The agreement, signed for a five-year period with the possibility of extension, was formalised by Ragnheiður I. Þórarinsdóttir, Rector of the Agricultural University of Iceland, Ágúst Sigurðsson, Director of Land and Forest Iceland, and Margrét Jónsdóttir Njarðvík, Rector of Bifröst University.

In addition to developing methods for forest care, regeneration, and innovation in sustainable resource use, the collaboration aims to promote the marketing of Icelandic forest products. The partnership will focus on:

• Strengthening ties and defining shared goals among the partners.

• Enhancing education in forestry, utilisation, and innovation.

• Developing new methods for logging and forest product use.

• Conducting market research related to forest utilisation.

• Using Skorradalur as a test site for developing methods in forest management, utilisation, and teaching.

• Utilising facilities at Hvammur in Skorradalur for research, development, and education.

Collaboration Projects

The cooperation covers a wide range of fields related to forestry, logging, and the use of forest resources, as well as research and development, including:

• Research in forestry, logging, and utilisation of forest products, alongside preparing management plans for forests.

• Development of new methods for forest use and the strengthening of forestry contractor services.

• Product development from Icelandic forests.

• Collaboration on the development and teaching of courses and programs related to forestry, utilisation, and forest product marketing.

• Preparation of business plans for new products.

Organisation of the Partnership

A project group will be established with two representatives from each party to oversee the planning and implementation of the cooperation projects. The group will meet regularly to monitor progress and set future strategies. Regular communication and consultation are planned to ensure consistency and continuity in the projects.

Funding Opportunities

Funding for projects will be sought from multiple sources, including:

• Grants from funds such as the Icelandic Technology Development Fund (Rannís), European funds, regional development programs, and domestic innovation funds.

• Partnerships with private companies in forest product processing and related industries.

Measuring Success

The success of the collaboration will be evaluated based on the following indicators:

• Number of cooperative projects implemented.

• Participation of students and teachers in joint projects, research, and courses.

• Student theses developed through the collaboration.

• Total funding secured for projects.

• Number of scientific publications and conference presentations in Iceland and abroad.

• Development and implementation of new products and services.