The University of Iceland was established 17th June 1911, on the centenary of the national hero of Iceland, President Jón Sigurðsson. The University of Iceland offers nearly four hundred undergraduate and graduate degree programmes. The university is organised into five academic schools, and 25 faculties. The university offers diverse programmes on all levels and the University of Iceland is the only university in the country offering undergraduate and graduate studies in all the main disciplines. In addition, the University of Iceland is an internationally renowned research university and University of Iceland academics have received a great deal of international recognition for their scientific work. A large number of research findings by scientists from the University of Iceland is considered ground-breaking in its field. The university operates around 40 research institutes, and research-based graduate studies are also offered. The University of Iceland is a vibrant community where most academic disciplines are pursued, closely linked with the professional sector and Icelandic society in general. The university employs a group of well-educated and experienced teachers and scientists; it has a standing tradition for research and collaborates actively with universities and institutions abroad. The university is at once a national scientific and educational institution and a part of the international academic community. The University of Iceland has paved the way for national development and prosperity and is the strongest cornerstone of knowledge creation in Icelandic society. In a time of growing international competition university education and research activities in Iceland must be fully in line with the best available internationally; the University of Iceland plays a key role in this regard. Year after year surveys have shown that the Icelandic people have more confidence in the University of Iceland than any other institution; the university enjoys the confidence of more than 90% of the nation. In order to best serve Icelandic society the University of Iceland has set itself the goal of becoming one of the leading universities in the world. The university will work toward that target by strengthening research, teaching and support services. This goal was set in 2006 and the university is already well on its way to achieving it, for example the number of doctoral students is ever-increasing, external income has grown and the university has undergone an extensive governance restructuring. These are all stepping stones towards becoming one of the 100 leading universities in the world. The University of Iceland offers a great diversity of study programmes. The university is made up of five schools, 25 faculties and hundreds of study programmes. The University of Iceland is the only university in the country offering programmes in all fields of study and all levels of higher education. One of the greatest strengths of the University of Iceland is the diversity of programmes on offer. Students can organise their studies as suits them, take courses within more than one subject, and thereby graduate with a university degree which is unique, and suits each individual´s interest. In addition, a few study programmes offer interdisciplinary graduate studies. The University of Iceland greatly emphasises educational quality, and one of its long-term goals is to become one of the best universities in the world. There is a large group of well-educated and well-trained lecturers who have undertaken studies and research at respected universities abroad. The University of Iceland is a national leader in research, and is in close cooperation with the professional sector and the general public. Without question, this all results in a better education The University of Iceland and the Iceland University of Education merged on 1st July 2008, under the name University of Iceland. The structure of the merged university is currently under revision. Five schools, consisting of three to six faculties each, replace the eleven departments of the former University of Iceland and the four departments of the former Iceland University of Education. The purpose of the altered structure is to strengthen academic programmes, reinforce support systems for academic staff, increase the service level for students and improve administration and make it more efficient