University of Velkania

The **University of Velkania** (Velkanian: *Úniversísköli á Vælkjára*, abbreviated **ÚV**) is a public university located in Narísandur, Velkanian Isles. It is the country's oldest and largest institute of higher education. Founded as a medieval higher education institute in 1397, the school has grown into a modern comprehensive university that provides instruction for more than 34,000 students across twelve faculties and institutes. Its main campus is located in the Lónsfoss neighborhood of Narísandur, while other university buildings are located in the Blönlíð and Álfhöfn neighborhoods.

Since the beginning of university rankings, the University of Velkania has been ranked as the best and most prestigious university in the Velkanian Isles. In 2019, it was ranked as the fourth-best university in Laposcandia, and the thirty-seventh best university in Eurea. Its alumni includes politicians, scientists, businesspeople, entertainers, and royalty.

## Academics

### Education

The University of Velkania is home to more than 150 undergraduate programs of study across 64 departments. All faculties and institutes also offer graduate studies, with some departments being solely devoted to graduate education.

The majority of courses are taught in the Velkanian language, although courses taught in Framish or Ditrovian are also offered. In 2004, reforms were made that allowed for students to study an entire program of study in either Framish or Ditrovian, thus making the university much more accessible for international students.

### Rankings

Since the beginning of university rankings, the University of Velkania has been ranked as the best and most prestigious university in the Velkanian Isles. A center for international research, particularly research on geology, geosciences, marine biology, and Laposcandian literature, the university also fares favorably in international rankings of universities. In 2019, it was ranked as the fourth-best university in Laposcandia, and the thirty-seventh best university in Eurea. The university is a member of the Network of Eurean Universities (NEU), the Laposcandian University League (LUL), and the Union of Elite Eurean Universities (UEEU).

## Campus

The university's main campus is located in the Lónsfoss neighborhood of Narísandur. On the Lónsfoss campus, eight of the ten faculties and three of the four institutes are housed in separate buildings throughout the campus. The campus also includes two canteens for students and faculty, two workout gyms for students and faculty, and a football field.

The Brandr Kolbjörnsson Medical Institute is housed across several buildings in the Álfhöfn neighborhood, including the Velkania University Hospital and Medical Center.

### Library

The university's library was constructed in 1940, and later combined with the national library of the Velkanian Isles in 1986. Since 1986, the National and University Library of the Velkanian Isles has been located in the Lónsfoss neighborhood of Narísandur; while not located on the university's campus, it is located within walking distance. Being a national library, the library is open to the public and not just reserved for university students. A specific wing of the library for university students was constructed in 1992, with a university identification card being required for entrance.

### Hospital

The Velkania University Hospital and Medical Center is the only teaching hospital of the Velkanian Isles, in addition to being the country's largest and most prestigious hospital. Located in the Álfhöfn neighborhood of Narísandur, the hospital educates medical students of both the Brandr Kolbjörnsson Medical Institute of the University of Velkania, and the Jósef Sólfússon Institute of Medicine of the University of Narísandur.

## Organization

### Administration

The University of Velkania Senate (Velkanian: *Öldungadeild Úniversísköli á Vælkjára*) is the highest administrative authority within the university; its membership consists of two faculty members and two students, elected by their peers, from each of the twelve faculties and institutes that make up the university. Its members are elected to one-year terms, resulting in senatorial elections at the end of every spring term. With this, there are always 48 members of the senate: 24 faculty members and 24 students. If a student or faculty member resigns in the midst of their term, they can be replaced by the dean of the faculty or institute that they represented until a new election is held at the end of the spring term.

The senate is tasked with hiring the university president, who oversees all aspects of the university. The current president is Hergerður Freydís Samúelsdattir, a former professor of psychology and faculty dean at the University of Narísandur, who was hired in 2015. In the case of a tied vote in the senate, the president may break the tie, and additionally is always present at senate meetings, which are held weekly.

In addition to the senate and president, each faculty or institute has a dean. The dean acts similarly to the president, except only overseeing the faculty or institute that they belong to. Deans are full-time positions, so while many deans are former professors, they do not teach courses while also serving as dean. Each department is then headed by a department head, who serves underneath the dean. Department heads are also professors within their department, and simultaneously teach courses while serving as department head; they are tasked with overseeing their department, and also may arrange programs of study.

### Faculties, institutes, and departments

The university is divided into eight faculties and four institutes, totaling 64 departments throughout the university. Each department has at least one program of study offered, with many offering more than that. Each of the faculties offer bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and doctoral degrees, while the professional institutes offer career-specific bachelor-level, master-level, and doctoral degrees.

	+ Department of Art Education
	+ Department of Early Childhood Education
	+ Department of Education Administration
	+ Department of Music Education
	+ Department of Physical Education
	+ Department of Secondary Education
	+ Department of Special Education
* Faculty of Engineering
	+ Department of Agricultural Engineering
	+ Department of Biomedical Engineering
	+ Department of Chemical Engineering
	+ Department of Civil Engineering
	+ Department of Electrical Engineering
	+ Department of Mechanical Engineering
* Faculty of Eurean Studies
	+ Department of Ditrovic Studies
	+ Department of Laposcandian Studies
	+ Department of Limian Studies
	+ Department of Lungaric Studies
	+ Department of Mundaric Studies
	+ Department of Proto-Regian Studies
	+ Department of Slavoric Studies
	+ Department of Tagik Studies
	+ Department of Taltic Studies
	+ Department of Velkanian Studies
* Faculty of Health and Professional Studies
	+ Department of Dietetics and Nutrition
	+ Department of Occupational Therapy
	+ Department of Physical Therapy
	+ Department of Public Health
	+ Department of Social Work
	+ Department of Speech Therapy
* Faculty of Humanities
	+ Department of Anthropology
	+ Department of Art History
	+ Department of Helonesian and Tarfican Languages
	+ Department of Journalism and Communications
	+ Department of Musicology
	+ Department of Philosophy
	+ Department of World History and Geography
	+ Department of World Literature
	+ Department of World Religions

	+ Department of Biology and Life Sciences
	+ Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences
	+ Department of Geosciences, Botany, and Geology
* Faculty of Physics and Mathematics
	+ Department of Computer Science
	+ Department of Mathematics
	+ Department of Physics
	+ Department of Statistics
* Faculty of Social Sciences
	+ Department of Cultural Analysis and Urban Studies
	+ Department of Economics
	+ Department of Linguistics
	+ Department of Political Science and Government
	+ Department of Psychology
	+ Department of Sociology
* Brandr Kolbjörnsson Medical Institute
	+ Department of Dentistry
	+ Department of Medicine
	+ Department of Nursing
	+ Department of Pharmacy
	+ Department of Psychiatry
	+ Department of Veterinary Medicine
* Friðrik Margeirsson Institute of Law
	+ Department of Jurisprudence
	+ Department of Law
* Koggi Guðbjarnason Business Institute
	+ Department of Accounting
	+ Department of Finance
	+ Department of Management
	+ Department of Marketing
* Ólafína Bjartardattir Architectural Institute
	+ Department of Architecture
	+ Department of Urban Design

## Student life

### Student finance and housing

As the University of Velkania is a government-funded public educational institution, tuition fees are not charged for tax-paying residents of the Velkanian Isles. Apart from a small enrollment fee of $100, tax-paying Velkanian residents do not pay any other fees for attendance. International students, however, must pay tuition to attend the university, typically around $2,000 each term. The Ministry of Education and Culture offers scholarships to some international students each year for their studies at the university, awarding 50 full scholarships each year. Most scholarship recipients come from impoverished countries in Tarfica and Helonesia, who would not be able to afford the tuition fee otherwise.

Like other universities in the Velkanian Isles, there is no university housing or university dormitories for students. Most students reside within Greater Narísandur and commute to the school from their homes everyday. For students who do not reside within commuting distance to the school, the Office of Student Affairs or the Office of International Studies and Foreign Exchange will assist in finding affordable housing.

### Student government

Student government is very prevalent within the university, with students being able to serve in a variety of positions of leadership.

While 24 students are elected to the university senate each year, the University of Velkania Student Council (Velkanian: *Nemendaráð Úniversísköli á Vælkjára*, abbreviated NÚV) is another body that students may stand for election to. Consisting of both undergraduate and graduate students, the student council advocates for the wills of the student population at the university. Elections to the student council occur every year at the end of the spring term, with all 45 seats being up for election. Lýsa and Unglinga are the two student unions that have fielded candidates in student council elections since 1976; the student council unions at the University of Velkania are intentionally different from organized political parties in the federal Velkanian government, as they instead differentiate themselves through issues specifically affecting the youth and the university, rather than the highly-politicized issues impacting the nation as a whole. Many Velkanian politicians began their political careers as members of the student council.

In addition to the student council, students may also seek executive positions. The student body presidium consists of a president, vice president, treasurer, secretary (all undergraduate students), and two graduate student representatives, who are all elected for one-year terms at the end of the spring term. The student body presidium works with the university president, university senate, student council, deans, and the presidiums of the faculties and institutes in order to encourage student involvement in the university community. In addition to the student body presidium, there is additionally a student presidium at each faculty and institute; these positions serve similar purposes to the student body presidium, but preside over and are elected by solely their faculty or institute. These executive positions are seen as much more ceremonial than being elected to the student council or university senate, where responsibilities and elections are taken much more seriously.

### Extracurricular activities

In addition to student government, there are more than 70 registered clubs and activities within the university that students may take part in. The university also has men's and women's football teams, who practice on the football field located on the Lónsfoss campus. The teams are mostly intramural, apart from two organized matches against the football teams of the University of Narísandur at the end of each term, which are televised sporting events. The men's and women's teams of the university also frequently play against each other throughout the academic term, with these match-ups being highly-watched events amongst university students.