Here in Iceland, I am completing my exchange semester from the International Business degree. I have had the opportunity to choose a variety of courses relating to business, law and the circumpolar north! The exchange destination, the University of Akureyri (UNAK), is a very good school and one of the only schools which offer the Polar Law programme. Studying at UNAK is slightly different to TAMK, as it offers mainly online courses in the Business faculty. This is because Iceland is a very sparsely populated country. So you rarely see other students at the university; most study at home. As the university offers online courses, it gives students from completely different towns (even countries) the opportunity to participate and get a degree. Akureyri itself is a relatively small city, with a population of around 20 000. I know it feels like a small number, but you have to remember that in the whole of Iceland, there are fewer than 500,000 people (as of 2025)!
Iceland is culturally close to Finland, yet the nature here makes it feel as if you were on another planet. Waking up to the mountains around you never ceases to amaze me. To fully experience Iceland, you cannot skip roadtripping to the West and East Fjords, dipping into the natural geothermal pools or enjoying the Icelandic hotdogs. Besides all the previously listed, Iceland is a place where you can see cute puffins, whales, so many waterfalls, Icelandic sheep and horses, and so much more! Completing my exchange here in Iceland has been the best decision ever. Most tourists only visit the south, but in my opinion, the real Icelandic experience can be seen here in the North, away from the overbearing tourism.
If you love to be in nature, you should give Iceland a chance! It might surprise you.
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