Reykjavík Grapevine - 11.02.2005, Blaðsíða 6

“It Encourages Them to Appreciate
Their Studies More”
Government MP Drífa
Hjartardóttir, who has long
experience with administering
education at all levels in Iceland, is
of the opinion that: “students should
pay a greater proportion of the cost
of their own university education
than in the past. It is important
that students pay a reasonable part
of their own education because it
encourages them to appreciate their
studies more, and to work harder.”
Opposition deputy MP Mr Atli
Gíslason of the Left-Green
Movement begs to differ. “All talk
of fees encouraging the students to
work harder suggests that students
are not taking their studies seriously
at present. Our basic policy on
this issue is that the right of equal
educational opportunities should be
guaranteed, regardless of students’
personal finances. Any increase in
registration or admission fees at the
University of Iceland is contrary to
our policy.” Mr Gíslason says there
are no two ways about it; fees of
any kind “discourage people from
studying at the university.”
Relying on Banks rather than Books
Ms. Hjartardóttir argues that the
student loan fund will soften the
blow for students. “The Iceland
Student Loan Fund will continue to
assist students in their educational
pursuit, and prevent students who
have limited financial capabilities
from being denied university
education on the grounds of
poverty.”
It is true that the amount itself
that students need to pay for
‘registration’ or ‘admission’ is still not
high considering many countries.
However, those who protest the
increase say that the ‘so-called
registration fee’ should be called by
its real name – admission fee. This
increase in the registration fee looks
like a sign that the government is
trying rid itself of its commitment to
providing free university education.
In the meantime the students
suffer. LÍN does not lend money
for registration nor do students get
money from LÍN until they have
received their first-term marks.
Instead they rely on banks to tide
them over.
What do the candidates have to
say?
Four hopeful candidates are currently
running in an election for the rector’s
position at the University of Iceland
that takes place March 10th. So what
opinions do they have on the issue of
student fees?
Professor Ágúst Einarsson, head
of the Faculty of Economics and
Business Administration
declined to comment. On his
election campaign website, however,
he states that he is “against
charging undergraduates.” His
opinion is different when it comes
to graduates, as he states on his
website: “A moderate fee may be
suitable at certain departments at
the University. The most pressing
issue for the university is to get
more funding from the government;
similar to the financial support
universities in the Nordic countries
receive. I was first to point this out
in public some ten years ago.” That
said, rector Páll Skúlason stated
in an interview, published on the
university’s website on October 26th
2003 that Professor Einarsson was
instrumental in the move to adopt
school fees at the graduate level at
the university.
Professor Einar Stefánsson,
former dean of Faculty of Medicine,
says: “University students in most
countries do not pay for their
graduate studies. Further, I am of
the opinion that the state should
allocate more money for university
education. Currently, the Nordic
countries and the USA spend more
than double the amount of money
in percentage of GDP than Iceland
does.” Professor Stefánsson speaks
of Iceland’s position in a European
context. “Universities must adapt
to progress. Our graduates are
competing in a labour market of
some 400 million people. No half
measures will do to ensure the
competitiveness of our students and
our country. University fees would
definitely discourage students from
studying.”
Professor Kristín Ingólfsdóttir,
deputy head of Faculty of Pharmacy,
says: “I denounce the idea of
charging students a fee for studying
at the university on the grounds
that university education should
be affordable to all. Should it
become necessary in the future
to charge students, an agreement
would have to be made with LÍN
to accommodate such changes. In
any case, society would have to pick
up some of the tab for university
education anyway as it also costs
society to extend affordable loans to
students.” Ingólfsdóttir would like
to see a fundamental change at the
university. “The government needs
to acknowledge the importance
of university education. Instead
of bickering about the school
fees, we should be turning our
attention towards developing the
curriculum and expanding research.”
Ingólfsdóttir is not just the only
female candidate, but in fact the first
female candidate ever to run for this
position.
Professor Jón Torfi Jónasson from
the Faculty of Social Sciences and a
scholar on education and educational
theory,
expects society to pay for university
education at undergraduate and
graduate level – not individual
students. “Society has agreed upon
fostering university education,”
he explains. “This agreement is
now being challenged in some
places. In my capacity as a rector, I
would advocate the importance of
university education for the reason
that university education is a vital
catalyst for progress in today’s
modern society.” Professor Jónasson
feels it is acceptable to charge some
students. “Demand for education at
all levels has increased steadily and
the university should be allowed
to accept fees for certain types of
continuing education, as companies
can clearly gain from sending their
professionals to us for knowledge
update for which they should be
prepared to pay.”
The Icelandic Parliament passed a bill last December that allows state universities to increase their
annual registration fee by nearly 40% from the previous year. This marks a departure from the past,
when the State encouraged students to pursue university education in two ways: Firstly by not charging
an admission fee, and secondly by making student loans available to students through the Icelandic
Student Loan Fund (LÍN). As the number of university students has increased by nearly 50% in only
six years, financial issues regarding the funding of universities have become more pressing.
DO DEBTS ENCOURAGE STUDENTS TO STUDY?
by Stefán Helgi Valsson
G
úndi
6