for extra support.

• Covid has brought out advantages in the digital sense.

Meetings have become shorter, more focused and mostly online, which really reduces waste of time.

62 • The University does not offer psychological service, however it pays two sessions with a psychologist if needed after an interview with the student counsellor.
There is work underway in making this service more accessible.

7.6.

Processes for Student Claims and Ethical Issues Students have a seat on all major institutional and Departmental councils and committees.

Students have regular meetings with their supervisors and the programme directors, they serve as channels for student claims.

The formal channel for complaints is the Grievance Committee on Student Rights.

Student complaints are also reflected in the teaching evaluation.
In addition, the IUA has published an ethical code, intended for students and staff as a reference guide in all its activities.

It engages with three main issues: general communication within the University, with the society and the environment and in regard to art practice, teaching and research.

This code was reviewed and republished in January 2019.

The University wants to ensure that its human resources, the talents of its employees and its students, thrive as well as possible.
Guidelines for procedures in matters of sexual assault, harassment and bullying have been reviewed across the institution as a whole in reaction to #MeToo, autumn 2017.

7.1.

Student Equality The IUA has an Equal Rights Policy that aims to ensure the equal rights of students (and staff) within the academic community through specific actions and by encouraging active debate about equal rights in all areas of the University operations.

(See Appendix 11: Equal Rights Policy).


An Equal Rights Council follows up on the policy and addresses, and processes matters that come up.

In 2017 a change in the definition of gender was made giving prospective students the choose the gender they identify with as when applying for studies while prior to 2017 the only choice was between male and female.

The IUA is the first University in Iceland to take this step.

63 8.

Academic Faculty 8.1.


Academic Appointments Institutional procedure for academic appointment and progression underwent significant changes in 2014-15, together with the revision of core documents describing division of responsibilities and working procedures among academic staff.
Distinct qualification criteria were defined for each academic position (assistant professor, associate professor, professor), sabbaticals were introduced (on a competitive basis), and appointment periods were extended to 4+4+2 years, or a total of 10 years (from 8 years).

Between the periods, academic staff can apply for progression, based on their teaching, research and artistic output.
Total appointment period for Deans is 5+5 years, accommodating one sabbatical within each of the five-year periods (non-competitive).

One of the main purposes of this framework is to increase equality and transparency throughout the institution.

Rules on appointments at the IUA specify the advertisements, application process, committee evaluation procedures, and final decision protocols for all academic staff.
(See Appendix 12 Rules on Academic Appointments and Appendix 13, Academic Positions and Working Procedures.)

Reflections • The rules on Academic Positions and Working Procedures and Rules on Academic Appointments are under regular revision.

Most recently in regard to the changes in structure with the new position of Dean of School.

• There have been many temporary replacements in the Department in the last six years.
From the year 2013, seven faculty members have gone on parental leave and two on research leave, in addition to two faculty members who have gone on temporary unpaid leave in order to conduct research-based projects.

Furthermore, the Dean of the Department has twice gone on parental leave, twice on research leave and once on unpaid leave.
As a consequence, an acting Dean has been temporarily hired for longer or shorter periods of replacement and three faculty members have temporarily served as acting Dean.

This has produced chain reactions, leading to the temporary hiring of staff or increased use of part-time lecturers.
Former Programme Director for 64 Theory has been temporarily hired as acting Dean for the longest period, and after having served as acting Dean for a total of 33 months from the year 2013, thereof 12 consecutive months from the year 2018, that faculty member was formally appointed Dean in the year 2019 and charged with carrying out the role until the future organisation of the Department would be resolved.
• These frequent staff changes, and the fact that acting Deans have not been given full mandate to make strategic decisions, have caused considerable instability and made the development of departmental policy difficult.

For instance, these circumstances have delayed the complete implementation of the action plan from the last self- evaluation, including plans for the establishment of an MA Programme in Architecture.

• From the year 2018, attempts have been made to resolve such tasks more effectively.
This is attested to by the completion of tasks such as the periodic review of particular programmes and the development of a new assessment system, a new research strategy and a new international strategy.

Furthermore, reviews related to the prospective separation of the Department and this self-evaluation process, have reinforced the identity, focus and policy of the Department in the past two years.

8.2.
8.2.

Size and Composition of Academic Faculty In the academic year 2018-2019, the full-time equivalent units (FTEU) at the Department were 13,6 occupied by 21 members of faculty.

Furthermore, two Project Managers worked at the Department, occupying one FTEU in addition to one Departmental Coordinator and the Dean.

Employees of the Department were therefore 25 in total in the winter of 2018-2019.

The FTEU of faculty members of the Department were divided as follows in winter 2018-2019.
• Architecture: 2,4 FTEU • Theory: 2,25 FTEU • Visual Communication: 2,5 FTEU • Product Design: 2,2 FTEU • Fashion Design: 2,25 FTEU 65 • MA Design: 2,0 FTEU Considerable staff changes have taken place in the winter of 2019-2020, both because faculty members have asked for unpaid research leaves as well as parental leaves.

The positions of those who have taken parental leave or unpaid leave have not been filled, bar one exception.
In May 2020, the FTEU at the Department are 12,45 in total, occupied by 18 faculty members in the following way: Professors occupied 1,4 FTEU, all within the Programme of Architecture, Associate Professors occupied 2,7 FTEU divided between the programmes of MA Design, Architecture and Visual Communication, Assistant Professors occupied 4,15 FTEU divided between Theory, Fashion Design, Visual Communication, Product Design and Architecture.
Adjunct Lecturers occupied 4,2 FTEU divided between Theory, Fashion Design and Product Design.

Faculty members, away on leave in May 2020 are one Professor of Product Design, one Associate Professor of Fashion Design, one Assistant Professor of Visual Communication and one Assistant Professor in MA Design.

These employees usually hold full- time positions.


In March 2020, two Associate Professors (Architecture and MA Design) and two Assistant Professors (Visual Communication and Fashion Design) at the Department sought academic promotions.

The FTEU of faculty members of the Department were divided between programmes as follows in August 2020.
Architecture: 2,4 FTEU (+ 0,5 on leave) Theory: 2,8 FTEU Visual Communication: 2,0 FTEU (+ 0,5 on leave) Product and MA Design: 3 FTEU (+ 1,0 on leave) Fashion Design: 2,4 FTEU Part-Time Lecturers Faculty members conduct slightly less than 50% of all teaching in the Department but part- time lecturers and international visiting lecturers slightly more than 50%.

In recent years, we have seen the ratio of part-time lecturers and visiting lecturers increase slightly against the ratio of faculty members.
66 2014-2015 2015 - 2016 Part-time Lecturers 40% Academic Faculty 52% Part-time Lecturers 48% Academic Faculty 60% Part-time Lecturers Academic Faculty Part-time Lecturers Academic Faculty 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 Academic Faculty 50% Part-time Lecturers 50% Academic Faculty 47% Part-time Lecturers 53% Part-time Lecturers Academic Faculty Part-time Lecturers Academic Faculty 2018 - 2019 Academic Faculty 48% Part-time Lecturers 52% Part-time Lecturers Academic Faculty Total figures for the academic year 2019-2020 are not yet determined.
The high ratio of part-time lecturers supports the emphasis, placed by the Department, on ensuring a diverse study environment where different voices are heard.

A number of part- time lecturers, working on other projects besides teaching, bring new and fresh perspectives and ensure that teaching and research is up to date and that students are exposed to various points of view in relation to their projects.

67 8.3.
67 8.3.

Faculty Support Introduction and Orientation for New Faculty Members There is a formal procedure that Deans follow when welcoming a new faculty member.

In the Department, the induction and orientation for new faculty members also happens in conversation with the Dean, the relevant Programme Director and other members of staff.

Staff members learn as they go about departmental work methods and procedures.
Annual Staff Interviews The Dean offers all permanent members of staff annual formal staff interviews once a year.

The main focus of the formal staff interviews is to discuss individual performance in a formal way.

Part of the conversation focuses on the teaching, research and administrational projects and responsibilities that the staff member has.

Wellbeing, job satisfaction, communication and goals are discussed.

Staff development and wishes in that regard are also discussed.
The aim of the conversation is to find ways to support the staff member and provide positive feedback and encouragement.

When the courses for the next academic year have been finalised, each faculty member goes over the next academic year with the Dean and the hours and timing for teaching and research are discussed.

Apart from that all staff members can ask for interviews with the Dean to discuss and ask for support on special elements regarding teaching and research and administration.
The Dean usually calls 1-2 such meetings with each faculty member per semester.

Moreover, Programme Directors may consult with the Dean regarding various matters of opinion regarding administration, curriculum, assessment, communications within the student group and between students and teachers in their respective programme, and all Programme Directors are in good dialogue with the Dean concerning these issues.

68 8.4.
68 8.4.

Human Resources IUA strategy 2019-2023 With the IUA´s strategy 2019-2023 more emphasis is placed on improving the working environment, with focus on health awareness, increased support, equality and varies ways for staff development.

Action plan is being developed and will be implemented from fall 2020.

The action plan includes e.g.


management training, increased opportunities for staff to meet and communicate, enhanced health and safety measures, guidance for new staff members, guidance for staff dealing with difficult issues and an annual preparatory work day for all staff members with short courses and lectures on teacher’s development, new technology, communication, wellness and various other training.
A new action plan on Equal Rights was approved in October 2019 valid until 2022 and is currently being implemented.

Changes in Definition of Professional Responsibilities for Academic Staff In early 2020 new criteria were formed for academic staff where definition of professional responsibilities was redefined (Feb 24/02/20202).
What formerly was defined as teaching/administration and research/administration is now being defined as teaching, research and administration with fixed percentage for each criteria and restrictions on what tasks can be entrusted in administration.
The role of Programme Directors has also been redefined along with criteria’s being set on increased percentage in management linked with higher numbers of students, ensuring Programme Directors with high numbers of students’ equal time for their students as those with fewer.

(See appendix 13).

Equal Pay Certificate The Equal Pay Standard is currently being implemented as required by law.
The purpose of the obligatory equal pay certification is to enforce the current legislation prohibiting discriminatory practices based on gender.

In accordance with the legislation, certification shall meet the requirements of The Equal Pay Standard.

Equal pay certification under the Standard is designed to confirm that when decisions on wage are taken, they are based only on relevant consideration.
The Standard is a management requirement standard and ensures 69 professional working methods in order to prevent direct or indirect discrimination.

IUA´s goal is to have finished the implementation and to have achieved the Equal Pay Certificate by June 2020.

Annual Survey An annual survey has been conducted among IUA staff since 2013.

The most recent survey shows high satisfaction with management, morale, flexibility and independence in the workplace, flow of information, staff development and equality.
Less so for workload, facilities and salaries.

With changes over the last two years in facilities, satisfaction has increased in that regard and the most recent survey show higher satisfaction with workload though there are still signs of workload being too high, especially among academic staff.

Hopes are that changes made on criteria for academic staff will lead to further reduce in workload.
More detailed information is gathered through the annual staff interviews offered by the Deans, which they use to improve the working environment and form further strategies.

Staff Development Erasmus and Nordplus grants are available as part of staff development, as well as several internal funds, such as the Academic Staff Development Fund, Publication Fund, Research Fund, and the Support Staff Development Fund.
To enhance research activity, academic staff have been offered a course on writing (in exchange for less teaching hours).

Formal procedures for sabbaticals were introduced in 2015 (see chapter 9.1).

Teachers’ Café is an informal platform for teachers to discuss various aspects of the teaching art at the University level, to share experiences and gain support from each other.

It is a part of promoting academic work at the University and is intended as support for teachers’ career development.
Preparatory day for academic staff has been held annually in August where scholars in pedagogy deliver lectures and workshops to support teachers’ work, present a variety of teaching methods and encourage innovative approaches to teaching.

This will be included in the annual preparatory workday for all staff members.

70 Reflections • The shift in ratio between teaching, research and management hasn´t as of yet proven to relieve workload off programme directors.
Although the system is designed to allocate time more fairly based on numbers of students the feeling by Programme Directors is that there has been an overall rise in workload.

This might be a temporary affect due to very recent change in leadership.

When the new structure is fully in place there should be less administrative workload on Programme Directors as the changed roles head of the Department and the new Dean of School should take on some of that workload.
• Due to Covid-19 the annual survey was not conducted, instead a new survey with focus on Covid related matters was submitted in its place.

It gathered information on well-being, facilities and knowledge for remote work, support needed and the quality of dissemination of information.

• The IUA received the Equal Pay Certificate on June 17, 2020.

71 9.

Research 9.1.


Institutional Context The Iceland University of the Arts values research and promotes and supports academic staff as active participants in the international research community of the arts.

We also understand the importance of artistic practice and the variety of forms the exposition can take both within and between diverse specialisations, disciplines, and methods.
Despite its undisputed responsibility in terms of local research in the field of the arts, design and architecture institutional funding for research is extremely limited compared to other HEIs in Iceland.

As a result, the IUA is forced to reallocate part of the Ministry funding for teaching, with limited possibilities of furthering research development without affecting its standard of teaching.
The IUA leadership has made considerable efforts to claim more research funding, especially since research is now an institutional priority.

Some progress has been made regarding acknowledgement of research in the arts by public funding bodies in Iceland in recent years.

The arts have entered the panel of humanities in the Iceland Research Fund (now referred to as The External Panel for Humanities and the Arts), with the first two grants being allocated to an IUA research project in 2018 and in 2019.
In 2019, the IUA Rector became a member of the Icelandic Science and Technology Policy Council, chaired by the Prime Minister of Iceland.

The IUA has defined formal parameters for artistic research and this has had a significant impact on the university research culture and institutional approach, which is now more open and transparent.
Recent developments include: • A new quality framework for a formal internal evaluation of research output built on a scheme developed in 2014 (See Appendix 14) was activated in 2018 after undergoing trial test in 2017 (see Appendix 15).

• Writing workshops and research workshops have been organised where academic staff can discuss, train and exercise their skills on a cross-departmental level.

Other discursive platforms have been organised as part of staff development within each department.
72 • Hugarflug, the IUA annual conference on research in the arts, has proven to be a fruitful ground for an open dialogue that enhances the relationship between teaching, learning and research across the university.

• Rules on sabbatical were implemented in 2015.

Since the academic year of 2016-17, two faculty members (of the total of 45) have on average been granted a sabbatical leave each year.
Two faculty members at the Department of Design and Architecture have been granted sabbaticals in the last three years.
With the revised academic framework in April 2020 and the introduction of two positions of Deans of the School of Design, Architecture and Fine Art and the School of Performative Arts and Music, individual Heads of Department (previously Deans) will join the ranks of other academic faculty with a designated research component and requirements of research output in their employment contract, having to apply for a sabbatical, rather than receive as a contracted leave for each of their five year contract period.
• Research agendas at the departmental level have emerged from within all departments, with action plans and sub-steps.

• A Publication Fund was established in 2015.

Faculty members have received grants thirteen times from the fund to date.

• A Research Fund was launched in 2019.

Three projects of faculty members have received grants from the fund in the first two allotments.
Further enhancement of research in the arts, as stated in the University´s strategy for 2019 – 2024, is to advance relations between teaching and research at the MA level as well as looking towards developing a programme of doctoral studies in the arts, encourage post-doctoral research projects at the University and actively seek external funding of faculty members research projects.
Institutional Management of Research Output All faculty members with a research component in their employment contract account for their artistic and scholarly activities within a defined framework of assessment.

The newly revised assessment criteria present a specific basis of a quality framework for research management and approach to research at the institutional level.
The framework embraces 73 research activity, dissemination, impact and critical reflections by faculty, in accordance to benchmarking with Nordic HEIs in the arts.

The framework is expected to have an impact on academic staff progression, applications for sabbaticals, and applications to the IUA Research Fund.

9.2.

Departmental Research Organisation and Research Culture.
Research of Faculty Members Faculty members of the Department of Design and Architecture have on average a 10-30% research capacity in their contracts.

Three Adjunct Lecturers are without research capacity, but four Adjunct Lecturers have 10% research capacity in the academic year 2019-2020.
Five Assistant Professors have 20% research capacity, three Associate Professors have 25% research capacity, two Professors have 30% research capacity and one Professor in 40% working capacity has 10% research capacity.

Furthermore, one Professor is on unpaid leave for 4 months in order to conduct research in 100% capacity during that time, funded by external grants.

The IUA Academic Framework was revised in spring 2020.
In the new framework a defined research component is bound to the academic positions of professors (max.

30%), associate professors (max 25%) and assistant professors (max.20%).

Changes to the framework have eliminated the research capacity of Adjunct Lecturers.

Three faculty members are pursuing a joint PhD degree at the University of Iceland in partnership with international arts universities.

All three are approximately halfway through their studies.
Faculty members regularly present their research and design projects at international conferences and events, as well as at various platforms in Iceland.

Two faculty members published books in the year 2019, an Associate Professor of Architecture published two articles in international peer reviewed journals and other faculty members wrote articles and chapters featured in international publications and catalogues.
Moreover, the practice of some faculty members was the subject matter of acknowledged international journals and magazines.

74 Faculty members have participated in various respected international exhibitions in the past year (such as the exhibition Now Nordic at the London Design Fair, CHART Design Fair in Copenhagen, an exhibition at the Messejana Ethnographic Museum in Portugal), reflecting the priorities of the Department regarding research and dissemination.
Moreover, an Associate Professor of MA Design participated in the exhibition Species Without Spaces in Studio Pablo Delillo in Spain and in Forum Design in Paris.

The same faculty member also exhibited a project at the exhibition Food: Bigger than the Plate at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.

In the exhibition, there was also a project by two alumni of Product Design at the IUA, works that were partly based on their 2016 graduation project from the IUA.
Faculty members are also highly engaged with the local design scene, participating in various exhibitions in Iceland, in recognized venues in the capital as well as around the country.

Finally, it may be mentioned that the Department of Design and Architecture has for two years hosted large collective exhibitions and an event schedule for Design March in Reykjavík, with an emphasis on research-based projects.

Curators have been appointed from the group of faculty members of the MA Programme.
Participants have been students, teachers, alumni and part-time lecturers at the Department and an emphasis has been placed on exhibiting the output from research-based projects.

Student Research Activity In the Department of Design and Architecture, there is a strong emphasis placed on introducing students to different research methods and students are encouraged to seize every opportunity to conduct research-based projects, both during their study period as well as after graduation.
In this context, the Icelandic Student Innovation Fund (Nýsköpunarsjóður námsmanna) at Rannís, the Icelandic Centre for Research, plays an important role.

The aim of the fund is to afford universities, research institutions and businesses opportunities to offer undergraduate and graduate students summer employment, conducting work on ambitious and challenging research-based projects.
Students at the Department of Design and Architecture have been active in applying to the fund, guided by both faculty members and part-time lecturers and supported by the IUA Research Services, using the grants as an opportunity for further explorations and the development of their own research platforms.
In the summer of 2019, five projects from students of the Department of Design and Architecture were awarded grants from the Icelandic Student Innovation Fund and two of 75 those projects were nominated to the Presidential Innovation Prize.

The nominated projects were Litun sjávarleðurs úr íslenskum plöntum, focusing on tanning sea leather using Icelandic plants and Möguleikar melgresis, exploring the material potential of Lyme grass (Leymus arenarius).
In previous years, students at the Department have been nominated to the prize on several occasions and on two occasions been successful.

9.3.

Departmental Research Policy The departmental Research Policy was written in early spring semester 2020 with participation from faculty members with qualification and 20-30% research capacity.

Research Policy of the Department of Design and Architecture Diverse research is conducted at the Department of Design and Architecture, led by faculty members.
This is the result of a strategic focus during the employment process, on applicants’ research activity, their interest in research activities and their potential ability to conduct innovate research in the arts, design, architecture and related fields.

The prerequisite of research development within the Department, and the effective platform for such developments, is that faculty members get designated space to conduct research on a level respective of their research capacity.
The role of the Dean is to provide this space and promote an encouraging research environment, for instance by establishing a consultation platform and by supporting faculty members in writing grant applications for research projects and dissemination, by reviewing their applications and research articles and provide constructive feedback.

The role of the Dean is also to encourage faculty members that are engaged, proactive and effective in the field of research to apply for research leave.
Currently, three faculty members pursue a PhD degree parallel to their work at the IUA and more faculty members are keen to do the same.

It is the policy of the Department to contribute to intensive research activity across the University and to encourage cooperation and an interdisciplinary discourse about research between faculty members of all departments of the IUA.
To support this aim, it is important to bolster the Research Services of the IUA and increase practical support for the research activity of faculty members.

The Department of Design and Architecture emphasises that 76 faculty members with research capacity be afforded opportunities to participate in the University Writing Workshop, a shared platform across the University for faculty members of all departments to have a dialogue amongst themselves and to receive training in different research methods.
In the Writing Workshop, it is emphasised that participants define and demarcate their own research projects and receive training in analytically discussing the context of these projects.

Moreover, faculty members are encouraged to participate in international collaboration, by participating in conferences, exhibitions and festivals, publishing in international journals and magazines and joining large international research projects.
It is the policy of the Department to join more international research projects in the next years together with international partners through joint grant applications for international research funds.

Furthermore, it is the policy of the Department to promote the active contribution of the IUA in the development of the policy for research and innovation at the Ministry of Industries and Innovation.
Finally, it is the policy of the Department to identify channels and funds to establish research labs within the Department, both in the fields of design and architecture.

The purpose of a research lab would be to contribute to the increased integration of research and teaching, providing space, time and facilities for domestic and international collaboration and research, thus supporting research activity within the Department and the University as a whole.
Departmental Consultation Platform Research is a routine topic on the agenda of Departmental meetings.

Two to three meetings are held each year, focusing solely on the research of individual faculty members.

Faculty members are afforded an opportunity to present their research to a closed group, receiving feedback and discussions about research projects, in development or uncompleted.
These meetings also feature discussions about research methods and serve as an information platform in relation to grant opportunities and channels for publishing research.

The aim is to further facilitate information flow between faculty members and encourage them to increasingly share their views on research methods and research topics.
77 Dissemination An emphasis is placed on developing platforms for the dissemination of research, aimed both at professional designers and architects, and the general public.

Below is a list of a few important dissemination channels.

• Sneiðmynd.

In the lecture series Sneiðmynd, faculty members and part-time lecturers of the Department of Design and Architecture present and discuss their own research and practice as well as relevance to teaching.

Approximately 10 lectures take place each academic year.
• Hugarflug.

Faculty members and part-time lecturers, as well as MA students, are encouraged to participate in Hugarflug, the IUA conference on research in the arts and artistic practice.

• Research-based projects and topics of academic staff and students are disseminated in exhibitions hosted by the University, e.g.

Design March.

• Support for the writing of grant applications where faculty members have an opportunity to disseminate their research.
• Financial support for the dissemination of research findings at international conferences, related to the activities of the Department, for instance within international partnership networks (CUMULUS, EAAE, NBAA, Cirrus, Pharse, SAR).

• Mæna: The Magazine of the Department of Design and Architecture is a channel for both teachers and students to disseminate research findings and present research projects.

In the spring 2020 a decision was made not to continue the publication of Mæna.
Mostly because of educational reasons.

Mæna has been designed and visually edited by 3rd year students in Visual Communication.

The aim is to continue a departmental publication on design, edited by a faculty member, in relation to the BA and MA graduation exhibitions and the activities of the Department through each academic year.
78 Relations to Teaching Intensive research activity of faculty members at the Department of Design and Architecture is the foundation for creating new knowledge, ideological regeneration and advanced artistic approaches that are mediated to students by way of teaching and to society through participation in various projects, both domestic and international.
Faculty members are encouraged to mediate their research to students; both by way of lectures, but also by introducing research methods and research topics in their teaching, on both BA and MA level.

MA Design is a research-based programme, with a strong emphasis on introducing students to, as well as training them in, different research methods.

Students are encouraged to synthesise interdisciplinary knowledge and develop competence in conducting independent research.
MA students are afforded opportunities to discuss and disseminate their research through various channels, for instance by participating in exhibitions hosted by the Department, both domestically and internationally.

Furthermore, they are encouraged to participate in Hugarflug and disseminate their research in Mæna: The Magazine of the Department of Design and Architecture.
Research Focus Diverse research activities take place within the Department, anchored in the academic field of the arts and related fields of the humanities and social sciences.

The research focus of faculty members of the Department of the Design and Architecture is very diverse.

For example: - A phenomenological and cultural approach to the experience in, and of, Icelandic nature, as well as how design may be conducive to such experience or affect the relationship between humans, nature and environment.
- The social responsibility of designers, and how that responsibility may be encouraged or promoted through teaching, or through particular projects in the field of design and architecture, for instance in relation to environmental issues or equality.

- Material research and research into how design can promote environmentally friendly solutions in particular subject areas.

79 - Speculative design, with emphasis on the integration of technology and design.
- Architecture and urban environments in rural areas of the Arctic circle.

- Design history with emphasis on the works of individual designers, social and cultural contexts and progress within particular fields of design and architecture.

The Research Policy of the Department of Design and Architecture is in accordance with the IUA Strategic Plan for Research 2019-2023: lhi.is/stefna-listahaskola-islands and the respective action plan: https://www.lhi.is/adgerdaaaetlun.
Reflections • Although certain priorities may be identified in the research focus of faculty members, it should be mentioned that they enjoy freedom of research and are entrusted with relating their research activities to the activities of the Department and the academic field of the arts in one way or another.

Diversity is celebrated, in research and innovative approaches.
• It will be in the hands of new Heads of Department along with their faculty to write research policy for each of the new departments.

• The connection between research and teaching is loosely coupled on the BA level.

80 10.

Summary This self-evaluation report for the Department of Design and Architecture was written during a period of major institutional transitions.
Parallel to engaging with the challenges of Covid- 19 and its impact on teaching and daily university operations, the IUA was simultaneously preparing for significant organisational changes, both at the institutional as well as the departmental level.

These changes take effect as of August 2020 when a new School of Architecture, Design and Fine Art will be established, and two new departments will come to replace the current Department of Design and Architecture.
These changes have been underway for quite a while, influenced by our analysis of the pros and cons of splitting the department in two, conducted at the departmental level in autumn 2019.

This self-evaluation report accounts in quite detail for the advantages and disadvantages of abolishing the current department and establishing two new ones in its place, one for each subject area.
Furthermore, the work carried out during the periodic review of study programmes in fashion design, graphic design, and product design (autumn 2018) and architecture (winter 2019-2020), has had significant input into the current self-evaluation process, as did the process of strategic planning, the development of the international policy and the research policy.
Together, these developments have made administrators, teachers, and students more aware than before of the unique characteristics of our programmes, their strengths, and weaknesses, as well as future visions for the department.
Learning and teaching in all study programmes is in constant development and interaction with the professional fields of design and architecture, societal challenges in times of technological advances, climate change, human mobility and changes in people’s attitudes to the environment, ways of living and international cooperation.
It is the goal of all staff working within both design and architecture to continue developing the study programmes and ways of learning and teaching in close relationship to the issues mentioned above, and to enhance research at both staff and student levels in order to support and develop a new vision on the status and potentialities of design and architecture in our future society.
It is our vision that by splitting the department in two, under the auspices of the new School of Architecture, Design and Fine Art, a further strengthening of the subject areas will be possible, and that further opportunities will come to enable cross-departmental collaboration.
It is also 81 our vision that collaboration with professional partners, institutions, NGOs, and business, both within and outside the city limits, as well as international collaboration and internationalisation need further enhancement and support.

Lastly, it is of great importance that students and staff receive enough support by creating a good working environment and appropriate conditions for research, teaching and learning.

11.
11.

Action Plan Due to changes in leadership at the departmental level and structural changes in the organisational chart at the institutional level, an action plan for the next 5 years, for both the Department of Design and the Department of Architecture, will be made in autumn 2020 under a new leadership.

The action plan addresses: Vision: Action topic: Define a strong forward vision for each of the departments and how they might contribute to a larger discussion in both the field and in society.
Write a mission statement for the new departments.

Heads of Department.

Heads of Departments.

Write key targets/action plan key performance indicators.

Responsibility: Heads of Department.

Teaching and Learning: Celebrate good teaching and support innovative teaching by encouraging faculty to share ideas within a collaborative platform within IUA.

Promote professional training for faculty members.

Encourage faculty to participate in continuing education and foster career development.
Support interdisciplinary collaboration within the IUA by paving the way within the institution and open up and aligning structures between the departments.

Support interdisciplinary collaboration with the community and with industry by e.g.

expanding already formed relations with stakeholders outside of the IUA.

Heads of Department.

Heads of Department.

Dean of School.

Dean of School.

82 Curriculum: Support continuing development of the programmes and develop new.

Heads of Department.


Establish MA programme in Architecture.

The aim is to start a MA in Architecture in 2021 with support from the board of IUA.

Head of Department of Architecture Research Development: Writing of research strategy for the departments.

Dean of School Heads of Department, and faculty.

Support research activities, e.g.

faculty encouraged to use the school facilities in their research.

Heads of Department.

Provide research methodology workshops for academic staff.

Plan research time.
Plan research time.

Further integration of research and teaching.

IUA, Deans of School.

Dean of School and Heads of Department.

Dean of School Heads of Department, and faculty.

Disseminate research and project activity.

Provide platforms to share findings.

Dean of School and Heads of Department.

Administration and support: Create a more stable employee environment.

Exceptionally for the operations to meet the challenges that follows with employees on leaves.

IUA, Dean of School.


Improve introduction and support to part-time lectures.

Heads of Department.

Create framework agreement for part-time lecturers where roles and responsibilities are well defined.

IUA, Dean of School.

Establish an archive of work accessible to public.

IUA, Dean of School and Heads of Department.

Define the process of collaborative work and define thoroughly what type of collaborative projects the IUA is participating in, how it benefits the IUA and its students.
Focus on building teams around the projects instead of them depending on individual drive and networking.

Dean of School 83 12.

Supporting Documents A list of appendices and other evidence-based material.

Appendix 1: ESG 1.2.

Design and Approval of New Study Programmes Appendix 2: ESG 1.9.
Monitoring and Review of Study Programmes Appendix 3: Teaching Evaluation 2019 Appendix 4: Learning Outcomes Appendix 5: Study Structure Appendix 6: Credit Point Structure Appendix 7: Grading Rubric for Workshop Courses and Theory Courses Appendix 8: New Assessment System Appendix 9: List of Key Partners and Partnership Projects Appendix 10: International Strategy of the Department of Design Appendix 11: Equal Rights Policy Appendix 12: Rules on Academic Appointments Appendix 13: Academic Positions and Working Procedures Appendix 14: Quality Framework for Research and Innovation in the Arts Appendix 15: Annual Registration of Research Output, Academic Year 2018 – 2019 Appendix 16: IUA Rules 2020 – 2021 Appendix 17: Code of Conduct Appendix 18: Grievance Committee on Students’ Rights - Code of Operations Appendix 19: IUA Strategy 2019 – 2023 Appendix 20: Collaborative Projects Appendix 21: External Expert Meeting Agenda 84