HASKOLINN A AKUREYRI

Their core work

The University of Akureyri is a small Icelandic university located in the Arctic north, with distinct research strengths in Arctic environments and children's digital lives. They study how young children interact with technology — from makerspaces and digital literacy in early years to online risks and opportunities for youth. In parallel, they bring an Arctic perspective to environmental and social justice research, examining how Arctic communities can pursue sustainable development while respecting indigenous rights and ethical frameworks.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Their early H2020 work (2016–2019) centered on Arctic microbiology and children's digital literacy through makerspaces and early childhood education. From 2020 onward, the focus broadened significantly: children's digital research scaled up from small-scale creativity studies to a larger evidence platform (CO:RE), while a major new strand emerged around Arctic justice, indigenous ethics, and sustainable development (JUSTNORTH). The trajectory shows a university increasingly connecting its Arctic location to big societal questions — justice, ethics, and resilience — rather than purely natural science.

Moving from niche natural science and small education studies toward large-scale social justice and digital society research, with their Arctic identity as the unifying thread.

How they like to work

Always a participant, never a coordinator — they join consortia led by others and contribute specialized Arctic or Nordic perspectives. With 63 unique partners across 24 countries from just 4 projects, they work in large, diverse consortia rather than tight bilateral partnerships. This makes them an accessible partner: experienced in multinational teams and accustomed to contributing domain expertise without needing to run the show.

Despite only 4 projects, they have built a surprisingly broad network of 63 partners across 24 countries, reflecting participation in large European consortia. Their geographic footprint spans well beyond the Nordic region into mainstream European research networks.

What sets them apart

Their Arctic location is not just geography — it is their intellectual identity. They are one of very few H2020 participants that can offer genuine Arctic community perspective combined with academic rigor on justice, ethics, and indigenous rights. For any consortium needing an Arctic dimension — whether in climate research, digital inclusion in remote communities, or sustainable development — Akureyri brings lived context that southern European universities simply cannot replicate.

Highlights from their portfolio

• JUSTNORTH
  Their largest project by far (EUR 863K, 67% of total funding), tackling Arctic justice across environmental, climate, energy, and indigenous dimensions — a rare interdisciplinary scope.
• CO:RE
  Part of a major European knowledge platform on children's digital lives, positioning the university in one of the most policy-relevant debates in digital society.
• MicroArctic
  An MSCA research network on Arctic microorganisms in warming environments — their only natural science project, showing early breadth before the shift to social sciences.