RHA is one of 7 partners involved in the EU funded Research on the intensity and prevalence of internet addictive behaviour risk among minors in Europe (www.eunetadb.med.uao.gr).  The study will encompass in total 14,000 children in Spain, Greece, Romania, The Netherlands, Poland  and Iceland.  During the spring of 2011 RHA carried out a pilot study assessing internet use, access to the internet, use of computer games, feelings, thoughts and behaviours among 15-16 year old children attending schools in Akureyri and Reykjavík. RHA is now preparing for administrating the survey to 2,000 children in 9th and 10th grades during the autumn of 2011 in schools across the country.

The 20th Nordmedia conference was held at the University of Akureyri 11-13 August. Over 200 participants met at the conference whose title this time was: Media and Communiation studies - Doing the right thing?

This was the fourth time the conference was held in Iceland but the other three times it was held in Reykjavík. RHA and Þetta var í fjórða skipti sem ráðstefnan frór fram á Íslandi en í hin þrjú skiptin hafði hún farið fram í Reykjavík. RHA and Aktravel jointly participated in organizing the conference.

RHAs staff took an actice part in the  IASSA conference on social sciences in the Arctic and the organization of the conference. This was the largest scientific conference that has been organized in Akureyri with just less than 450 participants. RHAs researchers contributed to the conference with several presentations, such as research on socio-economic impacts of megaprojects in East Iceland (Hjalti Jóhannesson og Jón Þorvaldur Heiðarsson), social impacts of climate change (Sigrún Sif Jóelsdóttir) and on the impact of the credit crisis on employees of municipalities (Hjördís Sigursteinsdóttir). The conference was very successful and the newly extended facilities of the University og Akureyri turned out to be a very suitable venue for such a large conference.