News

Honorary Consulate of Italy opens in Arktikum

The Honorary Consulate of Italy in Finnish Lapland opens in Arktikum house in Rovaniemi in September 2018. Senior Researcher Nuccio Mazzullo from the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland has been working as Honorary Vice Consul of Italy since August 2016.

Face of the Month: A researcher from Sicily who lost his heart to Sámi shaman stories

Nuccio Mazzullo left Sicily for Lapland to meet the opposite of his own culture, but ended up meeting his mirror image. An anthropologist specialising in Lapland and in Sámi reindeer herding wants to remind people that humans are a part of nature, and nature is a part of us.

The new programme to support Arctic research cooperation between Finland and Japan

Finnish and Japanese universities will tighten the cooperation in Arctic research and education by establishing Finnish-Japanese Arctic Studies Program. The project is cooperation between the University of Lapland, the University of Oulu and the University of Helsinki from Finland and the Hokkaido University from Japan.

Face of the Month: Plant ecologist crawls in the bushes with a soil corer

Environmental problems were a topical subject in Finland already in the 1980’s. Sari Stark, going to secondary school in Keminmaa, was hooked straight away. Nature and its phenomena sparked her interest, and soon she decided what she would want to do in the future. This decision has held until today.

The new publication highlights the human security challenges in the Barents region

The book gives a comprehensive analysis of vulnerabilities, challenges and needs that the Barents population experiences today or may encounter in the future. In the book, researchers provide recommendations for new strategies to tackle insecurity and improve the wellbeing of both indigenous and local communities.

Face of the Month: Research in Arctic governance in an atmosphere of trust

Adam Stepien is following Arctic policy on the front line. Besides working on his dissertation, he has published reports and organized seminars to support Finland during the Chairmanship of the Arctic Council and the EU in the Arctic policy.

Päivi Soppela nominated as Chair of the Circumpolar Agriculture Association

New publication on Food Security Governance in the Arctic-Barents Region

There has been very little documented research conducted on food security in the Barents region when compared to other areas of the Arctic, such as Canada and Alaska. The authors specified that food security in the Arctic-Barents region is subject to a plurality of conditions attributable to the heterogeneity of the territory and national contexts that influence the governance of these territories.

Face of the Month: Digitalisation of the Arctic regions and cyber security under the magnifying glass

We should all understand the importance of cyber security for our everyday life, says researcher Mirva Salminen who looks at digitalisation and cyber security in the Arctic.

Volume 5 of the Current Developments in Arctic Law is out!

UArctic Thematic Network on Arctic Law has published the fifth volume of the Current Developments in Arctic Law. The annual publication of the Network endeavours to present short updates on matters pertaining to the Arctic law, thereby disseminating information on topical Arctic issues and ongoing projects relevant in the field.

Nature Photographs of the Year in Arktikum

Nature Photographs of the Year 2017 are on display in spring exhibition in Arktikum Science Centre, Rovaniemi, Finland.

Geoengineer polar glaciers to slow sea-level rise

In a Comment published in the journal Nature on 15 March 2018 by John C. Moore and Rupert Gladstone of the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland with colleagues from CSC – the Finnish IT Center for Science and Princeton University, USA, argue that applying targeted geoengineering to preserve the ice sheets is a topic worthy of serious research and investment in Antarctic infrastructure.

Exhibition: Sámi Shamanism, Cosmology and Art as Systems of Embedded Knowledge

The exhibition in Gallery Kopio presents Doctoral student Francis Joy's academic dissertation on Saami Shamanism, Cosmology and Art as Systems of Embedded Knowledge, as well as artistic artifacts related to research work.

What could attract young to the Arctic industrial cities?

The new three-year research project will analyze the attractiveness of Arctic industrial cities in Finland and Russia as places to live and work. The project focuses especially on the determinants of youth wellbeing. The Finnish part of the project is hosted by the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland and funded by the Academy of Finland.

New publication on global politics and contemporary colonialism

New academic book challenges the idea that global politics is making progress on indigenous issues and argues that contemporary colonialism operates through inclusion and benevolent practices of recognition.

Open position in the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland

University Researcher starting 1 March 2018 Field: Multidisciplinary research related to global change.

Monica Tennberg is a member of the Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research (NVP)

Research professor Monica Tennberg is elected as a member of the Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research (NVP). Tennberg is a research professor at the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland. She has studied Arctic politics since early 1990s. Today she focuses in her research to politics of Arctic everyday life, political economy of extreme weather events; practices of neoliberal governance and their local implications; and social dimensions in Arctic politics.

The new project enhance labour opportunities for women in the Nordic countries

The Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland is taking part to the new two-year project (2017–2018) which object is to enhance better and suitable employment for immigrant women. The project will produce practical approaches that employers and companies can implement and identify possibilities for networking between immigrant women, local public and private actors and employers.

New exhibition in Arktikum presents Finnish Arctic expertise

In Arktikum Science Centre, a new exhibition called Arctic Expo 2017 will be opened to the public on November 15, 2017. The exhibition showcases the expertise and know-how of Finland in Arctic related technologies. In the exhibition, the visitor can learn how the Arctic is present in our daily lives and why Finland has world leading companies developing Arctic technologies and products.

Arctic Youth Forum discusses how to make the Arctic an interesting place to live for young people

Arctic Youth Forum discusses how to make the Arctic region, especially Finnish Lapland, a lively and interesting place to live and stay for the young generation. The Arctic Youth Forum is a side event of the Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit conference. It is organized by young innovative students from the InnoBarentsLab of the Lapland University of Applied Sciences. The forum will be held on the 13th of November 2017 at 6 pm in Hostel Café Koti, and it is open for everyone.

The main Arctic event of Finland’s centenary will start in Rovaniemi

The international Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit Conference takes place in Rovaniemi next week. This is the most important Arctic event of Finland’s centenary year, and it is closely linked to Finland’s chairmanship in the Arctic Council.

The 10t Polar Law Symposium in Rovaniemi focuses on global and local governance of the Polar Regions

The 10th Polar Law Symposium will be held in Rovaniemi, Finland on November 13-14, 2017. This year the symposium will focus on the issues of the global and local governance of the Poles and it will include panel sessions concerning the Arctic and Antarctic regions, the protection of the environment, the rights of indigenous peoples and the issue of cyber and digital security in the Polar Regions.

Exhibition by Anna Stammler-Gossmann presents life and change in the Arctic

This poster exhibition “People, Places and Change” of Dr. Anna Stammler-Gossman is open in Rovaniemi in the University of Lapland’s Kopio Gallery on October 3-19, 2017.

Barents Studies discuss mayoral strategies, Northern identity and global megaprojects

The new issue of the international peer-reviewed journal Barents Studies feature three very different articles that foreground three studies located in the Barents and Euro-Arctic regions. One of the overarching commonality among the articles is that they all use comparison in order to make cogent observations about historical and present-day communities in the Barents High North and Arctic. The journal features four young scholars of the Barents Region: Camilla Brattland, Morgan Ip, Maria Lvova, and Gerald Zojer.

Guest lecture on China’s Belt and Road Initiative and its Implications in the Arctic

On Tuesday 26 September, the Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law (NIEM) of the Arctic Centre will be hosting a guest lecture by Nengye Liu, Senior Lecturer at the Adelaide Law School, University of Adelaide, Australia. The topic of the lecture is China’s Belt and Road Initiative and its implications on the Arctic.

New network will foster the international research cooperation related to migration in the Arctic

New Arctic Migration thematic network of the University of the Arctic (UArctic) focuses on newfound problems and challenges in the field of migration along the side of the already existing ones. The overall objective is to establish and build an international network of scholars, experts, influencers and policy makers to solve out the challenges and problems related to migration in the Arctic.

New publication about human security threats in the Barents Region

New academic book introduces episodic and empirical evidence addressing the multifaceted aspects of human security in the Barents Region and looks at the prevalent challenges to the maintenance of societal cohesion.

New project to support the integration of children with immigrant background in school education

The Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland is taking part to project which aim is to explore the measures aimed at improving participation and learning outcomes of children from a migrant background. The project outcome is to foresee an output such as a national charter, policy recommendations and annual reports to EU.

Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit: Early Bird registration and Call for presentations closing soon

The Early Bird registration to the Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit Conference closes in three weeks’ time, 3rd of September.

Arctic 100 Expedition on multipurpose icebreaker Nordica through the Northwest Passage in July 2017

What is it like to spend a month on a multipurpose icebreaker sailing through the Northwest Passage? How does global warming affect the sea and ice conditions near the North Pole? How does it feel to spend a month on an icebreaker cruising through uninhabited regions?

Call for Participants: UArctic Thematic Network “Arctic Extractive Industries” Phd and Masters course

Security, Geopolitics, and Governance Challenges in relation to Arctic Extractive Industries

Historical legacies in the northern tundra ecosystem

The approach represents a scientific field called historical ecology, which is relatively new discipline and combines ecological research methods with humanities in order to gain deeper understanding on ecological processes and the human role in them

Tuõddri Peeʹrel - Pearls from the Tundra exhibition in Arktikum

The exhibition at the Arktikum Science Centre in Rovaniemi introduces the audience to Skolt Sámi culture, handicrafts and traditions. The fascinating photographs convey the beauty of the surroundings of the Skolt Sámi and the richness of their culture. They show us details of the Skolt Sámi clothing tradition, skilfully crafted objects, and a living Skolt Sámi culture.

Open Calls for researchers in Polar Law Symposium and Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit

A new window now open to Finland´s Arctic activities

The ArcticFinland.fi website is now presenting Finland as an Arctic country also in English. The Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland have signed an agreement to develop the site maintained and updated by the Arctic Centre as an Arctic gateway for international audience.

Call for Papers: Northern Political Economy Symposium 2017

Political Arctic/Arctic Political

Arctic Centre studies food security in the Arctic

The new project of the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland will explore the concept of human security as it applies to food security in the Arctic. The central aim in the project is to develop a network of scholars in order to promote new knowledge concerning the effect of climate change in the circumpolar Arctic on its vulnerable groups of population in regard to promoting overall food security.

Hot Stuff in Arktikum

The hottest exhibition of the year reveals the secrets of Arctic dating and mating with a dash of hay barn romance and summer meadow. The Hot Stuff exhibition is open in the Arktikum Science Centre from the 2nd of June 2017 to the 22nd of April 2018.

Arctic Centre's Annual Report 2016

Arctic Centre's Annual Report 2016 is now published.

Rovaniemi conference connects the UN Sustainable Development Goals with the Arctic

The Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit conference on November 14-16th, 2017 in Rovaniemi, Finland offers an opportunity to reflect on Arctic cooperation and its future. The main theme of the conference is how to bring the UN Sustainable Development Goals to Arctic science, policy and economy. Thus the Conference takes further one of the key guiding lines in the Finnish Chairmanship program for the Arctic Council.

Report on the adaptation actions for a changing Arctic in the Barents Area

Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) has released the Barents Area assessment report, a result of four years of research towards understanding the adaptive capacity of the Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish and Russian Arctic.

Nature Photographs of the Year in Arktikum

Nature Photographs of the Year are on display in spring exhibition in Arktikum Science Centre, Rovaniemi, Finland.

Adaptation to changes in the Arctic facilitated also by consideration of non-climate factors

Government Communications Department, 28.2.2017

Science Centre wants Arctic erotic stories

Arktikum Science Centre is currently diving into the flaming love and carnal delights in the freezing Arctic and now wants the public to share their stories of passion. The exhibition will open in the beginning of June in Arktikum, Rovaniemi, Finland.

Report: Arctic Europe: Bringing together the EU Arctic Policy and Nordic cooperation

The European Union’s “integrated policy for the Arctic”, stemming from the Joint Communication of 27 April 2016, can productively interact with Nordic cooperation frameworks in order to support developments in Arctic Europe. The study Arctic Europe: Bringing together the EU Arctic Policy and Nordic cooperation, carried out by researchers from the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland, concludes that the 2016 Joint Communication creates opportunities for formulating a common trans-national strategy for Arctic Europe.

Video reportage on the living Sami cultural heritage.

The Arctic Centre’s project Sami traditional knowledge and environmental decision making identified Sami traditional knowledge related to land use so that it can be better taken into account when making decisions about biodiversity and sustainable development, as well as the rights of the Sami people.

New project to initiate cross-border co-operation in the field of societal security

The project entitled “The Discipline of Societal Security in the Making: Let’s Make It Together!” is one of the successful applications, which has received funding from Nordic Council of Ministers to build a network amongst the participating institutions within the discipline of societal security. The Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law (NIEM) at the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland participates as a consortium partner.

Report: Sámi people’s rights should be reinforced to comply with the Constitution and international law

A report on the rights of the Sámi people by an international team of researchers was recently completed. The study is part of the Government analysis, assessment and research activities designed to support decision making. The objective was to take a closer look at the challenges facing the state in its efforts to promote the rights of the Sámi people, e.g. in the context of the Act on the Sámi Parliament and the ratification of the ILO’s Convention No. 169.

Arctic Centre leading project supporting the implementation of the EU’s Arctic policy

The Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland is a leader of a project supporting the European Commission and the European External Action Service (EEAS) in assessing the on-going implementation of the European Union’s Arctic policy. The “EU Arctic Policy Assessment” project is carried out by a consortium composed of the University of Lapland, the Arctic Portal from Iceland, the Alfred Wegener Institute from Germany and a number of subcontractors, one of which is the Regional Council of Lapland.

Arctic Centre exhibition in Korea National Maritime Museum

The National Maritime Museum in Busan, Republic of Korea, currently holds the “Further into the Arctic” exhibition in cooperation with the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland and the Embassy of Finland in Seoul. The exhibition runs until March 5th, 2017.

Towards the new UArctic research network on Arctic migration

In 2017 a new research team for the Arctic Centre and a new UArctic Thematic Network in the field of Arctic migration might be established. Nafisa Yeasmin, researcher of the Arctic Centre and initiator of the network, explains why there is a need to create a cross-national group of scientists researching the topic of migration to the North.

Newsletter on the Human Security in the Arctic out now

Newsletter by the HuSArctic project

Rise in reindeer deaths in the Arctic linked with loss of sea ice and extreme weather

Reindeer mortality rate also ‘threatens herders’ ancient nomadic culture’

Coastal sea level rises if warming goes above 2 degree celsius

Warming of 2 °C will lead to an average global ocean rise of 20 cm, but more than 90% of coastal areas will experience greater rises. If warming continues above 2 °C, then, by 2100, sea level will be rising faster than at any time during human civilization, and 80% of the global coastline is expected to exceed the upper limit of 1.8 m for mean global ocean sea level rise.

Indigenous Knowledge, IPRs and Human Rights seminar 5 December

The Faculty of Law and the Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law at the Arctic Centre organize an open seminar about indigenous peoples’ knowledge, intellectual property rights and human rights. The seminar takes place on Monday 5 December at 12–16 in the Arctic Centre in the Arktikum house.

Arctic Variety opens up Finland as an Arctic country

Finland will chair the Arctic Council in 2017 – 2019 but what makes Finland an Arctic country? Answers to that can be found in a new book “Arctic Variety” published by the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland and Europeinformation of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

Five minutes of reindeer's life in a round-up

Corral from a reindeer’s point of view.

Funding for research on digitalisation and cyber security in the European High North

NordForsk, a research facilitation and funding organisation under the Nordic Council of Ministers, awarded the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland approx. 864 000 euros for research on digitalisation and cyber security in the European High North. The three-year research project is led by Associate Professor Kamrul Hossain, who is also the director of the Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law at the Arctic Centre.

Arctic fairy tales in the Arctic Fury Film Festival 1–4 November in Rovaniemi

Arctic fairy tales and mysticism are the theme of this year's edition of the Arctic Fury Film Festival. From the 1st to the 4th of November magical stories will be presented in Arktikum, Rovaniemi (Pohjoisranta 4).

Working for the new UArctic thematic network on migration

Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland, Nordregio, University of Akureyri and The Chiba University organized the Migration in the Arctic workshop on the 19th of September 2016 in Stockholm. The goal was to share the knowledge and expertise in migration and to establish a research group on Arctic Migration under the thematic network status of UArctic.

What if? Photo exhibition visualizes the imagined impacts of climate change

In the Arctic, average temperatures are rising due to climate change almost twice as fast as in the rest of the world, but what does it mean for Arctic communities and nature? The photo exhibition Nanoq – Imag(in)ing Climate Change by Ilona Mettiäinen in Rovaniemi, Arktikum Science Centre visualizes some imaginary, possible and even impossible worlds that may result from climate change. Through displaying a polar bear figure in different natural environments, the exhibition challenges to think about the consequences of climate change and asks: what if?

First ever UArctic Congress in St. Petersburg

From September 12 to 16, St. Petersburg State University hosts the first ever UArctic Congress, the University of the Arctic’s largest meeting to date – with over five hundred participants. The UArctic Congress 2016 includes a science section with over 250 oral and poster presentations and world-renowned keynote speakers from across the circumpolar world. In addition, UArctic’s various governance and organizational bodies will convene together to expand cooperation in higher education and science in northern regions.

The new book addresses the human security challenges of indigenous peoples

The new book addresses different aspects of human security challenges facing the indigenous peoples of the Arctic and sub-Arctic region, including Ainu, Inuit, Nenets, Sámi and the Mongolian indigenous peoples. The book highlights the increased changes of natural and social environment and their effects on the indigenous peoples of the region, in particular on the effects concerning their unique and nature-based livelihood practices.

Seminar on food security in the Barents region

Open seminar on “Globalization and Food Security in the Barents region” will be arranged in Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland (Arktikum, Pohjoisranta 4, Rovaniemi) on Tuesday, 16th August2016 at 9.30–12.40. In the afternoon there will be meeting for invited stakeholders.

Public lectures on climate intervention to be held in Rovaniemi and Sodankylä

Climate intervention (also climate engineering, geoengineering) means deliberate, man-made strategies for reducing global temperatures by utilizing different technologies; for instance by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it, or by increasing the amount of sunlight being reflected back into space. Climate intervention does not, however, replace the need to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Universities from Bangladesh and Finland address a refugee's security issues in a seminar

Hundreds of thousands Rohingya refugees are fully outside from all the aid schemes and are fallen on a continuous threat of food insecurity in the Bangladesh border. There is an emergency needs of protracted displacement of Rohingyas in Asia and create sustainable strategy for rethinking Rohingya issues. The Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland, Finland and the Faculty of Law at the University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh will organize common human rights seminar September 2016 in cooperation with several human rights institutions and Universities in Bangladesh to disseminate knowledge and best practices among a wider audience.

Arctic herbivore diversity is mostly determined by plants and predators

Diversity patterns of Arctic herbivores are only partly determined by temperature; interactions with plants and predators are more important. The diversity of herbivores varies across the Arctic, and until now, no one knew whether this was shaped by physical environmental factors, like temperature, or biotic factors, such as plant productivity.

Programme for the Everyday life in the Arctic Symposium published

The University of Lapland will organize the sixth Northern Political Economy symposium in September 8th-9th 2016 in Rovaniemi, Finland. The symposium will discuss Arctic everyday life and various tactics of tackling changes in it.

Diving into the Arctic diet of meat

Get inspired by Inuit ice cream, be surprised of fat percentage of caribou meat and be startled by the smell of dried fish. Welcome to enjoy some Arctic aromas in Nam nam, the new temporary exhibition of the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland.

Call for papers: Human and Societal Security in the Circumpolar Arctic

HuSArctic project organizes an international conference on Human and Societal Security in the Circumpolar Arctic in March 25-28, 2017 in Enontekiö, Finland and Kautokeino, Norway. The specific focus of the conference is on the Barents region and its environment, sustainability and development.

Call for papers: Everyday life in the Arctic Symposium

The University of Lapland will organize the sixth Northern Political Economy symposium in September 8th-9th 2016 in Rovaniemi, Finland. The symposium will discuss Arctic everyday life and various tactics of tackling changes in it.

Northern Impressions photo show opens the new exhibition in Arktikum

Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland organizes Barents Café on Thursday 12th May at 5 PM about impressionistic nature photography. Northern Impressions is the nature photo cooperation project by Irma Varrio and Ari-Matti Nikula, presenting the Nordic nature with an impressionistic twist.

ArCticles views the Arctic from the researchers’ standpoint

ArCticles – Arctic Centre Papers is a new series of entries by Arctic Centre researchers and other staff relating to current Arctic issues by the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland.

Antarctic Ice Sheet will play important role in sea level rise

Research Professor John Moore from the Arctic Centre is leading a new project, where a computer model of the Antarctic Ice Sheet is used to simulate its behaviour in response to changing climate.

Open lecture: China's policy development towards the Arctic governance

Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law (NIEM) at the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, is organizing Study Circle lecture on China's policy development towards the Arctic governance in April 14th. The guest lecturer of the Study Circle is Dr. Baozhi Cheng from Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS), China.

Information on human and fundamental rights related research will be collected from researchers

The Human Rights Centre (HRC) is creating a report on human and fundamental rights related research in Finland for the first time. The information will be collected using an online survey, which will target all researchers in Finland.

A major China-Nordic Arctic Cooperation Symposium in Rovaniemi

The fourth China-Nordic Arctic Cooperation Symposium will be organized in Rovaniemi June 6th-9th 2016 with the theme "The Sustainable Arctic – Opportunities and Challenges of Globalization". The Symposium is expected to gather a large number of Chinese and Nordic scholars, policymakers and other stakeholders. Also an official delegation from China will attend the event and the business roundtable to be organized during the Symposium.

Indigeneity in Waiting: Elusive Rights and the Power of Hope

The research project Indigeneity in Waiting: Elusive Rights and the Power of Hope views legal and institutional advances concerning indigenous peoples, and the promise of such advances, as an integral part of the ways in which political power is exercised today.

What is happening with permafrost greenhouse gas releases?

Arctic Centre research professor Bruce Forbes has taken part in an expert assessment, published in Environmental Research Letters on 7 March 2016. The results go to the core of Arctic related climate discussion: what is actually happening with permafrost greenhouse gas releases? Are we talking about a tipping point, a time bomb or what?

Arctic Voices explore the realities of living close to extractive industries

Professor Florian Stammler from the Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, has co-edited the Arctic Voices issue of an international journal The Extractive Industries and Society. The issue explore the expectations, narratives and the realities of living with extractive industries in the far north.

Nature Photos of the Year exhibition in Arktikum

The Nature Photos of the Year exhibition arrived in Arktikum Science Centre. The exhibition will be open from 15th March to 17th April 2016 from Tuesday to Sunday at 10 AM – 6 PM.

Grant for the EU’s Arctic policy research

Adam Stepien from the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland has received a grant of EUR 16.000 from the Finnish Cultural Foundation for the final stage of work on his doctoral dissertation titled “The European Union’s Arctic policy as a region-focused coherence-making practice”. The grant covers in particular work towards developing policy instruments and policy ideas enhancing the EU’s procedural coherence in the Arctic.

Arktikum Science Centre’s new exhibition stands short

Do you know what is a ‘spruce’s ass’? Or why the mountain ash has been considered as a sacred tree? The story of the trees in the Arctic is told in Standing short, the new exhibition of the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland. Welcome to learn wooden facts, see delightful illustrations, hug a tree and laugh at some silly jokes.

Map exhibition: Glory with a death on your heels

What did the Great North look like from the southern point of view hundreds of years ago? From whose point of view history is written? Is the land really found only when a white man discovers it? These big questions are aroused in the new exhibition of Arktikum Science Centre, Rovaniemi.