University of Narísandur

The **University of Narísandur** (Velkanian: *Úniversísköli á Narísandur*, abbreviated **ÚN**) is a private university located in Narísandur, Velkanian Isles. Founded in 1970, it has grown into the country's second largest institute of higher education and the largest private university in the nation. The university educates more than 19,000 students across nine schools and institutes. Its main campus is located across a collection of buildings in the Fjallafirði neighborhood of Narísandur, while other university buildings are located in the nearby city of Húsavík.

By the 1980s, the university had begun to gain prestige and has since been ranked as the second most prestigious university in the country, behind the University of Velkania. In 2019, it was ranked as the eighth-best university in Laposcandia. Its alumni includes politicians, scientists, businesspeople, and entertainers.

## Academics

### Education

The university is home to more than 95 undergraduate programs of study across 41 faculties. All schools and institutes also offer graduate studies, with some faculties being solely devoted to graduate education.

All courses are taught in both Velkanian and Ditrovian, in addition to some courses additionally being taught in Framish. International students are also eligible to request their exams be taken in Ditrovian or Framish with no penalties, in any course of their choosing.

### Rankings

Since the 1980s, the University of Narísandur has been ranked as the second most prestigious university in the Velkanian Isles, behind only the University of Velkania. The university also fares favorably in international rankings of universities, being ranked as the eighth-best university in Laposcandia, and the fifty-sixth best university in Eurea in 2019. The university is a member of the Network of Eurean Universities (NEU), the Laposcandian University League (LUL), and the Eurean Network of Private Universities (ENPU).

It has been particularly well-known for the Rafnar Vígþórsson School of Business, which is considered to be the best business school in the country, and has been ranked as the second-best business school in Laposcandia. The business school attracts numerous international students to the university and accounts for 45% of the university's international student population.

## Campus

The university's main campus is located across several buildings in the Fjallafirði neighborhood of Narísandur. An urban campus, most of the buildings are unconnected and exist adjacent to non-university affiliated buildings. All schools and institutes have at least one building devoted to them, with the several faculties located on different floors inside.

The Þórlákur Lókason Institute of Engineering, which was constructed in 1998, is located on a suburban campus in the nearby city of Húsavík. The campus includes three main buildings and a canteen. There are shuttle buses that transport students between the main Fjallafirði campus and the Húsavík campus. Most buildings of the Jósef Sólfússon Institute of Medicine are located on the main campus, but students also study at the Velkania University Hospital and Medical Center in the Álfhöfn neighborhood.

### Library

The Narísandur University Library is the university's library, located across eight-floors of a high-rise building in the Fjallafirði neighborhood. The building was constructed by the university in 1970, in order to serve as the university library. The library contains several study rooms, a canteen, and several rooms for classes. Entrance is restricted for the public, with only students and faculty members of the University of Narísandur, Narísandur Arts University, University of Southern Velkania, and University of Greater Narísandur being allowed 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 the Jósef Sólfússon Institute of Medicine of the University of Narísandur, and the Brandr Kolbjörnsson Medical Institute of the University of Velkania.

## Organization

### Administration

The University of Narísandur Senate (Velkanian: *Öldungadeild Úniversísköli á Narísandur*) 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 nine schools 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 36 members of the senate: 18 faculty members and 18 students. If a student or faculty member resigns in the midst of their term, they can be replaced by the dean of the school 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 Jón Eirík Kristjánsson, a former upper secondary school lecturer, professor of education, and dean at Hersingborg University, who was hired in 2009. 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 school or institute has a dean. The dean acts similarly to the president, except only overseeing the school 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 faculty is then headed by a faculty head, who serves underneath the dean. Faculty heads are also professors within their department, and simultaneously teach courses while serving as faculty head; they are tasked with overseeing their faculty, and also may arrange programs of study.

#### Presidents

* Snæbjörn Kristjánsson (1970–1979)
* Jökull Arngeirsson (1979–1984)
* Fjalldís Hrafnbergardattir (1984–1998)
* Margrét Ír Rögnvaldsdattir (1998–2009)
* Jón Eirík Kristjánsson (2009–present)

### Schools, institutes, and faculties

The university is divided into seven schools and two institutes, totaling 41 faculties throughout the university. Each faculty 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.

	+ Faculty of Computer Science
	+ Faculty of Life Sciences
	+ Faculty of Mathematics
	+ Faculty of Physical Sciences
	+ Faculty of Physics
* Helga María Óskarsdattir School of Social Sciences
	+ Faculty of Gender and Sexuality Studies
	+ Faculty of Linguistics
	+ Faculty of Political Science and Economics
	+ Faculty of Psychology
	+ Faculty of Sociology
	+ Faculty of Urban Studies
* Hildur Einhildur Hróbjartardattir School of Health Sciences
	+ Faculty of Food Science
	+ Faculty of Health Professions
	+ Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmacology
* Jóhanna Ísgeirsdattir School of Social Work
	+ Faculty of Social Work
* Jósef Sólfússon Institute of Medicine
	+ Faculty of Dentistry
	+ Faculty of Medicine
	+ Faculty of Nursing
	+ Faculty of Veterinary Medicine

	+ Faculty of Anthropology
	+ Faculty of Education and Pedagogy
	+ Faculty of History and Literature
	+ Faculty of Languages and International Studies
	+ Faculty of Law
	+ Faculty of Philosophy and Religion
	+ Faculty of Velkanian History, Language, and Literature
* Rafnar Vígþórsson School of Business
	+ Faculty of Accounting and Finance
	+ Faculty of Management
	+ Faculty of Marketing
* Sigbjörn Karlsson School of the Arts
	+ Faculty of Creative Writing and Filmmaking
	+ Faculty of Dance Performance
	+ Faculty of Drama
	+ Faculty of Instrumental Performance
	+ Faculty of Visual Arts
	+ Faculty of Vocal Performance
* Þórlákur Lókason Institute of Engineering
	+ Faculty of Biomedical Engineering
	+ Faculty of Chemical Engineering
	+ Faculty of Civil Engineering
	+ Faculty of Electrical Engineering
	+ Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
	+ Faculty of Specialized Engineering

## Student life

### Student finance and housing

As the University of Narísandur is a private university, tuition rates are charged each semester. The full tuition rate for each term is set at $5,500, although most students do not pay full tuition due to scholarships and loans. Approximately 60.8% of students receive some sort of scholarship from the university, whether for academic merit or economic need. Also, there is a loan system set up by the Ministry of Education and Culture that is meant to loan out money for Velkanian students attending private universities both abroad and at home. While approximately 14.5% of the student body is made up of international students, only 12.9% of international students receive scholarships from the school, and they are not eligible for loans from the Velkanian government.

Unlike most other Velkanian universities, there is limited university housing available for students. In 2002, the university purchased two apartment complexes in the Fjallafirði neighborhood in order to turn them into student apartments. The student apartments are allocated based on need, prioritizing international students, students who do not reside within commuting distance to the university, and first-year students. Students at the Þórlákur Lókason Institute of Engineering who live in student housing are bused between Fjallafirði and Húsavík everyday by private university shuttle buses. The by-term cost for a single bedroom in a four-bedroom apartment is $4,250, a double bedroom in a two-bedroom apartment is $3,500, and a double bedroom in a four-bedroom apartment is $2,500. Housing rates can also be covered through scholarships and loans. If a student does not receive student housing but is still in need, the Office for Student Affairs may assist them in finding affordable housing in Greater Narísandur.

### Student government

Apart from the university senate, students can also run for executive positions of leadership. Each school and institute has its own student presidium, consisting of a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer, who are elected from the school or institute's student body for one-year terms each spring term. These school leaders work with their school or institute's dean to advance the goals of the student population. There is additionally a student body presidium, consisting of a president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer, who are elected by the student body of the entire university. They are also elected for one-year terms at the end of the spring term, but instead work with the university president and preside over the entire school. The student body president and vice president both customarily make speeches at graduation.

### Extracurricular activities

In addition to student government, there are more than 65 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 a football field located in the Djúpisandur neighborhood. The teams are mostly intramural, apart from two organized matches against the football teams of the University of Velkania 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.