Exciting opportunities for RU in Australia

Western Sydney University will become a new partner institution of Reykjavík University in the coming months, making it RU’s third partner university in Australia. The collaboration will focus on student exchange and increased academic cooperation. The agreement was secured during a visit to Australia by Guðlaug M. Jakobsdóttir, Director of the International Office, where she participated in a Learning Abroad Fair Circuit hosted by partner universities.

This is an annual event where Australian universities invite partner institutions from around the world to present study abroad opportunities. The aim is to encourage Australian students to gain international experience through exchange programmes.

Changes in International Exchange Collaboration

Guðlaug M. Jakobsdóttir presented Reykjavík University at three Australian universities during the trip.

Australia is one of the most popular destinations for RU students in exchange programmes. However, since agreements with Australian universities are based on balanced student exchange, we regularly need to limit the number of outgoing students. It is therefore very important for us to attract more students from Australia.

She explains. During the visit, she presented RU at Queensland University of Technology and the University of Sydney, where the reception was very positive.

At QUT in Brisbane, I met around 20 interested students and was joined by an RU exchange student, Benjamín Ragnarsson, in presenting the university. We were then given a campus tour, during which the HiQ service centre stood out a central, visible hub that combines academic advising, practical support, and social spaces. It’s an interesting model for supporting new and international students, with accessible walk-in services.

She says, adding that teaching and research facilities at QUT are highly flexible, almost like theatre sets, with movable equipment. Group workspaces are located near research areas, allowing students to observe ongoing work through glass walls and increasing the visibility of hands-on learning.

Guðlaug also held productive meetings with colleagues at QUT to discuss ways to increase student interest in Iceland. The outcome was to better map suitable courses and, if appropriate, develop a tailored study package. Currently, RU has a two-year agreement with QUT, and RU students are required to pay discounted tuition fees while efforts are made to balance student exchange numbers.

The trip then continued to Sydney, where Guðlaug took part in a promotional event at the University of Sydney.

It was a very enjoyable event, and I estimate that around 50 people came to speak with me and learn more about RU and Iceland. There were lively conversations, Icelandic sweets were offered, and we even held a fun competition in pronouncing difficult Icelandic words, which was very popular.

She says. Participants were also given a guided tour of the University of Sydney's beautiful campus, the oldest university in Australia and one of the first in the world to admit students solely on academic merit rather than religious affiliation. Guðlaug concludes by describing the trip as a highly successful promotional visit to Australia.