University of Iceland (Háskóli Íslands)

What University of Iceland (Háskóli Íslands) does

The University of Iceland (Háskóli Íslands) is a public higher education institution founded in 1911 in Reykjavík, Iceland, and is the country's oldest and largest university. It operates across five schools — Education, Engineering and Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences — serving approximately 11,970 students (2022) with around 1,600 full-time equivalent employees (FTE 2022), supported by roughly 100,960 m² of campus facilities distributed across more than twenty named buildings in central Reykjavík, including specialized sites such as Læknagarður (adjacent to Landspítali University Hospital), Gróska (computer science/science park), and VR-I/II/III (engineering and computer labs).

Its technology stack centers on Canvas as the institutional learning management system and "Ugla" — a proprietary intranet/information system developed and maintained in-house by UI's Software Development Department, covering teaching, HR, web, and infrastructure management — alongside the "Menntaský" shared IT service platform used across Icelandic public universities. Student-facing products and services include the Student Counselling Centre (academic/career/disability/psychological support), the Sprettur integration program for immigrant students, the Icelandic as a Second Language program, and distance-examination services.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid public-funding model: government appropriations under Iceland's Act on Public Higher Education Institutions No. 85/2008, regulated tuition and registration fees (student ID basic card free, access card 1,500 ISK), research grants from Rannís (Icelandic Centre for Research) and EU programs such as NetZeroCities, plus ancillary services routed through Icelandic Student Services (FS) — including the Háma canteens, student housing, bookstore, and preschool. International distribution is conducted via on-campus degree programs, Erasmus+, Nordplus, north2north (UArctic), Aurora, Nordic Centre (Fudan University/India), and bilateral exchange agreements.

Name

University of Iceland (Háskóli Íslands)

Legal name

University of Iceland

Website

https://english.hi.is

Company type

Public

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The University of Iceland is Iceland's oldest and largest public university, founded in 1911, delivering undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs across five schools to roughly 12,000 students in Reykjavík, funded primarily by government appropriations, regulated tuition, and research grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online International & Cross-Border Universities (Global/Transnational Providers) (EDAHALAL)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• University degree programs
• Academic research programs
• Student support services
• International exchange programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Reykjavík

HQ country

Iceland

HQ region

Europe

Offices20 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Registration Fees: Students pay registration fees and tuition for various programs. The Student Registration collects registration fees. Student ID cards available for free or 1500 ISK for access card.
2. Research Grants and Funding: University receives research funding from Icelandic Centre for Research (Rannís), EU programs (NetZeroCities), and other grant mechanisms for research activities.
3. Student Services Revenue: Revenue from student services including bookstore, housing, canteens (Háma), student cellar, and preschool services through Icelandic Student Services (FS).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The University of Iceland is a public higher education institution that delivers undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degree programs across five schools — Education, Engineering and Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences — along with specialized language and integration programs (Sprettur, Icelandic as a Second Language). It also conducts research across scientific institutes and provides student support services including counselling, disability services, and international exchange coordination through the Aurora network and Nordic Centre.

Product overview

The University of Iceland is a higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs across five schools (Education, Engineering and Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences). The institution provides educational services supported by technology platforms including Canvas learning management system and Ugla intranet system. Student support services include Sprettur (immigrant integration program), Student Counselling Centre, and various administrative services. International collaboration is facilitated through Aurora network and Nordic Centre partnerships. The institution operates across approximately 100,000 m² of campus facilities in Reykjavík.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs Bachelor's-level degree programs delivered on campus across five schools — Education, Engineering and Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, Humanities, and Social Sciences — for prospective Icelandic and international students applying through the Ugla portal.
• Master's and Doctoral Degree Programs Postgraduate master's and PhD programs supervised through the UI Graduate School, with research opportunities across scientific institutes, thesis supervision, and doctoral defence preparation.
• Sprettur Inclusion and Integration Program An educational program for inclusion and integration of immigrants into higher education, providing learning opportunities, mentoring, and intercultural community building for students with immigrant backgrounds.
• Icelandic as a Second Language Program Formal language instruction program offering Practical Diploma (Hagnýtt íslenska), Academic Icelandic (Íslenskustúð), and a BA Programme for students learning Icelandic as a second language.
• Aurora University Network Participation A collaborative offering of nine European universities (with four associate partners) that strengthens research, education, and innovation in response to rapid societal changes; UI leads the collaboration and the network supports Sustainable Development Goals, with student and staff mobility as a primary mechanism.
• Nordic Centre Programs Collaborative Nordic platform hosted by UI for 2024–2027 at Fudan University (China) and with a Nordic Centre India office, offering summer courses, semester programs, Nordic Studies Programme, research stays, and travel grants.
• Student Counselling Centre Services Student support service offering academic and career counselling, disability services, psychological services, study-skills workshops, and exam preparation support, available to enrolled students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Student enrollment: 11,970-15,370 students across programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and significant.

• Aurora University NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAurora is a close collaboration of nine European universities across the continent plus four associate partners. The University of Iceland leads the Aurora collaboration focused on strengthening research, education, and innovation in response to rapid societal changes. The partnership internationalises education and teaching and creates opportunities to increase contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Aurora Universities (European University Alliances)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEach of the Aurora campuses strives to become more sustainable. UI is leading the Aurora collaboration on sustainability initiatives.
• Icelandic GovernmentcoreOthersAccording to the Icelandic Government's Climate Policy, all government institutions and offices are required to implement the Green Steps programme. UI has been submitting Green Accounting reports to the Environment Agency of Iceland since 2012.
• NetZeroCities (EU Research Initiative)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 'Piercing Through the Gridlocks' project is a two-year EU research initiative funded by NetZeroCities that seeks to accelerate and support Reykjavík's transition to climate neutrality by 2030. The University of Iceland conducts resident surveys and focus group interviews and co-creates practical solutions with the City of Reykjavík.
• City of ReykjavíkmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the 'Piercing Through the Gridlocks' pilot project to support Reykjavík's climate neutrality transition by 2030. UI conducts academic research on transport and recycling behaviors and barriers, and co-creates practical solutions with the city.
• Environment Agency of IcelandcoreOthersThe University of Iceland has submitted Green Accounting reports to the Environment Agency of Iceland since 2012 as part of the Green Steps programme.
• Erasmus+ ProgrammecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUI coordinates exchange programs including Erasmus+ for both students and staff, promoting opportunities for study and work abroad across European institutions.
• Nordplus (Nordic Council of Ministers)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNordplus is the education program of the Nordic Council of Ministers. UI participates in the Nordlys network and manages multiple specialized networks covering areas like biology, law, music education, teacher education, and more.
• UArctic / north2northcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUI is a member of The University of the Arctic (UArctic) network. The north2north programme is the mobility programme of the network, enabling student exchanges to Arctic and northern region partner universities.
• Nordic Centre at Fudan University (China)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerUI hosts the Nordic Centre's secretariat for 2024-2027. Activities include summer courses, Nordic Studies Programme, grants for academic events, and travel grants for research stays in Shanghai.
• Nordic Centre India (NCI)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative platform for Nordic and Indian universities with office and facilities in New Delhi. Offers summer courses, guest apartments, research networking, and study tours.
• Icelandic Student Services (FS)coreOthersNon-profit organization providing affordable services to students including bookstore, preschools, student housing, Háma canteens, Student Cellar, and Bookstore Café. All registered UI students are members.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Stockholm University: Swedish public research university with comparable size, focus on humanities and natural sciences, and similar international student recruitment model.
• Aarhus University: Denmark's second-largest university with comparable multi-school structure, research intensity, and Nordic public university character.
• University of Helsinki: Finland's oldest and largest university, also a flagship public research university in a Nordic country with similar multi-school structure, Aurora membership overlap, and comparable scale (~30,000 students).
• University of Oslo: Norway's flagship public university with similar scale, comprehensive five-plus school structure, and strong emphasis on sustainability and international research collaboration.
• Uppsala University: Sweden's oldest university with similar century-plus heritage, comprehensive academic portfolio, and historical role as a Nordic knowledge hub.
• University of Bergen: Norwegian public university of comparable size with similar comprehensive academic offering and international collaboration focus.
• Lund University: Swedish public research university with similar comprehensive academic offering, strong internationalization focus, and comparable Scandinavian public university structure.
• University of Copenhagen: Denmark's largest research university with comparable comprehensive academic portfolio across health, humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences, and similar international collaboration model.

Regional players

• Hólar University: Iceland's other public university, smaller and more specialized (focused on aquaculture, agriculture, and equine sciences), making it a regional counterpart within the same country.
• Reykjavík University: Iceland's largest private university with STEM and business focus, competing in the same domestic Icelandic higher education market for students and faculty.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/hugrasvefrit
• Facebookfacebook.com/HaskoliIslands
• Instagraminstagram.com/haskoli_islands
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/government-college-baramkela

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University of Iceland (Háskóli Íslands)