Association of University Teachers

Association of University Teachers Professional Development Fund (SFH)

The Association of University Teachers Professional Development Fund (Starfsþróunarsjóður Félags háskólakennara, SFH) is a fund that was agreed upon in the collective agreement (in Icelandic) between FH and the Minister of Finance on the 16th of November 2015.

The goal of the AUT Professional Development Fund is to promote the systematic professional development of Association members, such as pursuing formal studies, attending conferences/courses, conducting research and professional collaboration. The Fund is also intended to create more opportunities for the University of Iceland and affiliated institutions to enable Association members to pursue mutually beneficial projects. 

Application  Umsóknareyðublað   

Allocation rules (dated May 2nd 2020).

    Tuition fees, course fees including language and information technology courses, coach training that ends with a degree, conference fees, sabbatical and leaves from studies for which the employer in question will not be covering all travel expenses, research collaboration with foreign universities and research institutes, research and study visit to foreign institutions.

    Other travel expenses, e.g. train and airfares and driving expenses, hotel and accommodation expenses. This includes local transport in the case of a trip to and from a final destination, e.g. airport or train station to the last accommodation. The maximum payment for such local transport is kr. 10.000 for each trip. Driving within Iceland, whether travelling by taxi or private vehicle, will be funded up to the same amount as the cheapest public transport fare.

    Public transport within cities or municipalities, car rental, loss of wages, study materials, food, tourist excursions, hobby courses, editorial meetings and self-training courses.

    • The applicant's union membership fees have been paid for an uninterrupted period of three months before the disbursement of grants.
    • The maximum grant sum is ISK 600,000 per. 18 months. 
    • Payment of union fees averaging ISK 2,100 per month or more shall confer the right to a full grant, ISK 600.000. Payment of union fees averaging between ISK 1,050 and ISK 2,099 per month shall confer the right to a half grant, ISK 300,000. Payment of union fees averaging less than ISK 1,050 per month shall not confer the right to a grant. 
    • Fund payments shall generally depend on the provision of original invoices. 
    • The final deadline for application, including submission of supporting documentation, is the last day of each month.
    • Grants from the Fund are generally paid out monthly.

    Care must be taken in filling in applications and the form must specify in detail how the applicant intends to use the grant, along with other information requested on the form. If an application pertains to reimbursement of outlay costs, which are documented in a foreign currency the applicant must indicate how much the outlay costs would have been in ISK. (screenshot from a bank account).

    • Grants are not awarded in advance and cost is only reimbursed when the fund has received a receipt of payment.
    • Please send additional documents to helgabirna@hi.is
    • The amount applied for in Icelandic krónur (screenshot from a bank account).
    • The applicant confirms that no grant has been applied for the costs on which this application is based from a third party, e.g. the employer or other funds into which the applicant has earned a right.

    The board of the fund appoints:

    • Íris Davíðsdóttir, FH, chairman.
    • Jens Guðmundur Hjörleifsson, FH.
    • Guðrún Margrét Eysteinsdóttir, HÍ.
    • Þórana Elín Dietz, HÍ.

    The association's director is Helga Birna Ingimundardóttir.

    Starfsreglur stjórnar, desember 2017.

    Samþykktir starfsþróunarsjóðs, desember 2017.