Dr. Ólafur Eysteinn Sigurjónsson, Dean of The School of Technology and Vice-Rector for Science, Innovation and Industry Relations at Reykjavík University (RU), and Hrafntinna Viktoría Karlsdóttir, Project Manager for Industry Relations at RU, visited the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston, USA, this November. They were joined by Dr. Freyja Björk Dagbjartsdóttir, Chief Innovation Officer at Landsvirkjun, Dr. Silja Rán Steinberg Sigurðardóttir, Deputy CEO of RARIK, and Ásta Sóllilja Guðmundsdóttir, CEO of KLAK – Icelandic Startups. 

Landsvirkjun, RARIK, and KLAK – Icelandic Startups are partners in a collaboration agreement between Icelandic industry and MIT. 

Reykjavík University is a member of the MIT Industrial Liaison Program (ILP) and has collaborated with MIT over the past decade. Through this partnership, RU is authorized to offer selected Icelandic companies' additional membership in MIT ILP under the label Icelandic Innovation Partners (IIP), a role in which RU serves as the coordinating lead. The goal of the collaboration is to bring together companies and institutions with long-term strategic interests in cooperation with MIT and with each other. The partnership is led on MIT’s behalf by José Ramos, Programme Director at MIT ILP. 

The delegation attended MIT’s annual Research and Development Conference, one of the institution’s largest events of the year. The theme of this year’s conference was [Em]Powering the Future: Transforming Ideas into Reality. 

Our collaboration with MIT is extremely valuable, and it was inspiring to tour their facilities and meet leading researchers in AI, innovation, and sustainability. The conference program strongly aligned with our focus on innovation at RU, making the experience especially informative and relevant,

says Dr. Ólafur Eysteinn Sigurjónsson, Dean of the School of Technology and Vice-Rector for Science, Innovation and Industry Relations at Reykjavík University. 

Alongside the conference, the group held meetings with MIT ILP faculty and representatives from startup companies emerging from MIT’s innovation ecosystem. These meetings were tailored to the participants’ areas of interest and strategic priorities. 

The visit concluded with an interactive workshop titled “Making Feedback Work for You: From Awkward to Actionable,” led by Jayne Tan, an educator specializing in leadership training, and Melissa Webster, Senior Lecturer at MIT’s Sloan School of Management. The delegation then took part in a guided tour of the MIT campus and its key facilities.