In 2015 the University of the Faroe Islands celebrates its 50th anniversary. As a part of its celebrations the Faroese Knowledge Train has been unveiled. The Train will begin its travels in June. At the takeoff, the Science Circus from Jærmuseet in Norway will join the celebrations, as well as giving advice and assistance in the preparations. In connection with the 50 years anniversary, the Science Circus and the staff at the University will have open days at the University.
The Knowledge Train visits schools in 3 different places: Nólsoy, Sörvág and Sandoy and offers workshops and courses in schools for one day in each place.There will also be held Science Feasts in the same places. The feasts will include a chemistry show, a travel planetarium, stalls with hands-on experiments, and exhibits and active participation of local companies.
The destinations, schools and workshops
The test school (Nólsoy school) is on an island, but very accessible and can be reached by boat from the center of Tórshavn. It is a place with a declining population, and the number of young inhabitants is especially declining. The number of pupils in the school have plummeted down to half the last decade. Here three parallel workshops will be run for students in classes 1. - 7.
Sørvág is considered on the outskirt of the country, but is reachable within one hour drive with a underwater tunnel. In Sørvág school they have classes 1-10, and a total of 166 pupils, who all mainly come from the same village. Here 6 parallel workshops will be run.
The pupils that attend Sandoy mainschool come from all the villages in Sandoy, and they only have classes 6-10. It is necessary to travel with ferry to this island, and the islanders feel in general – according to the outspoken from the island – that they are isolated and hindered in participating in events on the mainland. 6 parallel workshops will be run.
The aim is to offer a choice of at least 10 different workshops. Examples:
• Biophilia – music and science, two different apps/ workshops
• Lively plants – film and science.
• Local braggart stories (literature or history).
• Food and sports
• School bombs - chemistry
• The grammar game
The Science Feast
Since this is a celebration year, and the launch of the Knowledge Train in Faroe Islands, the Science Feast will hopefully include a chemistry show from Norway or another Nordic country. A travel planetarium and Biophilia workshops will always be part of the Feast. University staff and students will have stalls with various experiments and exhibits. The number of stalls will depend on location and the facilities available, but also on local participation. For example, in Nólsoy the local ornithologist will be invited to participate, in Sandoy possibly a company that is trying to establish fish-farming locally and in Sørvág a company measuring heat leakage from houses by UV.
The Faroese Knowledge Train on Facebook
The University of the Faroe Islands