Workshop Speakers, Moderators & Facilitators

Here you can learn more about the speakers, moderators, and facilitators leading this year’s workshops. Each contributor brings valuable expertise and diverse perspectives that enrich the hands‑on workshop format and ensure dynamic, insight‑driven discussions.

 

Anne Øien

Anne Øien is a Senior Adviser in Emergency Preparedness and Personnel Security at UiT  The Arctic University of Norway, where she works at the institutional level with crisis management, risk assessment and personnel security.

Arnar Gíslason

Arnar Gíslason is an Equality Officer at the University of Iceland, working at the Division of Humar Resources, Equality and Inclusion.

Àsthildur Gunnarsdòttir

Àsthildur Gunnarsdòttir is Director of Communications and Marketing at Reykjavik University.She is experienced in brand management, social media, content marketing, project management, sales, business development, strategy, writing, public relations, and website administration. Brings over 10 years of marketing experience across organisations of varying sizes and sectors, including 8 years in leadership roles. Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and an Executive MBA from Reykjavík University.

Cristina Trenta

Professor at Linnæus University

Joanna Marcinkowska

Joanna Marcinkowska is the Project Manager for Inclusion at the University of Iceland, where she manages the Inclusion in the Icelandic University Community project. Her work focuses on strengthening inclusion, participation, and equitable access within higher education. She has nearly a decade of experience in interculturalism, inclusion and migrant affairs, working across grassroots support, public administration and policy development. Her previous positions include Expert in Interculturalism and Inclusion at the City of Reykjavik’s Human Rights and Democracy Office and Project Manager at the Ministry of Social Affairs, where she contributed to initiatives that supported immigrants and improved access to services. She holds a postgraduate diploma in Applied Gender Studies from the University of Iceland, as well as further qualifications in project management, mediation, Icelandic and marketing and management.

Lykke Thostrup

Lykke Thostrup is a Communications Officer and head of Upper Secondary Schools Visits Services at University of Copenhagen. She is Group Leader of the NUAS Communication Group. She has been working with early interest creation among upper secondary school pupils and recruitment of students throughout her career, first at The Royal Danish Agricultural and Veterinary University, then the Faculty of Science at UCPH and now incorporating all subject areas at UCPH.

Marko Lukic

Assistent Professor at UiT The Arctic University of Norway

Markus Laitinen​

Head of development at University of Helsinki​

Nina Schjoldager

Deputy Director at Aalborg University

Odd Vegard Kandal-Wright

Odd Vegard Kandal-Wright is a Section Manager at the Section for Research Communication and Public Affairs at the University of Bergen. He works across both strategic and operational tasks, supporting academic environments and university leadership, and contributing to institutional development. Odd Vegard has worked as a communication specialist for the past ten years, and prior to that, he spent several years as a journalist at the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK.

PET - Danish Security and Intelligence Service (DSIS)

Centre for Analysis and Outreach (CAO) is part of the DSIS’ counter-intelligence efforts. CAO conducts strategic analysis and threat assessment aimed at government agencies and civil society actors. CAO works closely with the Danish research and innovation sectors to protect critical technologies and counter illegal and unwanted knowledge transfer.