01+School+information

Fjölbrautaskóli Suðurlands Sudurland College

**Vice-principal**: Þórarinn Ingólfsson **Course Director**: Ása Nanna Mikkelsen **Financial Director**: Haraldur Eiríksson || **Educational Director**: Ragnheidur Ísaksdottir **Study Counsellor**: Agnes Ó. Snorradóttir, Álfhildur Eiríksdóttir and Jóhanna Einarsdóttir **Field Directors:** Björgvin E. Björgvinsson and Ægir Sigurdsson ||
 * **Principal**: Olga Lísa Garðarsdóttir

South Iceland College (Fjölbrautaskóli Sudurlands) was established in Selfoss in 1981 and was joined by the remaining counties of southern Iceland in 1983. The school is owned jointly by the Ministry of Finance and the counties in southern Iceland. South Iceland College is __one__ of the largest colleges of further education in the country, outside the capital. It serves the whole of the southern part of the country with a population of approximately 19,000. The college is situated in Selfoss, in the municipality of Árborg, with a population of just over 7,000. There are approximately 1,000 students and 120 members of staff. As with most colleges in Iceland, the college is financed and overseen by government ministries, although the buildings are jointly financed by local and national government. Teaching takes place in three buildings, named Oddi, Hamar and Ida, in the college’s grounds where teaching in academic subjects, vocational subjects and sports are taught respectively. South Iceland College is organised on a credit (modular) basis. The college year is divided into two terms consisting of 17–18 weeks each. The autumn term starts around 23 August and finishes at the end of November with examinations in December and graduation around 20 December. The spring term commences around 7 January and finishes at the end of April with examinations in May and graduation around the 22nd of that month. All subjects are divided into one term courses and each course carries a number of credits depending on how often it is taught per week. Teaching is conducted in 80 minute periods. A course which is taught three times a week carries three credits. Students are obliged to finsh a predetermined number of credits in each subject as well as a predetermined number of credits overall to finish a particular programme of study. Generally, students can begin to study either in the autumn or the spring term and can also graduate either at Christmas or in the spring. There are some exceptions though, e.g. in the vocational departments and the preparatory courses where students are advised to begin their studies in the autumn. Most of the students are aged between 16 and 20, although there are also many older students who attend daytime classes. South Iceland College has chosen the motto Diversity – Creation – Enlightenment. One of our main objectives is to provide diversity in courses on offer, and thus it is possible to choose from 20 different vocational and academic programmes of study. Most of the students are enrolled in the academic programmes, i.e. Natural Sciences, Social Studies, Languages or Business Studies. Examples of vocational programmes are Carpentry, Metalwork, Nursing Assistantship, Art and Electricianship. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">In partnership with various sporting associations, the college runs four academies: basketball, handball, football (soccer) and gymnastics. Students in the academies are chosen by the partners. In addition, courses dealing with the Icelandic horse and horsemanship have recently been introduced (2006). A __special__ programme involving horsemanship is being developed. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Around 30 students attend the special education department. Courses there are intended for students with learning disabilities and sometimes with additional physical disabilities. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">A number of exchange students attend the college each year. Classes in Icelandic as a foreign language are part of the curriculum, and support is available for students of foreign origin as well as for Icelandic students who have spent a considerable length of time abroad. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">A college of master craftsmanship for journeymen is also run. Classes are held in the evenings. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Teachers from the college are responsible for teaching inmates at Litla Hraun, the main prison in Iceland, as well as in the psychiatric unit at Sogn in Ölfus. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">About a fifth of the students use daily buses which the college provides from the neighbouring towns. In January 2005, a new dormitory was opened, at Fosstún in Selfoss, which can accommodate 62 students. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The student committee oversees and plans the students’ extra curricular activities. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Around 50 students are in the college choir, which has recorded on cassette and CD. It has toured extensively in Iceland as well as travelling to Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Scotland and the Faroes. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">South Iceland College is a good college which is open to new educational ideas. It is active in a wide range of innovative and progressive educational developments. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The college is a leading force when it comes to new teaching methods, and has actively introduced laptops into the classroom. Today, over 400 students use laptops in their studies. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">As a result of the college’s active involvement in co-operation with schools abroad, a considerable number of students have enjoyed trips abroad in connection with their studies.