GeoCamp Iceland

14/10/2026

GeoCamp Iceland er á meðal þeirra fyrirtækja og stofnana sem hljóta viðurkenningu Jafnvægisvogarinnar árið 2026 fyrir árangur í að jafna kynjahlutfall í stjórnunarstöðum.

Jafnvægisvogin er hreyfiaflsverkefni á vegum Félags kvenna í atvinnulífinu (FKA) sem hefur það að markmiði að stuðla að jafnari stöðu kynjanna í atvinnulífinu og auka fjölbreytni í stjórnunarstöðum. Viðurkenningin er veitt fyrirtækjum, stofnunum og sveitarfélögum sem náð hafa góðum árangri í þessum efnum.

GeoCamp Iceland er lítið, fjölskyldurekið fyrirtæki sem starfar á sviði fæðslu, vísindamiðlunar og fræðslutengdrar ferðaþjónustu. Fyrirtækið vinnur með skólum, háskólum og samstarfsaðilum, bæði á Reykjanesinu sem og erlendis, við þróun námsverkefna og vettvangsnáms, auk þess að taka virkan þátt í innlendum og alþjóðlegum þróunarverkefnum.

Jafnrétti, fjölbreytni og jöfn tækifæri eru mikilvægir þættir í starfsemi GeoCamp Iceland, bæði innan fyrirtækisins og í þeim verkefnum sem það tekur þátt í. Við erum því stolt af viðurkenningunni og lítum á hana sem hvatningu til að halda áfram að skapa gott, fjölbreytt og jafnréttismiðað starfsumhverfi.

Jafnrétti sem fær að vaxa

Í tilefni viðurkenningarinnar gróðursetti Sigrún Svafa Ólafsdóttir tré í Jafnréttislundinum í Heiðmörk fyrir hönd GeoCamp Iceland. Lundurinn er lifandi tákn um jafnrétti, fjölbreytni og sjálfbærni og minnir á mikilvægi þess að hlúa að þeim gildum til framtíðar.

Fyrir fyrirtæki sem byggir starfsemi sína á tengslum fólks, náttúru og menntunar er þetta sérstaklega skemmtileg leið til að fagna viðurkenningunni. Rétt eins og tré þurfa góð skilyrði til að vaxa og dafna, þarf jafnrétti að byggjast á meðvituðum ákvörðunum, umhyggju og langtímahugsun.

Við erum stolt af viðurkenningunni og þökkum Jafnvægisvoginni fyrir hvatninguna. Ekki síður þökkum við okkar frábæra starfsfólki sem hefur lagt sitt af mörkum til að skapa vinnustað þar sem allir hafa jöfn tækifæri til að vaxa, leiða og hafa áhrif.

Jafnrétti er ekki verkefni sem lýkur heldur stöðug vinna. Við ætlum að halda áfram á þeirri vegferð og gera enn betur.

Við óskum öllum öðrum viðurkenningarhöfum Jafnvægisvogarinnar 2026 innilega til hamingju!

12/10/2026

🌋 GeoCamp Iceland is at GSA Connects 2026 in Denver this week!

We’re excited to be part of the Geological Society of America’s annual meeting, connecting with geoscientists, educators, researchers and universities from around the world.

At GeoCamp Iceland, we believe some of the best learning happens outside the classroom. Iceland’s extraordinary landscapes provide a unique setting for exploring geology, volcanism, glaciers, climate change and the forces shaping our planet.

We’re here to share ideas, build partnerships and introduce our field-based educational programs in Iceland.

📍 Come visit us at Booth #719!

We’ll also be taking the Innovation Stage on Wednesday, October 14, to share more about GeoCamp and our upcoming educational field excursions, including our collaboration with GSA in 2027.

Looking forward to meeting old friends, making new connections and exploring new opportunities for learning in the field!

09/10/2026

290 metres of glacial retreat in just one year.

For more than 15 years, students at Hvolsskóli in South Iceland have been measuring the retreat of Sólheimajökull, an outlet glacier of Mýrdalsjökull.

Their latest measurements are striking. The glacier has retreated 290 metres in the past 12 months and 882 metres since the measurements began in 2010.

We regularly bring international student groups to Sólheimajökull to witness these changes firsthand. Standing in a landscape once covered by ice, looking across the expanding glacial lagoon towards the retreating glacier, makes climate change something much more than graphs, statistics and classroom discussions. It becomes real, visible and tangible.

Although the numbers are striking, the students and teachers at Hvolsskóli showcase a fantastic example of how outdoor education and field-based learning can bring STEM subjects together. Students collect real scientific data, apply mathematics, explore glaciology and witness the impacts of climate change firsthand.

Working alongside Katlan UNESCO Global Geopark and the local rescue team, students are not simply learning about climate change in a classroom. They are documenting it in their own environment.

This is the kind of learning we believe in. Connecting science, technology and education with real-world experiences that help young people better understand our changing planet.

An inspiring educational initiative, even if the results are deeply concerning. Well done to the students, teachers and everyone involved.

Read more: https://hvolsskoli.is/2026/10/07/maeling-a-solheimajokli/

08/10/2026

GeoCamp Iceland is leading the development of the Capacity Building Framework in the Erasmus+ On the Move project – looking at what companies and VET organisations actually need to make blended mobility work in practice.

For us, this work has a strong connection to the experience and expertise of Ólafur Jón Arnbjörnsson, founder of GeoCamp Iceland, who has spent most of his career working with vocational education, international cooperation and the development of links between education and the workplace.

Our discussions with Icelandic stakeholders highlighted a simple message. Companies are interested in supporting learners, but participation needs to be clear, practical and manageable.

That insight is now feeding directly into the tools and training being developed by On the Move, including practical support for workplace mentors, SMEs and organisations hosting international VET learners.

As one Icelandic participant put it: “Training needs to be extremely short and practical.” Exactly. Good mobility schemes have to work in the real world, not just on paper.

Read more about the work of On the Move:
https://vet-onthemove.eu/

Are Icelandic companies ready for blended mobility?

That was one of the questions GeoCamp Iceland explored with regional and national stakeholders in Iceland, as we developed the On the Move Capacity Building Framework.

The Icelandic discussion revealed a particular challenge. Apprenticeships remain concentrated in traditional trades, while sectors such as aquaculture, fish processing, energy and tourism often lack established apprenticeship pathways. At the same time, companies may be interested in hosting learners but lack the time, guidance and administrative capacity to get involved.

This led to some very practical ideas. Digital toolkit for SMEs, standardised agreements and safety guidance, short preparation courses for apprentices, and micro-training for workplace mentors.

And one message became particularly clear. Companies don’t necessarily need more complexity. They need clarity.

The Capacity Building Framework developed by GeoCamp Iceland therefore focuses on three areas: People and processes; Digital and pedagogical readiness; and Workplace partnerships — with practical tools that organisations can adapt to their own level of experience.

The Icelandic input also reinforced something very practical for the training we are now developing: Support for workplace trainers needs to fit around the reality of running a business.

As one participant put it: “Training needs to be extremely short and practical.”

That kind of practical feedback is exactly what On the Move is designed to bring into the development process, helping us create tools that respond to the realities of companies, trainers and VET organisations.

Read the full Capacity Building Framework on our website:
https://vet-onthemove.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Capacity-Building-Framework-Final-Version-Geo-Camp.pdf

06/10/2026

Geodiversity is all around us.

Here in Reykjanes Unesco Global Geopark, we don’t have to look far. Lava fields, volcanic craters, geothermal areas, faults, cliffs and coastlines all tell the story of a landscape that is constantly changing.

But geodiversity is about much more than rocks. It provides the foundation for soils, habitats and ecosystems – and ultimately for biodiversity and human life.

For us at GeoCamp Iceland, it is also a classroom.

Today, on UNESCO’s International Geodiversity Day, we celebrate the landscapes beneath our feet – and the importance of exploring, understanding and protecting them for future generations.

04/10/2026

🇮🇸 🇩🇰 Outdoor Learning in Reykjanes

In late September, GeoCamp Iceland welcomed six early childhood educators from Vesthimmerlands Kommune in Denmark for a day of professional learning in Reykjanes.

Together with Sigrún Svafa Ólafsdóttir, they visited Gefnarborg Preschool to explore approaches to outdoor education, language development and STEAM, before heading into Reykjanes Unesco Global Geopark to experience how nature, landscape and local stories can become part of the learning environment.

It was a beautiful autumn day – sharing ideas, exploring the landscape and experiencing how nature and the local environment can become an active part of learning, complete with an al fresco lunch along the way.

Thanks to our Danish guests and to Gefnarborg for a great day of learning across borders! 🇩🇰 🇮🇸

01/10/2026

Over the past three days, GeoCamp Iceland staff has been representing the On the Move Train-the-Trainer programme in Cyprus.

Together with project partners from across Europe, we have been working on how to make international apprenticeship mobility better prepared, better supported and more meaningful – for apprentices, VET schools, host companies, workplace trainers and mobility organisations.

The training has taken us from understanding blended apprenticeship mobility and the different stakeholder roles to practical work on training needs, learning outcomes, adult-learning methods, digital tools, course design and facilitation. The final day brings this together through micro-teaching and planning how the programme will now be adapted and delivered in the partner countries.

And there could hardly be a more appropriate day to conclude our work in Cyprus: today, 1 October, is Cyprus Independence Day. 🇨🇾

Many thanks to our Cypriot hosts at and all our On the Move partners for three excellent days of learning, discussion and European cooperation.

29/09/2026

🌊 Ripples of Knowledge comes to Reykjanes

Last week, GeoCamp Iceland welcomed 30 students and teachers from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to Reykjanes for the Iceland meeting of the Nordplus Junior project Ripples of Knowledge: STREAM-Based Outdoor Education for a Greener Tomorrow.

The project explores a simple but powerful idea: some of our best classrooms are right outside the school door.

Ripples brings together students and educators from Iceland and the Baltic countries to develop and test practical outdoor STREAM activities connecting science, technology, reading, engineering, arts and mathematics with nature, sustainability and the local environment.

During their stay, our visitors worked with three schools within Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark: Háaleitisskóli, Gerðaskóli and Sandgerðisskóli. Icelandic teachers from the region have already participated in project meetings in Latvia and Estonia, so this was also an opportunity to return the welcome and bring the international collaboration directly into our local schools.

And, naturally, Iceland provided a lesson in adaptability as well. Strong winds and rain meant changing the programme, but we still managed to take learning out into Reykjanes — exploring lava fields, geothermal areas, coastlines, plate boundaries and the rapidly changing landscape around Grindavík.

There was culture too. A visit to Viking World was a particular hit, complete with 3D-printed Icelandic sheep knucklebones and instructions for traditional fortune-telling, while swimming pools, Icelandic food and plenty of conversations with local students gave our visitors another perspective on everyday life in Iceland.

For us, the real value of projects like Ripples is what remains in the region afterwards. International cooperation gives local teachers and schools new ideas, contacts and practical resources, while students in Reykjanes get opportunities to learn alongside their peers from other countries.

At the same time, we get to share something Reykjanes has in abundance: an extraordinary landscape that can become a living classroom for science, sustainability and understanding change.

That is how small ripples of knowledge can travel much further. 🌊

Ripples of Knowledge (NPJR-2025/10213) is a Nordplus Junior project running from 2025–2027, bringing together partners from Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

27/09/2026

Earlier this month, at the European Geoparks Network Conference 2026 in Saimaa UNESCO Global Geopark, our Managing Director Arnbjörn Ólafsson presented results from the Nordplus Horizontal project Empowering Educators.

GeoCamp Iceland participates in Empowering Educators as an associate partner, supporting the work of Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark. Arnbjörn also serves on the Board of Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, bringing together our shared work in outdoor education, international cooperation and the development of geoparks as learning environments.

His presentation, “From Field Sites to Professional Learning: UNESCO Global Geoparks as Platforms for Teacher Development”, explored how UNESCO Global Geoparks can serve not only as places for students to learn, but as powerful platforms for teacher development.

One message from the project results stood out clearly – and perhaps comes as no surprise: outdoor learning works best when teachers have the confidence, tools and support to use the landscape as part of their classroom.

Through Empowering Educators, partners across the Nordic region are working directly with teachers and educators to understand their needs and develop practical approaches to STEAM, sustainability and place-based outdoor education.

For GeoCamp Iceland, this is closely connected to what we do. Geoparks are extraordinary learning environments, but their real educational value comes from connecting landscapes, science and local communities with meaningful learning experiences.

A big thank you to our Nordic partners, the teachers and educators contributing to the project, and the EGN community for the conversations and exchange of ideas in Finland.

The next step is to turn what we have learned into practical tools that educators can take back into the field.

Follow the Empowering Educators facebook site for full report: Nordplus - Empowering Educators

23/09/2026

Great to see the work of Acaδimia featured on the European School Education Platform! 🇪🇺📚

GeoCamp Iceland has been proud to be part of the ACAδIMIA Erasmus+ Teacher Academy, working with partners across Europe to develop new approaches to teacher professional development.

For us, the project has been particularly valuable in connecting our work in outdoor and field-based learning with wider European priorities around sustainability, climate education, digital innovation and inclusive teaching.

The new ESEP collection brings together practical resources developed through Erasmus+ Teacher Academies, making them available to teachers and teacher educators across Europe.

It is great to see the results of this collaboration reaching a wider audience — and becoming resources that educators can continue to use beyond the project itself.

👉 Explore the ACAδIMIA resources through the European School Education Platform.

📚 𝗔𝗖𝗔δ𝗜𝗠𝗜𝗔’𝘀 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺
We are delighted to announce that ACAδIMIA has been featured in a new collection of articles published on the European School Education Platform (ESEP)!

The articles highlight professional-development resources created by Erasmus+ Teacher Academy projects to help teachers and teacher educators develop digital competences, adopt innovative teaching approaches and support learners across Europe.

We are proud that ACAδIMIA’s work is contributing to this valuable European collection, which addresses four key educational themes:

Digital education and innovation
https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/en/teach/lesson-plans/erasmus-teacher-academy-resources-digital

Sustainability and climate change
https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/en/teach/lesson-plans/erasmus-teacher-academy-resources-sustainability-and-climate-change

Citizenship and democracy
https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/en/teach/lesson-plans/erasmus-teacher-academy-resources-citizenship-and-democracy

Inclusion and diversity
https://school-education.ec.europa.eu/en/teach/lesson-plans/erasmus-teacher-academy-resources-inclusion-and-diversity

This recognition reflects the commitment and collaborative work of the entire ACAδIMIA partnership in promoting creative, inclusive and innovative learning across Europe.

A heartfelt thank you to all our partners, educators and participants who contributed to this achievement!