Promens and the Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute sign cooperation agreement

24.04.2007

Promens hf and the Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute of Foreign Languages at the University of Iceland (VFI) have concluded a five-year cooperative agreement. Promens will provide financial support for use in further developing the Institute’s operations. Ragnhildur Geirsdóttir, president of Promens and Kristín Ingólfsdóttir, rector, signed the agreement at the University of Iceland on 20 April. Also present were Madame Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, former President of Iceland, and the Institute’s Board of Directors.

Bottom row, left: Kristín Ingólfsdóttir president of the University of Iceland, former president of Iceland Mrs. Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, Ragnhildur Geirsdóttir President & CEO Promens.  Upper row, left: Oddný G. Sverrisdóttir dean of the faculty of humanities and vice chairman of the board of SVI, professor of literature Julian Meldon D'Arcy, Laufey Erla Jónsdóttir project manager VFI and Auður Hauksdóttir chairman of VFI.

Promens has become one of VFI’s principal supporters, thereby playing a role in helping to implement the Institute’s scheme of establishing an international knowledge center for languages in Iceland. VFI supports research in second and foreign languages in a number of interrelated fields, including linguistics, literature, translation studies, cultural literacy, teaching of foreign languages, and the value of foreign-languages in economic life.

Promens is an international company, and one of the world’s largest plastics manufacturers. The company operates 64 factories in 22 countries and employs 5,800. Promens’ headquarters are in Iceland, and the projected turnover for 2007 is over ISK 60 billion.

Good language skills and cultural literacy play an extremely important role in the operations of a global company such as Promens, and results are often a direct result of employee competency in these fields. The management of Promens feels privileged to be able to honor the distinguished work of former President Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, while at the same time helping to draw attention to applied research in the fields of language and cultural literacy.

Over the long term, the management of Promens hopes to contribute to improving the language proficiency of Icelandic youth, as well as their knowledge of other cultures. Such education broadens their world view, and increases their ability to take on challenging tasks in a global environment. The company also appreciates the benefits of working in cooperation with the Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute, and the opportunities involved in being able to utilize the knowledge and experience of its specialists.

To learn more about the Vigdís Finnbogadóttir Institute of Foreign Languages click here.