Successful LÍS National Congress 2026 Held in Akureyri
The Student Union of the University of Akureyri had the honour of hosting the National Congress of the National Union of Icelandic Students (LÍS) in 2026. The congress took place in the ceremonial hall of the University of Akureyri and was a great success. The National Union and its member organisations made excellent use of this supreme student consultation platform to discuss common interests, consolidate our priorities in shaping university policy, and strengthen the ties between member organisations.
The President of Iceland, Ms Halla Tómasdóttir, set the tone for the congress with a conversation with Lísa, President of LÍS, and Aðalbjörn, President of SHA. They discussed the situation of students, the importance of the university level in Icelandic society, and the future vision for education and equality in light of the emergence of artificial intelligence. They set the tone for the congress in a powerful and memorable way. Following this, we had three presentations, all related in their own way to the shaping of university policy; Silja Jóhannesar Ástudóttir, Communications Manager at the University of Akureyri, gave a presentation on the importance of disseminating research findings in the context of strengthening universities, Guðmundur Ævar Oddsson, a professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Akureyri, educated us on social class stratification regarding university education, and Robert Mealey shared his valuable experience of student advocacy in Canada.
At the congress, representatives of LÍS member organisations came together and had a substantive and constructive dialogue about shaping university policy for the future. The discussions reflected the collective will of students to strengthen the position of universities and improve the working environment for students. The underfunding of the university level and its infrastructure debt was a prominent theme in the congress discussions.
The following resolutions from SHA were passed at the National Congress:
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Resolution on the state of emergency of Icelandic universities
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Resolution on the rights and protection of non-EEA students regarding changes to tuition fees in universities
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Resolution calling on all universities in Iceland to take a clear, visible, and active stance regarding the backlash in equality and human rights issues
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Resolution on the ethical responsibility of universities and students towards war and human rights violations
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Resolution on a bilateral agreement with the United Kingdom for equal access to university education
In addition, a declaration from the Student Union of Reykjavík University on the impact of construction related to the Borgarlína project on students at Reykjavík University was approved. The National Congress also agreed to issue a joint declaration of intent from the LÍS National Congress on a campaign against the underfunding of universities, which includes a clear and collective statement from students about the urgent need for increased investment in Iceland's university level.
Although both important and serious issues were in focus, we also offered an entertainment programme to bring the group together. On Friday evening, an evening gathering was held, hosted by SHA, which created a platform for informal conversation and networking among the congress representatives. The congress then concluded with a joint dinner at Skógur Bistro, before continuing with karaoke at Vamos, where we sealed the weekend with dancing and singing.
SHA extends its sincere thanks to all participants, guests, and partners for a very enjoyable and substantive LÍS National Congress 2026. Special thanks go to the University of Akureyri for the use of the university's premises and for their excellent cooperation.