Networks for Knowledge

“Human capacity, energy and climate change are our main areas of focus,” says Dr. Andy Greenshaw, vice-chairman of the University of the Arctic, an academic network committed to higher education and research in the north.

“There are political, technological, social, environmental and economic challenges related to the future development of the Arctic. Academic
institutions have a moral responsibility to affect the development of the High North. The goal of the University of the Arctic (UArctic) is to develop and share useful knowledge essential to the circumpolar area,” states Dr. Greenshaw, especially pointing out the importance of the UArctic thematic networks.

DIVERSITY | The reindeer sprint held during the Poro Feria festival in Oulu, Finland, is a good example of the great cultural diversity of the High North. The winner this year was Takaveto, and the reindeer ran the quarter mile snow track in 17 seconds. (Photo: Pekka Kallasaari)

EXCELLENCE LINKED TO RELEVANCE
“The UArctic has 17 thematic networks. These are partnerships in which several academic institutions, companies and local and municipal governments work together on linking academic excellence to relevant issues of the north,” explains professor Greenshaw, listing ongoing networks such as Northern Agriculture, Arctic Medicine, Northern Tourism, Indigenous Arts and Crafts and Energy in a New Time, in which his own institution, the University of Alberta in Canada, is involved, together with Bodø University College in Norway. This network aims to strengthen North American and Norwegian education and research cooperation in the field of energy sustainability in the High North.

“The University of Alberta is doing excellent research on technology, while Bodø University College has Russian connections that are very valuable for us, as well as channels to the energy business sector. The development of joint degree programmes based on these thematic networks is natural,” says the professor enthusiastically, adding that the thematic networks have become the focal point of the UArctic’s engagement across widely different geographic and cultural regions.
“This link between academic excellence and concrete actions is critically important.”

GOOD VEHICLE | “The countries involved in the University of the Arctic increasingly see that the UArctic is a good vehicle for research on polar topics,” says Professor Andy Greenshaw, vice chairman of the Board of Governors, UArctic.

MISSION: ACCESS
Integrated into all the activities of the UArctic is the perspective of the indigenous groups living above the polar circle.
“One of the most important missions for the UArctic is to give indigenous peoples access to education without having to move away from
their communities,” says Greenshaw, emphasising that the geographical realities of most of the northern region make this challenging: vast distances, great cultural diversity and small communities and institutions.

“These conditions require a special effort to deliver education that is accessible to all northerners. However, there are huge differences within the circumpolar region regarding this issue. While getting access to education is still a serious challenge for the indigenous population in Northern Canada, the Sami people in Norway, for example, have better access, although not good enough. We would like to see the potential for distance learning in higher education increasing,” says Greenshaw, who regards distance learning as one of the UArctic’s most important tasks for the future.

“In this regard, the Bologna process has been very valuable to the UArctic, as we use the ECTS credit system as a common value for our
online distant learning courses,” Greenshaw explains.

“The ambition of the University of the Arctic is to provide greater opportunities for relevant first-class education and knowledge transfer as well as to facilitate international engagement. We can hope that this will lead to positive changes in the Arctic.”

ON TOP OF THE WORLD | The University of the Arctic has 115 member institutions spread all over the circumpolar north. Map / © University of the Arctic 2009, Philippe Rekacewicz, Veli-Pekka Laitinen and Hugo Ahlenius, Nordpil