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 Ef Veðurstofan spáði vitlausu veðri í 40 ár, væri það bara í lagi? Björn Ólafsson Skoðun Málfrelsi og mörk þess á vettvangi lýðræðisins Helga Vala Helgadóttir Skoðun Hvers vegna skipta hagsmunir verslanakeðja meira máli en öryggi barna í Ásahverfi Reykjanesbæ? Ólafur Ívar Jónsson Skoðun Heimaþjónusta og velferðartækni: Lykillinn að sjálfbæru heilbrigðiskerfi Auður Guðmundsdóttir Skoðun Til varnar jafnlaunavottun Magnea Marinósdóttir Skoðun Sjókvíaeldi á Íslandi fjarstýrt með gervigreind frá Noregi Ingólfur Ásgeirsson Skoðun Krónan, Nettó, Hagkaup, Bónus - það er kominn tími á formlega sniðgöngu Helen Ólafsdóttir Skoðun „Finnst ykkur skrýtið að ég mæti á Austurvöll – Pabba mínum var fórnað á altari niðurskurðar“ Davíð Bergmann Skoðun Hægri sósíalismi Jón Ingi Hákonarson Skoðun Það sem ekki má segja um það sem enginn vill sjá Viðar Hreinsson Skoðun Skoðun Skoðun Íslendingar greiða sama hlutfall útgjalda í mat og Norðurlöndin Margrét Gísladóttir skrifar Skoðun Til varnar jafnlaunavottun Magnea Marinósdóttir skrifar Skoðun Heimaþjónusta og velferðartækni: Lykillinn að sjálfbæru heilbrigðiskerfi Auður Guðmundsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Barnaræninginn Pútín Gunnar Hólmsteinn Ársælsson skrifar Skoðun Um þjóð og ríki Gauti Kristmannsson skrifar Skoðun Málfrelsi og mörk þess á vettvangi lýðræðisins Helga Vala Helgadóttir skrifar Skoðun Sjókvíaeldi á Íslandi fjarstýrt með gervigreind frá Noregi Ingólfur Ásgeirsson skrifar Skoðun „Finnst ykkur skrýtið að ég mæti á Austurvöll – Pabba mínum var fórnað á altari niðurskurðar“ Davíð Bergmann skrifar Skoðun Hvers vegna skipta hagsmunir verslanakeðja meira máli en öryggi barna í Ásahverfi Reykjanesbæ? Ólafur Ívar Jónsson skrifar Skoðun Kjarnorkuákvæðið: Neyðarhemill en ekki léttvægt leikfang popúlista Kristinn Karl Brynjarsson skrifar Skoðun Stjórnarandstaðan er vannýtt auðlind Jón Daníelsson skrifar Skoðun Ef Veðurstofan spáði vitlausu veðri í 40 ár, væri það bara í lagi? Björn Ólafsson skrifar Skoðun Hægri sósíalismi Jón Ingi Hákonarson skrifar Skoðun 5 ára vegferð að skóla framtíðarinnar – eða ekki! Björgmundur Örn Guðmundsson skrifar Skoðun Ójafnvægi í jöfnunarkerfinu Anna Sigríður Guðnadóttir,Halla Karen Kristjánsdóttir,Lovísa Jónsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Það sem ekki má segja um það sem enginn vill sjá Viðar Hreinsson skrifar Skoðun Krónan, Nettó, Hagkaup, Bónus - það er kominn tími á formlega sniðgöngu Helen Ólafsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Löggæslumál og aðstöðuleysi í Búðardal – ákall um viðbragð og aðgerðir Björn Bjarki Þorsteinsson skrifar Skoðun Listin að verða fullkomlega ósammála sjálfri sér á mettíma Þórður Snær Júlíusson skrifar Skoðun Þingmenn auðvaldsins Karl Héðinn Kristjánsson skrifar Skoðun Arðgreiðslur í sjávarútvegi: Staðreyndir gegn fullyrðingum Elliði Vignisson skrifar Skoðun Verðugur bandamaður? Steinar Harðarson skrifar Skoðun Við þurfum nýja sýn á stjórnmál okkar - Mamdani-sýn Hlynur Már Vilhjálmsson skrifar Skoðun Sósíalistaflokkurinn heimilislaus - hvað næst? Trausti Breiðfjörð Magnússon skrifar Skoðun Rán um hábjartan dag Guðbergur Egill Eyjólfsson skrifar Skoðun Af hverju er verðbólga ennþá svona há? Ólafur Margeirsson skrifar Skoðun Sól, sumar og símafriður: 10 ráð varðandi skjánotkun í sumarfríinu Anna Laufey Stefánsdóttir,Kristín Ólöf Grétarsdóttir,Skúli Bragi Geirdal skrifar Skoðun Uppbygging hjúkrunarheimila Jónína Björk Óskarsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Jafnrétti grundvallarforsenda friðar og öryggis í heiminum Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir skrifar Skoðun Með skynsemina að vopni Anton Guðmundsson 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).
Hvers vegna skipta hagsmunir verslanakeðja meira máli en öryggi barna í Ásahverfi Reykjanesbæ? Ólafur Ívar Jónsson Skoðun
Heimaþjónusta og velferðartækni: Lykillinn að sjálfbæru heilbrigðiskerfi Auður Guðmundsdóttir Skoðun
„Finnst ykkur skrýtið að ég mæti á Austurvöll – Pabba mínum var fórnað á altari niðurskurðar“ Davíð Bergmann Skoðun
Skoðun Íslendingar greiða sama hlutfall útgjalda í mat og Norðurlöndin Margrét Gísladóttir skrifar
Skoðun Heimaþjónusta og velferðartækni: Lykillinn að sjálfbæru heilbrigðiskerfi Auður Guðmundsdóttir skrifar
Skoðun „Finnst ykkur skrýtið að ég mæti á Austurvöll – Pabba mínum var fórnað á altari niðurskurðar“ Davíð Bergmann skrifar
Skoðun Hvers vegna skipta hagsmunir verslanakeðja meira máli en öryggi barna í Ásahverfi Reykjanesbæ? Ólafur Ívar Jónsson skrifar
Skoðun Kjarnorkuákvæðið: Neyðarhemill en ekki léttvægt leikfang popúlista Kristinn Karl Brynjarsson skrifar
Skoðun Ójafnvægi í jöfnunarkerfinu Anna Sigríður Guðnadóttir,Halla Karen Kristjánsdóttir,Lovísa Jónsdóttir skrifar
Skoðun Krónan, Nettó, Hagkaup, Bónus - það er kominn tími á formlega sniðgöngu Helen Ólafsdóttir skrifar
Skoðun Löggæslumál og aðstöðuleysi í Búðardal – ákall um viðbragð og aðgerðir Björn Bjarki Þorsteinsson skrifar
Skoðun Sól, sumar og símafriður: 10 ráð varðandi skjánotkun í sumarfríinu Anna Laufey Stefánsdóttir,Kristín Ólöf Grétarsdóttir,Skúli Bragi Geirdal skrifar
Skoðun Jafnrétti grundvallarforsenda friðar og öryggis í heiminum Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir skrifar
Hvers vegna skipta hagsmunir verslanakeðja meira máli en öryggi barna í Ásahverfi Reykjanesbæ? Ólafur Ívar Jónsson Skoðun
Heimaþjónusta og velferðartækni: Lykillinn að sjálfbæru heilbrigðiskerfi Auður Guðmundsdóttir Skoðun
„Finnst ykkur skrýtið að ég mæti á Austurvöll – Pabba mínum var fórnað á altari niðurskurðar“ Davíð Bergmann Skoðun