March 13, 2025
Eva Jörgensen, doctoral student at the School of Social Sciences, part-time lecturer at the University of Iceland and treasurer of Seigla, the doctoral student association at the School of Social Sciences, writes
As a doctoral student at the School of Social Sciences at the University of Iceland, I have followed the university's rector elections with great interest, and Silja Bára stands out as the leader that I feel the university needs at this time.
First of all, I believe it is important for the University of Iceland to have an individual from the social sciences at its head. Social sciences are often not considered “real science”, which has been reflected in the recent attacks on the honor of the discipline, along with the devaluation of our studies and contributions to Icelandic society. This attitude is further crystallized in the closure of departments and the cancellation of social studies, including in Hungary and the United Kingdom. Examples are widespread and the most recent is from the United States, where doctoral students and postdoctoral fellows have lost positions and research projects on a large scale that would otherwise have enriched our knowledge on issues such as global health and social inequality. Academic freedom is being fought for, not its end in sight, and therefore it is more important than ever to have a strong advocate for social studies who understands its importance in the educational and research landscape both domestically and internationally.
Silja Bára's policies focus on strengthening the university in all areas. She emphasizes improving the university's funding and infrastructure, protecting research and academic freedom. She also wants to improve the working and learning environment, increase equality and diversity, as well as promote sustainability and modernize teaching. I also agree with her ideas about facilitating the recruitment of academic staff who would raise Grettistak for those of us who are early in our careers and have much to offer to strengthen the position of the University of Iceland, but who nevertheless experience high job insecurity and significantly low salaries that hinder our professional development and contribution.
What makes Silja Bára unique among the candidates, in my opinion, is her genuine interest in listening to and working with all members of the university community. For example, she sought to sit down with doctoral students in the School of Social Sciences to listen to our perspectives and concerns. This approach reflects her policy of transparency and building trust and collaboration within the university.
As a doctoral student, I am confident that Silja Bára has the vision and leadership skills needed to lead the University of Iceland into the future and ensure that the voices of young academics, and especially doctoral students, are heard and respected. Therefore, I will be putting an X next to Silja on March 18th.
