The University of Reykjavík is a limited company, and the shareholders and their holdings are as follows:

• The Iceland Chamber of Commerce 61%
• The Federation of Icelandic Industries 23%
• SA Confederation of Icelandic Enterprise 11%
• Treasury shares 5%

The owners do not receive financial benefits from HR's operation, and it is not permitted to pay dividends to shareholders. RU is therefore run as a non-profit organisation, and the benefits are used to promote education in the country, especially in the fields of technology, business and law.

• Service contract for teaching and research
• RU´s organisational Chart

Board of Directors

Reykjavik University's Board of Directors comprises five full members and one alternate member, each elected at RU's annual meeting.

The Board of Directors is responsible for planning, administration, finance, determining tuition fees, and general operations. The President of RU attends the Board of Directors' meetings.

• Tanya Zharov, lawyer and chair of the board of HR
• Björn Brynjúlfur Björnsson, Managing Director, Icelandic Chamber of Commerce
• Halldór Benjamín Þorbergsson, CEO of Heima
• Sigurður Hannesson, Director General, SI - The Federation of Icelandic Industries
• Svafa Grönfeldt, professor at MIT

University Council

The RU University Council consists of ten representatives of business and administration. The University Council is a forum for discussion of the university's policies on learning, teaching, and research, as well as the relationship between the university and the business world.

• Tanya Zharov, lawyer and chair of the board of RU
• Andri Þór Guðmundsson, Chairman of the Iceland Chamber of Commerce
• Anna Hrefna Ingimundardóttir, Deputy Director of SA – Confederation of Icelandic Enterprise
• Borghildur Erlingsdóttir, CEO of the Icelandic Intellectual Property Office (Hugverkastofa)
• Brynja Baldursdóttir, CEO of Greiðslumiðlun Íslands
• Guðmundur Fertram Sigurjónsson, founder of Kerecis
• Hjálmar Gíslason, founder and CEO of GRID
• Jón Ólafur Halldórsson, chair of the Confederation of Icelandic Employers
• Valgerður Hrund Skúladóttir, engineer
• Þorsteinn Víglundsson, chair of SI - the Federation of Icelandic Industries

Executive council

Administration

RU's work in specific policy areas — including teaching quality, sustainability, ethics, equality and intellectual property — is carried out by a network of councils and committees. Membership is drawn primarily from academic staff across departments, with committees such as the Sustainability Committee also including representatives from central operations and students. Each group monitors its remit and reports through the university's governance structure, typically to the rector or the relevant council chair.

Sustainability Committee

Follows the university's policy on sustainability so that the committee can receive information on the status and impact of teaching, research and operations on sustainability, taking into account the criteria of ESG (environment, social aspects, governance).

Ensures that information on sustainability is accessible and guides daily decision-making in operations and in the school's core activities.

Makes sure that the University of Reykjavík always has an impact on sustainability through teaching, research, events, business life and society.

Sustainability Committee

• Bryndís Björk Ásgeirsdóttir, Vice President for Education, Students and Sustainability

School of Social Science

• Stefan Wendt, Department of Business and Economics
• Felix Högnason, Department of Psychology
• Ása Guðný Ásgeirsdóttir, Department of Sport Science
• Snjólaug Árnadóttir, Department of Law

School of Technology

• Björn Þór Jónsson, Department of Computer Science
• Ólafur Haralds Wallevik, Department of Applied Engineering
• Þórður Helgason, Department of Engineering

Operation

• Þórhildur Fjóla Kristjánsdóttir, committee secretary, project manager for sustainability in the rector's office
• Katrín Rut Bessadóttir, Project Manager at Communications and Marketing
• Rakel Gunnarsdóttir, Project Manager at Communications and Marketing
• Ester Gústavsdóttir, Human Resources Manager
• Elísabet Þóra Jóhannesdóttir, Human Resources Specialist
• Jón Haukur Arnarsson, Chief Executive of Operations (COO)
• María Ingibjörg Jónsdóttir, Financial Manager
• Kristinn Hjálmarsson, The Open University - Continuous and executive education

Students

• Orri Þór Eggertsson
• Erna María Beck

Ethics Committee

The Rector appoints the RU ethics committee, and the school's executive board approves the committee's appointment.

Ethics Committee

• Ingunn S. Unnsteinsdóttir Kristensen, Chairman (appointed by university president)
• María Kristín Jónsdóttir, from the School of Technology
• Svala Ísfeld Ólafsdóttir, from the School of Social Science
• Guðrún Sævarsdóttir, from the School of Technology
• Harpa Guðjónsdóttir, from the School of Technology 
• Valgerður Eyja Eyþórsdóttir, student representative

According to the Ethics Committee´s operating procedures, all matters addressed to the committee should be addressed to the chair. The chairman of the committee is Ingunn S. Unnsteinsdóttir Kristensen, who is situated on the second floor in March. E-mail address is ingunnu@ru.is. Alternatively, you can send tips directly to the committee e-mail at sidanefnd@ru.is and have the message sent to all committee members.

Code of Ethics

Reykjavik University is a knowledge community where students, teachers and other employees work together on the acquisition, innovation and dissemination of knowledge. Such a community requires all its members to take moral responsibility for their actions. In order to facilitate this, the University wishes to create a work environment where communication and activities are characterised by respect, integrity, fairness and equality.

The objective of this code of ethics is to ensure that the conduct of all those who work within the University meets the strictest moral requirements that can be made within an establishment of its kind. The code consists of 10 numbered items, which are intended to serve as a reminder to everyone within the University of their obligations concerning communication and work methods. It should, however, not be regarded as a complete description of what constitutes desirable behaviour.

1. We respect those who study and work within the University as individuals, treat them with consideration and respect their confidence.
2. We prevent the occurrence of any form of injustice, be it bullying, sexual harassment or discrimination on the grounds of irrelevant factors such as gender, age, faith, nationality, race, disability or sexual orientation.
3. We defend the honour of the University and take no action that might cast shadow on the University's reputation in the community.
4. We complete all our duties at RU with honesty and sincerity and through our actions encourage others to do the same.
5. We seek knowledge with openness and objectivity and emphasise professional work methods, critical thinking and factual reasoning.
6. We respect confidentiality and protect the interests of those who participate in our research.
7. We respect scholarly autonomy, always work according to our own convictions and avoid having conflicting interests affect the outcome of our work.
8. We respect intellectual property rights, do not take credit for the work of others and always cite the sources we use in accordance with accepted scientific practices.
9. We make every effort to be objective and fair in our comments, feedback and reference to others within the University.
10. We are active participants in the operations and development of the University and consider it our duty to communicate information that might be conducive to improving the University.

Equality Committee

The Equality Committee is appointed by RU´s President for a term of two years, with the possibility of extending the term two years at a time. Members are not allowed to serve more than six consecutive years on the committee. At least half of the committee´s members shall remain at the end of each period in order to preserve valuable knowledge.

• Árni Steinar Stefánsson, operations
• Katrín Rut Bessadóttir, operations
• Ingi Þór Einarsson, the School of Social Sciences
• Inga María Ólafsdóttir, the School of Social Sciences
• Ingunn Ýr Guðbrandsdóttir, the School of Technology
• Steinunn Guðmundsdóttir, the School of Technology
• Elín Salka Snorradóttir, student representative
• Steinar Peterse, student representative

Ester Gústavsdóttir, human resources manager, also attends meetings of the equality committee.

The role of the Gender Equality Committee is to: 

• Follow the RU Equal Opportunities Programme in collaboration with the Human Resources Managing Director.
• Manage the review of the RU Equality Programme.
• Participate in the consultation forum of equal opportunity officers in universities.
• Provide education about gender equality.
• Participate in preparing for Equality Days.
• The committee does not deal with individual employee issues, but employees and units can seek advice from the committee, and, if appropriate, the committee can advise on the correct route.
• The committee advises RU´s management and president on gender equality and can raise important issues on the agenda. 
• The committee usually meets once a month. 

Curriculum Council

The RU Curriculum Council is responsible for discussing issues related to teaching and learning in both undergraduate and graduate studies. The council consists of representatives from all departments, but the chairman of the council is appointed by the rector. The council reports directly to the rector, and the chairman sits on the university's executive council.

The Curriculum Council formulates RU's teaching policy and monitors its progress. This includes, among other things, encouraging and supporting good and progressive teaching methods. The Curriculum Council also examines and revises the university's rules for study and teaching as necessary.

The Curriculum Council organises citizen meetings, where the university's academic staff discuss specific issues related to learning and teaching. Issues that have been addressed at that level include, for example, interdisciplinary studies and measures of teaching quality.

Curriculum Council:

• Magnús Már Halldórsson, Chairman, Department of Computer Science
• Freyr Halldórsson (Hallur Þór Sigurðarson is on leave), Department of Business and Economics
• Gísli Hvanndal Ólafsson, Department of Continuing Education Programme
• Hanna Steinunn Steingrímsdóttir (Berglind Sveinbjörnsdóttir is on leave), Department of Psychology
• Haraldur Auðunsson, Department of Engineering
• Helga Kristín Auðunsdóttir, Department of Law
• Katrín Ýr Friðgeirsdóttir, Department of Sports Science
• Magnús Már Halldórsson, Chairman, Department of Computer Science
• Harpa Guðjónsdóttir, Department of Computer Science
• Aldís Ingimundardóttir, Department of Engineering

Others attending the Curriculum Council meetings

• Hrefna Pálsdóttir, Teaching Development
• Guðrún Ragna Hreinsdóttir, Quality Manager - Teaching Development
• Auður Bjarnadóttir, Director of Student Interests and Quality, a representative of students from SFHR

Research Council

The responsibility of the Reykjavik University research council is to help build and maintain a strong research-oriented culture at the University through motivation and support, the design of processes, and the pursuit of funding opportunities. 

The council comprises one representative from each academic department, in addition to a chairman appointed by the President of the University in consultation with the department chairs. 

The research council formulates a research strategy and provides advice to the president, deans, and chairs of departments for implementing the strategy. Further, the council provides the president of the university with advice on research matters that do not pertain to individual schools or departments. The Department's proposals on the composition of review committees for academic hiring and promotions are sent to the council for comments.

RU Research Council:

• Sigurður Ingi Erlingsson, Chair, Department of Engineering
• Birna Valborgar Baldursdóttir, Department of Psychology
• Heiðar Ingvi Eyjólfsson, Department of Engineering
• Margrét Einarsdóttir, Department of Law
• Peter Gerard O'Donoghue, Department of Sport Science
• Susanne Durst, Department of Business & Economics
• Tarmo Ustaalu, Department of Computer Science
• Ólafur Haralds Wallevik, Department of Applied Engineering
• Teddy D'Moi Keen, representing RU students
• Sigríður Lára Guðmundsdóttir, RU Research Services

Intellectual Property Council

The Intellectual Property Council of RU oversees the Intellectual Property Rights and Startup policies. The Council operates under the mandate of the rector for the protection and utilisation of intellectual property and the establishment of startup companies, in collaboration with the vice rector for research, innovation, and industry relations. Here you can find the mandate of the Council. 

The tasks of the Intellectual Property Council include, among others, receiving notifications about intellectual property and the establishment of startup companies, decision-making authority regarding the transfer and waiver of intellectual property, submission and processing of patent applications/intellectual property, utilisation of intellectual property, ownership in startup companies, and the content of agreements concerning intellectual property and its utilisation. The mandate for the council provides a more detailed description of the council's tasks.

The members of the Intellectual Property Council are:

• Ásgeir Ásgeirsson, Department Chair,  Department of Applied Engineering 
• Hallur Þór Sigurðarson, Associate Professor, Department of Business and Economics
• Tatjana Latinovic, director of the intellectual property department at Össur

Olof Vigdís Ragnarsdóttir, intellectual property specialist at the university office, works with the council.

Confidentiality applies to the activities of the Intellectual Property Council.