About the center

The Center of Health Science is a collaboration between the University of the Faroe Islands (FF), the National Hospital of the Faroe Islands (LS), and the Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health (DfAA) and since December 2019, the Genetic Biobank. The center was established in 2016 with the purpose to develop and enhance research and education within the health sciences field.

The center was established on the 8th of December 2015 when the agreement on funding to buld up a research collaboration was signed by the Research Council on one side and the University of the Faroe Islands, The National Hospital and the Department of Occupational Medicine on the other side. The grant was 7 million DKK from the Faroese Health Assurance Foundation (Sjúkrakassagrunnurin). The grant originates from Sjúkrakassagrunninum, which the Parliament decided in the spring 2012 should be used for research and other initiatives in the health sector.

The agreement was based on the guidelines for Høvuðsøki 3, which stipulated that “Funding can be given to promote research at or in cooperation with the University of the Faroe Islands, the Hospital System and potentially other institutions to develop the health sector in the Faroe Islands. An agreement will be made with the parties concerned.” Rules of conduct will stipulate more accurately how the funds can be used. That was, to establish a master’s degree program in health sciences, to fund PhDs in health science/public health/social health and to hire researchers in sciences in health science/public health/social health. It had to be taken into account that it should benefit all areas of the country.