The small country that teaches the world – Iceland and development cooperation through the education of the GRÓ programmes
When the discussion about development cooperation begins, the focus often turns to big numbers — investments, humanitarian aid, and grants that sound impressive and cost a lot. But what is often overlooked is what has the deepest and most lasting impact: knowledge, skills, competence, and education that build people’s capacity to transform their own societies from within. In this regard, Iceland has taken its own path — and it has proven effective.
Under the auspices of UNESCO, Iceland runs GRÓ, an international centre for capacity development that brings together four specialised schools: the Geothermal Training Programme, the Fisheries Training Programme, the Land Restoration Training Programme, and the Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme. These schools are not traditional universities, but development programmes with a distinct purpose — platforms where Icelandic expertise in areas where the country excels is shared with the future leaders of developing countries. GRÓ is not a one-way street where knowledge flows in only one direction, but rather a place for dialogue, exchange of experience, and active participation. The approach is personalised, with consultations beginning with participants’ home countries long before the fellows set foot on Icelandic soil. Those who come to Iceland are not seen as students, but as fellows or professionals — usually well-educated and experienced people — and the emphasis is on sharing experience and knowledge within the group. Goals, cultural contexts, and expectations are mapped through interviews and analyses. In this way, the learning becomes personal, practical, and directly connected to real challenges back home.
The GRÓ Fisheries Training Programme, which started in 1998 under the auspices of the United Nations University, is a clear example of outstanding results. There, experts from the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, the University of Akureyri, the University of Iceland, the Directorate of Fisheries, Matís, and diverse companies in the fisheries sector share their insight into fisheries and food security to strengthen participants from around the world. The training is research-based and spans six months, concluding with a project that directly addresses the context in the participant’s home country — for example, quality management in fish processing in Zanzibar, stock assessment of commercial species in Cuba, or advisory services for small-scale fisheries in Ghana.
It is tempting to think that it is difficult for Iceland — with its 400,000 inhabitants — to have a significant role in global development cooperation. But since its founding, the GRÓ Fisheries Training Programme has trained more than 500 specialists from approximately 60 countries. Precisely because of its small size, Iceland has developed a working method that does not rely on huge sums of money, but on close cooperation between scientists and stakeholders, flexibility, and genuine equality. The real learning does not happen in the lecture hall but through dialogue, collaboration, and real-world situations. The knowledge and experience developed within the Fisheries Training Programme is also exported to partner countries through courses and workshops, often in collaboration with alumni and partner institutions. The trainers, who come from leading partner institutions and industry, are not authority figures but facilitators who help participants find their own solutions. This approach — empowerment, not dominance — is what delivers results.
When participants return home, they not only gain academic knowledge but also practical tools to become agents of change: to strengthen their local economies, increase the value of catches, promote gender equality, strengthen environmental protection, or improve governance. In this way, education becomes a genuine development project with an impact far beyond the classroom.
This work, however, requires time and funding — not excessive, but stable. Given its proven success, one might expect that support for GRÓ and similar projects would be an obvious component of Iceland’s development cooperation in the future. Instead of seeing education as an add-on in prioritisation, it should be recognised as a cornerstone of sustainable development, and invested in responsibly and with foresight. Education as a development project is neither the most expensive nor the most complicated way — but it is likely the most effective way to transform societies in the long term. Iceland has here a unique opportunity to leverage its strengths — not by trying to do everything itself, but by supporting others to harness their own capacities to use marine and land resources sustainably and to promote equality. The GRÓ schools demonstrate that this small country in the North Atlantic has much to teach the world if it continues to believe in the power of education, cooperation, and respect. And if Icelandic authorities and society truly wish to contribute to a sustainable global future, this is one of the best ways: to invest in education as a means of transformation.
In a world where we continually strive to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, education is not just one factor in the list of priorities — it is the foundation itself. The GRÓ schools show that with a clear focus on social impact and individual empowerment, a small nation like Iceland can play a big role in global development cooperation and education in the sustainable use and protection of natural resources and gender equality. It is therefore important to strengthen this work even further.
Verena Karlsdóttir is a lecturer at the University of Akureyri
Hreiðar Þór Valtýsson is an associate professor at the University of Akureyri and coordinator of the fisheries management line at the GRÓ Fisheries Training Programme
Þór Heiðar Ásgeirsson is the director of the GRÓ Fisheries Training Programme at the Marine and Freshwater Research Institute
The original article appeared on June 27 2025 at visir.is Litla landið sem kennir heiminum – Ísland og þróunarsamvinna í gegnum menntun GRÓ skólanna - Vísir