Here you can find all the information you need in order to apply to the Teaching Academy. We recommend reading the criteria thoroughly below.
A preliminary introduction meeting will be held via Teams for teachers of the public universities that are interested in learning more about the Teaching Academy and potentially applying to become members of the Academy.
Go to main page for access to the introduction meeting.
Here you can access all recordings from our introduction meetings on our YouTube site.
Members of the Teaching Academy are academic staff at the public universities of Iceland. New members are admitted each year.
All university teachers (professors, senior lecturers / associate professors, lecturers/assistant professors, and adjunct lecturers) who are employed on a permanent basis at the University of Iceland, the University of Akureyri, the Agricultural University of Iceland, or Hólar University in 50% employment or more, can apply.
To apply for admission to the Teaching Academy, applicants must submit a detailed application in English on kennsluakademia@hi.is, based on the Teaching Academy ‘s criteria (see below).
It is recommended that applicants participate in a digital presentation meeting (also called support course), a seminar on application writing, and an organized peer-feedback session. To take part in the application process with support from the Teaching Academy, you have to fill out this registration form before 26. January 2024. It is not obligatory to participate in this support course to apply.
The final application deadline is May 17th, 2024.
The following are draft criteria for admission to The Teaching Academy of the public universities in Iceland. They are based on the criteria of other Nordic universities, especially the Universities in Lund and Bergen.
The Teaching Academy will review the criteria and adapt them for circumstances in Iceland.
When evaluating applications, the primary focus is on the first criterion of student-centered teaching. The starting point when evaluating other criteria is whether they demonstrate a student-centered way of thinking.
- Student-centred teaching
Applicants’ teaching vision and practice are grounded on a clear teaching vision and knowledge of how students learn.
In their teaching, applicants consider the relationship between learning outcomes, teaching methods, assessment, and how students learn.
Applicants’ communication with their students is based on trust; they seek feedback from students and respond to it in a constructive way.
Applicants clearly demonstrate a student-first attitude focusing on student learning and creating a learning community that supports mutual respect.
- Professional knowledge – the ability to present professional knowledge in the context of learning and teaching.
The relationship between learning outcomes, teaching methods, assessment, and how students learn is demonstrated in the applicants´ teaching practice and development.
Applicants use recognized means, according to their discipline, to support students in tackling increasingly complex tasks and utilizing their knowledge.
Applicants plan their teaching and evaluation following the state of the art in their disciplinary field.
- Clear pedagogical development for the future – professionalism in teaching
Applicants demonstrate a learning mindset and work systematically and enthusiastically to improve their teaching, in terms of content, presentation, and innovation in teaching methods.
- Collegiality-active participant in conversations about learning and teaching.
Applicants show that they have taken part in conversations about teaching and their teaching practice, thereby participating in creating a learning community around teaching and learning.
Applicants acquire, create, and share knowledge of learning and teaching in their field for example through informal conversations, working groups, workshops, conferences, or publications.
Applicants collaborate with other teachers or professionals on pedagogical development and teaching methods.
Criteria of other Nordic universities
We recommend taking the criteria of other Nordic Teaching Academies into account when applying.
Four experts will evaluate the applications and interview those applicants considered highly competent. In recent years, three of those experts have been external and one has been internal. In 2023 those will be the evaluators:
- Thomas Olsson, Associate Professor of Engineering Education and Education Developer, Lund University.
- Oddfrid Terese Kårstad Førland, Senior Advisor and Educational Developer, University of Bergen.
- Maria Weurlander, Associate Professor and Senior Lecturer in Higher Education at the Department of Education at Stockholm University.
- Margrét Sigrún Sigurðardóttir, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Business Administration, School of Social Sciences, University of Iceland, and chair of the Teaching Academy ‘s board.
This is how the evaluation of applications is divided:
