Actually the Norse (aka "vikings") were immensely intelligent - not dim bulbs at all - and their culture valued intelligence and quick wit. They were fond of riddles and "kennings", figuring if the listener wasn't smart enough to figure out what they were talking about, then he didn't need to know.
The image we have of the "dumb brute" comes from the bad press of their enemies and from a few Islamic writings where the cultural divide is so immense as to be virtual insumountable.
That said, I would have to say that overall the Norse were *engineers* rather than *academics*. The Norse longships, both the "knarr" and the "drakkar" are really incredible feats of naval engineering.
In addition, the "stave church" was an ingenious solution to local problem: how to build large meeting halls in a terrain without readily workable stone, but create a wooden structure that would not rot in a damp climate.
On the literature side, more in keeping with what we tend to consider "academic", the Norse were great poets and story tellers. The Sagas that have come down to us still enthrall people today.