Exploring the Arctic at UNAK's Science School for Kids
07.07.2026
Helga Númadóttir and Hildur Sólveig Elvarsdóttir at the University of Akureyri’s Ceremonial Hall, 26 June 2026
From 22–26 June, the Science School for Kids was held for the twelfth time at the University of Akureyri. The week-long program is designed for children aged 11–13 and offers participants the opportunity to learn about science, research, and the university's diverse activities. The aim of the Science School is to provide young people with an educational and fun experience, offer insight into various academic disciplines and research fields, and encourage an interest in learning and science.
The Science School first welcomed students in the summer of 2015. Last year, the program received the Rannís (the Icelandic Centre for Research) Award for Outstanding Science Communication of the Year. Five courses are taught during the week, with students divided into five groups, each rotating through all the courses. At the end of the eventful week, the students graduated in a ceremony held in the University of Akureyri’s Ceremonial Hall.
This year, a course about the Arctic was included in the program for the first time. The course was led by Helga Númadóttir from the Stefansson Arctic Institute and Hildur Sólveig Elvarsdóttir from the Faculty of Law. Participants learned about Arctic-related activities on the university campus, Iceland’s position in the Arctic region, climate change in the Arctic, Greenland, and the lives of young people in Greenland. Other course topics this year included equality and discrimination, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, vegetable cultivation, natural hazards, and the solar eclipse expected on 12 August. The students also took part in a research visit to a supermarket and a field trip to a recycling center.
We would like to thank the students for an inspiring week and for bringing their enthusiasm and energy to the university campus.
The Science School for Kids is led by the University of Akureyri Research Centre (RHA). Dana, a specialist at RHA, manages the project together with Sigrún Stefánsdóttir, media scholar at the University of Akureyri, and one of the founders of the Science School.
