Introduction to Iceland

Day trip to Snæfellsnes peninsula in natural, historical and spiritual perspective

The peninsula of Snæfellsnes is characterised by rugged mountains rising between a wide coastal plain on the southern side and narrow coast northen side. It is about 100 km long, covers an area of about 680 square kilometers and is sometimes referred to as "Iceland in a nutshell". The 1446 m high dormant volcano Snæfellsjökull glacier lies majesticially at the end of the penisula. Snæfellsnes is mainly inhabited on the sheltered north coast, in the towns of Hellissandur-Rif, Ólafsvík, Grundarfjörður and Stykkishólmur.

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The Icelandic educational system is divided into four levels:

  • Pre-school level: up to 6 years of age
  • Compulsory school: primary and lower secondary school in a single structure, 6-16 years of age
  • Upper secondary school: 16-20 years of age
  • Higher educational: aged 20 and older

Education in Iceland has traditionally been organised within the public sector, and there are very few private institutions in the school system. Almost all private schools receive public funding.

The Icelandic Parliament is legally and politically responsible for the educational system. It determines its basic objectives and administrative framework. All education comes under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, with the exception of a few specialised schools.

The Icelandic higher educational system dates back to the foundation of University of Iceland in 1911. The University of Iceland remains the principal institution of higher learning in Iceland, but over the last three decades, new institutions of higher education have emerged, and there are currently seven institutions of higher education operating in Iceland.