Ten Things that Changed the University of Iceland

ARTICLE Jóhannes Bjarki Bjarkason

TRANSLATION Julie Summers

In honor of the Student Council’s 100th anniversary, we’ve put together a list of ten things that made the University of Iceland what it is today. The list was partly adapted from the university’s centennial celebration website.

1911 University of Iceland founded. On June 17, individual post-secondary institutions for medicine, law, and theology merged to form UI.

1917 Kristín Ólafsdóttir becomes first woman to graduate from UI. She earned a degree in medicine.

1933 University of Iceland Lottery founded. The lottery raises funds for construction projects, maintenance, and equipment purchases. To date, over 20 university buildings have been financed through lottery proceeds.

1935 Vaka, the organization of democratic students, founded. Vaka was established in response to other student movements, such as the Association of Radical Students and the Association of Nationalistic Students.

1940 UI begins operating from Aðalbygging on June 17. Previously, UI was located on the lower level of the Parliament building. Icelandic state architect Guðjón Samúelsson designed Aðalbygging.

1952 Ragnheiður Guðmundsdóttir, a physician, becomes first woman hired to teach at UI. She taught physiology until 1961.

1971 Medieval Icelandic manuscripts returned to Iceland. Medieval manuscripts of The Book of Flatey and the Codex Regius of the Poetic Edda were transferred to the Árni Magnússon Institute in Reykjavík after being held in Denmark for years.

1988 Röskva founded. The party was formed by the merger of two student organizations, the Association of Leftists and the Reformers.

2003 Ugla introduced. Our beloved Ugla was implemented as the intranet for UI students, staff, and instructors.

2005 Kristín Ingólfsdóttir becomes first female rector of UI. Kristín taught in the university’s pharmacy department.