Þingeyingar‘s Academic Center is a lifelong learning-, university studies- and a research facility that operates on the basis of two institutions which merged in 2006. The two institutions in question are Þingeyingar‘s Lifelong Learning Center and the other one was a university study- and research center which operated under the name Þingeyingar‘s Knowledge Center until the merge. Lifelong learning activities began in 1999 around the same time as other lifelong learning centers in the country began operations. The university studies and research section on the other hand started in the year 2003 in parallel with the Northeastern Icelandic Nature Center which operates under the same roof as the headquarters of the Húsavík Academic Center.
The activities of Húsavík Academic Center is essentially threefold:
1. Lifelong learning and adult education
The Academic Center has a defined role to play in the field of lifelong learning and adult education in the same way as eight other lifelong learning centers around the country, which are funded by the Ministry of Education. Thus, the institution is a center for lifelong learning and adult education in the district and offers courses and mediates learning. HAC is committed to ensuring that students can complete the courses and/or study programs that the institution starts with. The institutions board ensures that this is always possible despite any changes that may occur in the operating environment of the institution.
2. University studies and study services
The operation of a powerful college program, with the equipment necessary and good work facilities is one of the cornerstones of the academic center. With this, the goal is to service an ever-increasing group of university students in the district and create the conditions to pursue their studies without having to relocate. Emphasis is placed on providing services to the residents of Þingeyjarsýsla in their home area and there is always some kind of service for university students in all urban areas of the county. In addition, the employees of the institution are involved in teaching at a university level in their special field in collaboration with the universities in the area.
3. Research work and services
HAC places great emphasis on building a strong interdisciplinary platform for research within the district, ie. in Þingeyjarsýsla, with an emphasis on the fields that create a unique position for the district and provide material for research work. The institute itself participates in research projects in the field of their employees as far as the opportunity arises.
Do you have any comments on the work of the Academic Center?
If so, we have defined the following channels for service users, customers and students with board approval:
- If there is a disagreement about the decisions and/or working methods of the employees of HAC, the student should first seek the manager with his/her case.
- If a dispute is not resolved with the involvement of the manager, the student/service user can present his/her complaint to the board of the institution for processing. The director introduces this option and gives the student an option to contact the chairman of the board at any given time.
- Disputes shall be reported in a written, traceable manner.
