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PhD Student Seminar at University of Iceland, Reykjavík October 5-6, 2026

The University of Iceland and the Icelandic Tourism Research Centre warmly invite international PhD students to a doctoral seminar in tourism research, taking place 5–6 October 2026 at the University of Iceland campus in Reykjavík. The seminar is organised in connection with the 34th Nordic Symposium of Tourism and Hospitality Research, which will be held in Reykjavík 6–8 October 2026. The conference theme, Tourism as an active agent for good in a changing world, provides an umbrella for critical engagement with the research process and the forms of knowledge creation that all PhD students navigate. This includes questions of theory development, researcher positionality, and methodological challenges. The seminar will therefore address key ontological, epistemological, and methodological issues, while giving students the opportunity to discuss their own work and receive constructive feedback on these dimensions. The seminar is organised in a collegial manner so students should bring their current problems and challenges to the fore for an open and constructive dialogue with recognized tourism researchers as well as the participating students. A key aim of the seminar is to enable doctoral researchers to meet, get feedback on their ongoing work, and participate in a community of researchers interested in the critical examination of (northern) tourism.

Registration and practicalities

The seminar is open to all PhD students whose presentations have been accepted for the conference. The maximum number of participants is limited to 20 students. Included in the seminar cost, Ikr 10.000, is refreshments and lunch on both days. Students are additionally responsible for arranging and covering the cost of their own accommodation and other meals.

Registration takes place through the conference website at the same time as conference registration, and all participating students will receive a formal confirmation by email. Prior to the seminar, each student must submit a written synopsis (see further description below). Based on these synopses, students will be assigned to small groups to ensure that everyone has dedicated time to present their work and receive feedback from teachers and fellow students (see below).

Accreditation and obligatory preparation

Participation in the course is accredited by the University of Iceland, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences for 1 ECTS credit unit. To obtain the unit the PhD student is required to:

· 3-4 pages synopsis (to be sent prior to the seminar - see below)

· have read the listed key readings

· contribute to the seminar discussions

· self-evaluation report (1. page)

Prior to the seminar, each student needs to submit a 3-4 pages synopsis of a research plan / a paper / or paper section. Add in the beginning of the draft your name and the title of your thesis and the title of the submitted draft. Include also a short description: what is this draft a piece of, what kind of comments would help you most in terms of use of theory, method or positioning and/ or what kind of questions you would like to discuss and get feedback on (You can also include abstract or outline, to help the reader to orientate). Participants will then be grouped according to their research topics.

Place - venue

The seminar will take place at the University of Iceland campus in Reykjavík. The main venue will be Vigdís House, located at the heart of the university campus. See location here.

Programme (Preliminary)

October 5th

Time		Lecturer
9:30	Get-together coffee/tea
10:00	Introduction and agenda for coming days	RO
10:30	Bridging thought and practice: tourism theory, methods, and action in a changing world	GÞJ KL HK
12:00	Lunch
13:00	Collaborative Research Workshops: Developing a PhD Project	Students
15:30	Coffee break
16:00	Joint discussions and reflections	All
16:30	End for the day - Walk to Vigdís Finnbogadóttir exhibition	All

October 6th

Time		Lecturer
9:00	How to get published and how to deal with reviews Introduction from Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism; and Journal of Arctic Tourism	TF RÓ
10:00	Beyond the Thesis: Reflections on the PhD Journey	MHA
10:20	Coffee break
10:50	From Theory to Praxis: Group Dialogues on Tourism Research	Students
12:30	Lunch
13:30	Group wrap up	Students
14:30	End of seminar - concluding remarks	All

Organisers and lecturers

· Dr. Rannveig Ólafsdóttir, professor, Department of Geography and Tourism Studies, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland. Email: ranny@hi.is

· Dr. Gunnar Þór Jóhannesson, professor, Department of Geography and Tourism Studies, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland. Email: gtj@hi.is

· Dr. Katrín Anna Lund, professor, Department of Geography and Tourism Studies, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland. Email: kl@hi.is

· Dr. Edda Ruth Hlín Waage, associate professor, Department of Geography and Tourism Studies, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland. Email: erw@hi.is

· Magnús Haukur Ásgeirsson, PhD student and adjunct Department of Geography and Tourism Studies, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland. Email: mha@hi.is

· Dr. Henna Konu, associate professor in tourism business at the University of Eastern Finland, Business School. Email: henna.konu@uef.fi

· Dr. Trude Furunes, professor in leadership. University of Stavanger, Norway. Email: trude.furunes@uis.no

For further information, please contact Prof. Rannveig Ólafsdóttir; ranny@hi.is

Norðurslóð 4 (7th floor)	Tæknigarður, Dunhagi 5
600 Akureyri, Iceland	107 Reykjavík, Iceland
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