Bifrost University

[EduCativ]

Bifröst University is located in the valley of Norðurárdalur, approximately 30 kilometers north of Borgarnes, Iceland. Formerly a business school, it also offers degrees in Law and social sciences, at both bachelor's and masters and a remedial university preparatory course. As of 2011, the University had 573 enrolled students. Student and staff housing surround the school, which with Hólar University College, is one of two real "campus universities" in Iceland. However, many enrolled students are in distance learning programs.
Bifröst University was founded in Reykjavík Iceland in 1918 on the model of Ruskin College, Oxford, under the name Samvinnuskólinn or the Cooperative College. From the start, its role was to educate leaders for business and society at large. The school was moved to Borgarfjörður in 1955, situated 110km north of the capital. Bifröst is the only Liberal Arts campus school in the country, and it was accredited University in 1988, first only in Busines. Also, offering degrees in Law since 2002 and in Social Science since 2005.
Bifröst is a private, self-governing, non-profit institution that receives around 40% of its income from the Icelandic state, 40% from tuition fees, and 20% from other sources. Being alumni from Bifröst includes many prominent entrepreneurs and leaders in Icelandic business and politics, including the prime minister of the country.
Bifröst also offers a one-year pre-university level preparatory study program for students lacking full university entrance qualifications, as well as various life-long learning programs, including successful programs for retail management, for tourism and one for people working in local government. Many of Bifröst's undergraduate students spend one or more terms abroad at partner universities in America, Asia, and continental Europe.
Bifröst University is an active member of the Icelandic and international research communities and prides itself on recruiting faculty with broad research profiles in the social sciences. Bifröst University hosts many independent research centers, for example, Centre for European Studies, Centre for Retail Studies, and Research Centre of Cultural Management. Bifröst University has to lead many research projects funded by the Icelandic Research Council in addition to projects funded by the EC Research Framework program. Bifröst University has also participated in many academic networks of the COST and ERASMUS programs, as well as the Northern Periphery program.
Bifröst University emphasizes vigorous and reformative quality assurance about all of the University's operations. The purpose of quality assurance is to maximize the quality of studies, teaching, and research and provide students, instructors, and staff with an academic environment that meets both Icelandic and International quality standards and assures the quality of academic degrees conferred at Bifröst University.
The Bifröst University Quality System shall have as a frame of reference – and endeavor to meet – requirements on external and internal evaluation of universities. Quality assurance shall be open and transparent and be characterized by critical and provident attitudes. Improvement is an inherent attribute of the Quality System, and therefore it shall continuously be subject to revision and development.

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