March 1, 2025
Valgerður Björk Pálsdóttir and Guðbjörg Ríkey Thoroddsen Hauksdóttir, doctoral students at the Faculty of Political Science, University of Iceland, write
Good teachers leave their mark – not just in textbooks but in the way they encourage their students to think, grow and develop. That is exactly what Silja Bára Ómarsdóttir proved to us. She not only taught us the subject matter but also how to approach political science with ambition and criticism. For us – and so many other political science students – she was a role model who showed that it is possible to make your voice heard in the academic community.
We have both been doing PhDs in recent years and have taught in political science. Through that experience, we have come to understand even better how important it is to have a leader who stands with the academic community and listens to those who work there. Silja Bára has long advocated for a better working environment for teachers and academics, for the university to receive real funding to support its mission, and for the teaching and research load to be manageable and sustainable. She knows how important it is to create an environment where both students and teachers can grow and enjoy themselves.
She has also always advocated that the university community needs to be accessible and diverse. The knowledge we build within the University of Iceland should not be locked away in an academic tower – it should be useful to society. Silja Bára herself has been exceptionally strong in appearing in the media and communicating her academic knowledge in an educational and entertaining way. She has thus shown that the academic community should not be isolated but a living part of the social debate. The University of Iceland needs a rector who has a clear vision of the future, but at the same time someone who knows the grassroots well – what it is really like to be a student, teacher or researcher within the university. Silja Bára does that. She knows what it takes to build a stronger and more just university community, and that is why we support her wholeheartedly.
