The University of Akureyri is a growing research university, as evidenced, for example, by the considerable increase in the number of publications and citations in recent years.
The Master's studies are largely research based and the University promotes them both as a goal in themselves and as a precursor to Doctoral studies.
Research projects at UNAK
School of Health, Business and Natural Sciences
Business
The following broad areas are among those currently active within the School:
- Corporate governance
- Entrepreneurship
- European integration
- Family business
- International business
- International financial institutions
- International relations
- Macroeconomics
- Transport infrastructure effects on the community and settlements of the country
Natural Sciences
The following broad areas are among those currently active within the School:
- Aquaculture
- Biotechnology
- Energy Biotechnology
- Environmental microbiology
- Fisheries
- Food Science
- Marine science
- Molecular genetics
- Sustainable exploitation and conservation of natural resources
Health Sciences
Most research conducted in the School of Health Sciences is carried out in interdisciplinary teams.
Research pertaining to development and localisation of assessment tools has been prominent within the field. Some of those tools have proved their worth under Icelandic conditions and are used nationally in information registration. Among these are assessment tools for the following:
- Motion
- Physical skills
- Activities and participation of the elderly
- Participation and quality of life of children and teenagers
- Empowerment, self care and stress of diabetics
Examples of other research conducted within the School:
- Support for cancer patients
- Experience and integration of women after breast cancer
- Rate of chronic pain
- Rate of caesarean sections and perinatal mortality
- Knowledge and intake of folic acid amongst pregnant women
- Cardiac arrest outside of hospitals
- Research projects among people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes or emphysema and children with reduced mobility
- Experience of users of health care services
- Satisfaction of users of health care services
- Communication and connection between users/patients and professionals
- Research relating to care and lack thereof
- Seasickness and seasickness susceptibility
- Perinatal distress, high risk pregnancy
- Research on the knowledge, experience and perspective of healthcare providers towards telehealth
- Services, systems and policies shaping opportunities of disabled people for participation in society
School of Humanities and Social Sciences
The research topics in humanities and social sciences pertain, for example, to the following:
- Icelandic history
- International economic development and ideology
- Media and communication of different social groups
- Ethics
- Regional and structural development in Iceland
- Immigration
Furthermore, active research in education and pedagogy is carried out in connection with the following topics:
- School development and leadership
- Philosophy of education
- Inclusion, literacy, social environment and equality
- Icelandic studies, pedagogy and educational theory
- Environmental education, sustainability, culture, and history
- Information technology in schooling
In addition, the Faculty of Law houses research, for example, in the following areas:
- Human rights, both international and domestic
- Rights of minorities and indigenous people
- International and Constitutional law
- General legal theory, jurisprudence and philosophy of law
- Criminal law, procedure and sociology
- Comparative law and legal systems
- Legal argumentation and litigation
The following research areas are the current major specializations within the Faculty of Psychology:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Sensation & Perception
- Neuropsychology
- Quantitative Psychology
- Psychometrics
- Clinical Psychology
- Sports & Performance Psychology
- Applied Behavior Analysis
Assessment and quality of research
The University maintains an overview of performance, outcome, publications, and other items that measure quality and activity in research. The outcomes and results are shared with the community, for example, through:
- Open seminars
- Information to the media
- Publication of articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals
Information on research work is regularly examined and discussed in the Quality Council. The performance of employees is evaluated in accordance with the Evaluation System for Public Universities.
Research by students
Students carry out a Master’s research project under the supervision of a primary instructor and the specialists of the University. Consulting specialists from outside of the University are often called upon to ensure that the research fulfils international quality standards.
Research can be carried out independently, in cooperation with research institutions at the University, other partner institutions or companies.
The research project concludes with the submission of a Master’s thesis. Information on students’ theses can be seen in Skemman (online institutional repository of Icelandic university libraries).