University Lecturers Win Million-Kroner Award

The Master’s programme in Health Science at the University of the Faroe Islands has been awarded 1.5 million DKK and a prize from the Novo Nordisk Foundation for outstanding teaching.

Ása Róin, Marin Strøm, and Anna Sofía Veyhe, all associate professors at the Faculty of Health Science at the University of the Faroe Islands, have been awarded a prestigious prize for their exceptional teaching.

The three form the team of programme leaders behind the Master’s degree in Health Science at the University of the Faroe Islands. The Novo Nordisk Foundation is awarding them 1.5 million DKK in recognition of their dedicated efforts to strengthen the academic environment for health sciences in the Faroe Islands.

- High-quality teaching is crucial for engaging university students and preparing them for careers in science, technology, and health. With these awards, we want to raise awareness of the importance of good teaching and inspire further development in higher education, says Berith Bjørnholm, Senior Vice President for Education & Outreach at the Novo Nordisk Foundation.

The Foundation’s rationale for awarding the prize to Ása, Marin, and Anna Sofía is that they have developed a programme deeply rooted in Faroese society through professional commitment and academic excellence. The programme emphasises health and well-being in an island community and has fostered a vibrant educational environment where students can shape and deepen their academic profile.

A key strength of the Health Science Master’s is that its teaching methods have led to students co-authoring scientific articles with lecturers. This not only raises the academic level of the programme but also brings Faroese health-related knowledge to the international stage. Students also get to apply theoretical knowledge in practical projects that address real challenges in the Faroese healthcare system.

Ása, Marin, and Anna Sofía themselves stress that developing the Master’s programme has been a team effort. Alongside the three of them, Anna Sofía Fjallheim, Teaching Lecturer, and Annika Helgadóttir Davidsen, Assistant Professor in Psychology, also contribute to the programme at the University of the Faroe Islands.

The total award amounts to 1.5 million DKK, of which each recipient will receive 25,000 DKK personally. The remaining amount will go to the University of the Faroe Islands to further develop the health sciences programme.

Anna Sofía Veyhe, the current programme leader, together with former programme leaders Marin Strøm and Ása Róin, states that they, in collaboration with faculty leadership, will now prepare a plan for further development.

The Master’s in Health Science was established as part of a broader initiative to strengthen health research and education in the Faroe Islands, with earmarked funding from the Faroese Health Insurance Fund (Sjúkrakassagrunnurin).

Professor and Dean Magni Mohr says that all colleagues are thrilled and very proud of the award.

- The faculty has developed tremendously over the past ten years and now has broad competencies in health sciences. The Master’s programme was developed during this time, primarily through the dedicated and focused efforts of Ása, Marin, and Anna Sofía. It is academically strong and closely aligned with Faroese conditions. We at the faculty are truly pleased and proud of this recognition, says Magni Mohr.

He adds that this is a prime example of what can be achieved when the Faroese government decides to allocate funding for research in strategically important areas.

Funding from the Health Insurance Fund can serve as a model for other knowledge fields that society needs and wishes to develop.

A representative from the Novo Nordisk Foundation will come to the Faroe Islands to present the award at a ceremony in Kongshøll at the University on 15 May.

Warmest congratulations to Ása, Marin, Anna Sofía, and the entire University on this remarkable award!

Read more here.