A Genuinely Inclusive University Giti Chandra skrifar 23. mars 2025 07:03 Magnús Karl Magnússon and I had our first conversation about the University of Iceland as a genuinely inclusive space when I approached him early last year with regard to a project I was doing. Those conversations intensified when he reached out to me a few months ago because of my work in connection with gender equality and decolonizing higher education. I was impressed by his willingness to connect to people working in areas other than his own. As our discussion has progressed, I have seen how integral these concerns are to his vision of the University, its role and its internal organization. The many, extensive, conversations have ranged over a wide array of issues that have focused on the changing demographics of the University of Iceland how the now 15-20% of foreign-origin students, faculty, and administrative and service staff experience HI. Along with colleagues, we have discussed the evolving challenges of the classroom in terms of curricula, pedagogy, and interpersonal dynamics, and thought extensively about how the different origins of students and faculty impact the process of learning that is central to the University. We have looked at the ways in which the University space can be made even more accessible to people with different physical and intellectual needs. In all of these, Magnús has listened attentively, spoken to each issue with knowledge and compassion, taken suggestions seriously, and thought of solutions and innovative approaches to each issue raised. I am convinced that Magnús is deeply serious about the need to improve the University as an inclusive space for everyone. From developing the idea of a committee comprising students, faculty, and administrative staff that would look into the social and ethical aspects of the University’s investments and collaborations and advise the rector on these concerns, to the overhauling of the sexual harassment complaints mechanism so that it is more effective and accessible, to making University websites more accessible for the neuro-divergent, he recognizes that nurturing diversity will make our University stronger in every respect. Magnús has demonstrated a practical knowledge of how the University is run, how it can rise to ever-changing challenges of finances, political situations, and solidarity-building, and what the position of the rector can do to institute systemic, structural, change. He has been thinking about and advocating for the University publicly for decades now, which is amply evident in this kind of careful, practice-based, attention to the University’s running and a genuine investment in its place in society. This investment can be seen in the fact that I was only one among hundreds of students, administrators, and faculty with whom he has had similar conversations over the last many months. Anyone similarly invested will appreciate the value of Magnús as rector. Höfundur er fræðimaður við Háskóla Íslands (Associate Professor at the University of Iceland). Viltu birta grein á Vísi? Sendu okkur póst. Senda grein Rektorskjör við Háskóla Íslands Mest lesið Hví borgar útgerðin – ekki malarnáman? Guðmundur Edgarsson Skoðun Opið bréf til fullorðna fólksins Úlfhildur Elísa Hróbjartsdóttir Skoðun Vill Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn láta taka sig alvarlega? Dagbjört Hákonardóttir Skoðun Vantraust Flokks fólksins á Viðreisn Hjörtur J. Guðmundsson Skoðun Stúdentar eiga ekki að borga fyrir vanfjármögnun háskólanna Ármann Leifsson,María Björk Stefánsdóttir Skoðun Þjórsá í hættu – Hvammsvirkjun og rof á náttúrulegu ástandi árinnar Gunnar Þór Jónsson Skoðun Ég hef ofurtrú á manneskjunni í forvörnum og öryggi á bæjarhátíðunum Arnrún María Magnúsdóttir Skoðun Enginn skilinn eftir á götunni Dagmar Valsdóttir Skoðun Hverjir eiga Ísland? Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson Skoðun Undirbúum börnin fyrir skólann með hjálp gervigreindar Sigvaldi Einarsson Skoðun Skoðun Skoðun Opið bréf til fullorðna fólksins Úlfhildur Elísa Hróbjartsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Vill Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn láta taka sig alvarlega? Dagbjört Hákonardóttir skrifar Skoðun Þjórsá í hættu – Hvammsvirkjun og rof á náttúrulegu ástandi árinnar Gunnar Þór Jónsson skrifar Skoðun Undirbúum börnin fyrir skólann með hjálp gervigreindar Sigvaldi Einarsson skrifar Skoðun Enginn skilinn eftir á götunni Dagmar Valsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Ég hef ofurtrú á manneskjunni í forvörnum og öryggi á bæjarhátíðunum Arnrún María Magnúsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Stúdentar eiga ekki að borga fyrir vanfjármögnun háskólanna Ármann Leifsson,María Björk Stefánsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Hví borgar útgerðin – ekki malarnáman? Guðmundur Edgarsson skrifar Skoðun Vantraust Flokks fólksins á Viðreisn Hjörtur J. Guðmundsson skrifar Skoðun 48 daga blekking: Loforð sem leiðir til lögbrota? Svanur Guðmundsson skrifar Skoðun Frá vinnuþræli til ríkisborgara: Ég er innflytjandi sem þið getið ekki losnað við Ian McDonald skrifar Skoðun Málþóf á kostnað ungs fólks Lísa Margrét Gunnarsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Tóbakslausar nikótínvörur - Tímabært að horfast í augu við staðreyndir Bjarni Freyr Guðmundsson skrifar Skoðun Ómeðvituð vörn í orðræðu – þegar vald ver sjálft sig Þórdís Hólm Filipsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Við krefjumst sanngirni og aðgerð strax Dagmar Valsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Verið öll hjartanlega velkomin á Unglingalandsmót á Egilsstöðum Jónína Brynjólfsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Úrsúla og öryggismálin - Stöndum gegn vígvæðingu Guttormur Þorsteinsson skrifar Skoðun Verðmætatap auðlindagjaldanna – Hverra og hvernig? Haukur V. Alfreðsson skrifar Skoðun Ertu nú alveg viss um að hafa læst hurðinni? Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir skrifar Skoðun Sanngirni að brenna 230 milljarða króna? Björn Leví Gunnarsson skrifar Skoðun Strandveiðar eru ekki sóun Örn Pálsson skrifar Skoðun „Ísland mun taka þátt í þvingunaraðgerðum gegn Ísrael náist samstaða fleiri ríkja“ Einar Ólafsson skrifar Skoðun SFS skuldar Sigurjón Þórðarson skrifar Skoðun Hvar er hjálpin sem okkur var lofað? Dagmar Valsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Áform um fleiri strandveiðidaga: Áhættusöm ákvörðun Svanur Guðmundsson skrifar Skoðun Í nafni „sanngirni“ brenndi ríkisstjórn 230 milljörðum – lífeyrir landsmanna fór á bálið Elliði Vignisson skrifar Skoðun Flugnám - Fjórði hluti: Hlutverk Reykjavíkurflugvallar í flugnámi Matthías Arngrímsson skrifar Skoðun Slítum stjórnmálasambandi við Ísrael! Ólafur Ingólfsson skrifar Skoðun Aukið við sóun með einhverjum ráðum Heiðrún Lind Marteinsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Kæru valkyrjur, hatrið sigraði líklega í þetta skiptið Arnar Laxdal skrifar Sjá meira
Magnús Karl Magnússon and I had our first conversation about the University of Iceland as a genuinely inclusive space when I approached him early last year with regard to a project I was doing. Those conversations intensified when he reached out to me a few months ago because of my work in connection with gender equality and decolonizing higher education. I was impressed by his willingness to connect to people working in areas other than his own. As our discussion has progressed, I have seen how integral these concerns are to his vision of the University, its role and its internal organization. The many, extensive, conversations have ranged over a wide array of issues that have focused on the changing demographics of the University of Iceland how the now 15-20% of foreign-origin students, faculty, and administrative and service staff experience HI. Along with colleagues, we have discussed the evolving challenges of the classroom in terms of curricula, pedagogy, and interpersonal dynamics, and thought extensively about how the different origins of students and faculty impact the process of learning that is central to the University. We have looked at the ways in which the University space can be made even more accessible to people with different physical and intellectual needs. In all of these, Magnús has listened attentively, spoken to each issue with knowledge and compassion, taken suggestions seriously, and thought of solutions and innovative approaches to each issue raised. I am convinced that Magnús is deeply serious about the need to improve the University as an inclusive space for everyone. From developing the idea of a committee comprising students, faculty, and administrative staff that would look into the social and ethical aspects of the University’s investments and collaborations and advise the rector on these concerns, to the overhauling of the sexual harassment complaints mechanism so that it is more effective and accessible, to making University websites more accessible for the neuro-divergent, he recognizes that nurturing diversity will make our University stronger in every respect. Magnús has demonstrated a practical knowledge of how the University is run, how it can rise to ever-changing challenges of finances, political situations, and solidarity-building, and what the position of the rector can do to institute systemic, structural, change. He has been thinking about and advocating for the University publicly for decades now, which is amply evident in this kind of careful, practice-based, attention to the University’s running and a genuine investment in its place in society. This investment can be seen in the fact that I was only one among hundreds of students, administrators, and faculty with whom he has had similar conversations over the last many months. Anyone similarly invested will appreciate the value of Magnús as rector. Höfundur er fræðimaður við Háskóla Íslands (Associate Professor at the University of Iceland).
Stúdentar eiga ekki að borga fyrir vanfjármögnun háskólanna Ármann Leifsson,María Björk Stefánsdóttir Skoðun
Ég hef ofurtrú á manneskjunni í forvörnum og öryggi á bæjarhátíðunum Arnrún María Magnúsdóttir Skoðun
Skoðun Þjórsá í hættu – Hvammsvirkjun og rof á náttúrulegu ástandi árinnar Gunnar Þór Jónsson skrifar
Skoðun Ég hef ofurtrú á manneskjunni í forvörnum og öryggi á bæjarhátíðunum Arnrún María Magnúsdóttir skrifar
Skoðun Stúdentar eiga ekki að borga fyrir vanfjármögnun háskólanna Ármann Leifsson,María Björk Stefánsdóttir skrifar
Skoðun Frá vinnuþræli til ríkisborgara: Ég er innflytjandi sem þið getið ekki losnað við Ian McDonald skrifar
Skoðun Tóbakslausar nikótínvörur - Tímabært að horfast í augu við staðreyndir Bjarni Freyr Guðmundsson skrifar
Skoðun Verið öll hjartanlega velkomin á Unglingalandsmót á Egilsstöðum Jónína Brynjólfsdóttir skrifar
Skoðun „Ísland mun taka þátt í þvingunaraðgerðum gegn Ísrael náist samstaða fleiri ríkja“ Einar Ólafsson skrifar
Skoðun Í nafni „sanngirni“ brenndi ríkisstjórn 230 milljörðum – lífeyrir landsmanna fór á bálið Elliði Vignisson skrifar
Skoðun Flugnám - Fjórði hluti: Hlutverk Reykjavíkurflugvallar í flugnámi Matthías Arngrímsson skrifar
Stúdentar eiga ekki að borga fyrir vanfjármögnun háskólanna Ármann Leifsson,María Björk Stefánsdóttir Skoðun
Ég hef ofurtrú á manneskjunni í forvörnum og öryggi á bæjarhátíðunum Arnrún María Magnúsdóttir Skoðun