GeoCamp Iceland

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!

19/09/2026

Proud to be part of a strong Reykjanes Unesco Global Geopark and Katla UNESCO Global Geopark delegation at the European Geoparks Conference in Saimaa, Finland 🇮🇸🇫🇮

For GeoCamp Iceland, the European Geoparks Network is an important community for sharing ideas, building partnerships and exploring how geoparks can become even stronger platforms for education and field-based learning.

This week we are contributing to the programme with presentations and posters highlighting our work in outdoor education, teacher professional development and international educational projects – including how we use the extraordinary landscapes of Reykjanes as a living classroom.

Just as importantly, EGN is an opportunity to learn from colleagues across Europe, develop new collaborations and bring new ideas back home.

Connecting people, places and learning – this time in Saimaa. Thank you Saimaa Geopark for being excellent hosts.

17/09/2026

Dagur íslenskrar náttúru var haldinn 16. september. Hann minnir okkur á að náttúran er ekki aðeins eitthvað sem við eigum að vernda og njóta, heldur getur hún líka verið öflug og lifandi kennslustofa.

Á Reykjanesi höfum við hjá GeoCamp Iceland, í samstarfi við Reykjanes Unesco Global Geopark, skóla og sveitarfélög á svæðinu, lagt sífellt meiri áherslu á útikennslu og vettvangsnám. Reykjanesið býður upp á óvenjulega fjölbreytt námsumhverfi og í nær umhverfi skóla má finna hraunbreiður, jarðhitasvæði, strendur, votlendi, eldstöðvar og fjölbreytt lífríki, auk samfélaga sem hafa í gegnum tíðina mótast af náttúruöflunum.

Markmiðið er ekki bara að fara með nemendur „út“, heldur að nýta nærumhverfið markvisst til náms, til að rannsaka, mæla, spyrja spurninga, safna gögnum og tengja saman náttúruvísindi, samfélag, sögu og sjálfbærni.

Þetta er meðal annars kjarninn í Gáruverkefninu (www.garurreykjanes.net) þar sem unnið er með grunnskólum á Reykjanesi að því að kortleggja staði til útikennslu og þróa verkefni, kennsluleiðbeiningar og stafrænar auðlindir fyrir kennara og nemendur.

Hjá GeoCamp byggjum við á sömu hugsun í starfi okkar með íslenskum og erlendum nemendum og kennurum.ð læra um náttúruna úti í náttúrunni, tengja fræðin við raunveruleg viðfangsefni og leyfa staðnum sjálfum að verða hluta af náminu.

Á Degi íslenskrar náttúru er því ágætt að minna sig á að stundum er besta kennslustofan einfaldlega hinum megin við skóladyrnar.

16/09/2026

Beyond Sustainability – The Future of Tourism. What comes after sustainable tourism?

On 29 September, the Regenerate project is bringing together experts from Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Ireland for a free webinar exploring what regenerative tourism means in practice – and how tourism can move beyond simply reducing negative impacts towards actively creating positive value for places, communities, businesses and ecosystems.

Learn about research and real-world experience, from regenerative destination development and community participation to cross-sector partnerships and building stronger tourism ecosystems. Iceland will be represented by Ásta Kristín Sigurjónsdóttir, CEO of the Iceland Tourism Cluster, speaking about why regeneration is very much a team sport. Beyond_webinar poster.pdf

GeoCamp Iceland is a partner in REGENERATE, an Interreg Northern Periphery and Arctic project bringing together partners across Iceland, Finland, Sweden and Ireland. Our role focuses particularly on developing and testing approaches that can help tourism destinations and businesses put regenerative thinking into practice.

For us in Reykjanes, this connects directly with a bigger question: How can tourism leave a place stronger than it found it?

That means looking beyond visitor numbers and traditional sustainability measures and asking how tourism can contribute to resilient communities, local knowledge, healthy ecosystems, stronger businesses and long-term regional development.

📅 29 September 2026
⏰ 11:00–13:00 Iceland | 12:00–14:00 Ireland | 13:00–15:00 Sweden | 14:00–16:00 Finland
💻 Online and free to attend

Join us and be part of the conversation about what comes beyond sustainability. For more information an registration: https://www.facebook.com/events/1428572819140047

11/09/2026

Big news for 2027.

GeoCamp Iceland is teaming up with the Geological Society of America (GSA) for a special field-based study tour to Iceland, 17–26 July 2027.

“Iceland: The Land of Fire and Ice—Exploring a Dynamic Earth” will take participants from the active volcanic systems of Reykjanes to the glaciers of the South Coast and the Westman Islands, exploring volcanism, climate change, geothermal energy, carbon capture and resilience along the way. This is not your typical tour. It’s Iceland as a living geoscience classroom.

And before that, we’ll be at GSA Connects in Denver this October. Come meet the GeoCamp team at Booth #719 and learn more about the 2027 Iceland program and our other student and faculty field-based educational programs.

Information and registration for GSA-GeoCamp Iceland 2027 in the link below.

This expert-led Iceland tour combines field-based exploration and direct engagement with scientists, offering a rare opportunity to examine Earth processes in real time.

01/09/2026

As summer draws to a close, we are looking back at one of our busiest and most diverse seasons yet at GeoCamp Iceland.

From May through August, we welcomed hundreds of students, teachers and faculty to Iceland for programs ranging from geology, climate change and renewable energy to agriculture, sustainability, regenerative tourism, astronomy and STEAM education.

Among the highlights has been the number of new institutions joining the GeoCamp community, including Moorestown Friends School, Coginchaug Regional High School, SUNY Oneonta, Mercersburg Academy, Boston University Academy, University of New England, Hope College, Purdue University, Brooklyn College, Breck School, West Valley College, Newark Academy and Hanover High School—alongside many returning partners.

Throughout the summer, Iceland became the classroom. Students explored volcanoes and recent lava fields, glaciers, geothermal areas and renewable energy, connecting their experiences in the field to climate change, sustainability and Icelandic society.

Our expanding partnerships also brought new academic focus areas. Purdue University explored agriculture, fisheries and sustainability, while the University of New England focused on regenerative and Arctic tourism. West Valley College combined geology and astronomy around the total solar eclipse on 12 August, while students from Hanover High School launched high-altitude research balloons from Reykjanes during the eclipse. We also welcomed faculty from Newark Academy for a dedicated professional-development program.

The months ahead

Summer may be ending, but our 2026 season is not. This autumn we will welcome groups from University of Washington, Bryn Mawr College, Vanderbilt University and Pepperdine University.

By the end of October, GeoCamp Iceland will have welcomed more than 30 educational groups and close to 600 participants in 2026—a growing community of students and educators experiencing Iceland as Nature’s Most Dynamic Classroom.

31/08/2026

🌋 Iceland as a classroom – for teachers too.

Earlier this month, GeoCamp Iceland welcomed a faculty group from Newark Academy in New Jersey for a professional development programme exploring how Iceland’s landscapes, communities and environmental challenges can become powerful tools for teaching and learning.

Over six days, the group explored themes including sustainability, climate change, renewable energy, natural hazards, community resilience, Icelandic history and storytelling. From the volcanic landscapes of Reykjanes Unesco Global Geopark and the retreating Sólheimajökull glacier to geothermal energy, sustainable agriculture and Icelandic schools, the focus was always on connecting real places and real challenges with education.

Professional development is an important part of what we do at GeoCamp Iceland. Field-based learning is not only about bringing students into the landscape. It is also about giving educators time and space to explore new approaches, exchange ideas and consider how place-based, interdisciplinary learning can be brought back into their own classrooms ... and Iceland is a pretty good place to start that conversation.

A big thank you to the Newark Academy faculty for an engaging week of exploration, discussion and learning with us in Iceland.

27/08/2026

This week, GeoCamp Iceland hosted partners from France, Croatia, Norway, Türkiye and Romania for the Erasmus+ ResponsibleProject meeting in Reykjanes.

For us, projects like RESPONSIBLE are an important part of the educational mission of Reykjanes Unesco Global Geopark. A Geopark is not only about geological heritage, it is also a place for education, experimentation and international cooperation around a more sustainable future.

During the meeting, partners explored how sustainability, zero waste and the principles of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle can be brought into STEAM education. We visited Háaleitisskóli in Reykjanesbær to see creative approaches to upcycling and using waste materials in learning, alongside a visit to the STREAM Centre in Elliðaárdalur.

A project like RESPONSIBLE strengthens the connection between local schools and communities and a wider European network of educators developing new approaches to sustainability education, bringing new knowledge, ideas and international connections back into our local educational community.