Danish funding - case statementThe University of the Arctic extends its immense gratitude for the strong support receivedfrom the government of Denmark since 2010. This support has resulted in a strengthenedcore administration that has, in turn, leveraged improvements in overall UArctic education,research and outreach activities that are estimated at over four million euros. UArctic hasfocussed these investments in developing common support infrastructure for other UArcticprograms. For example, the UArctic Catalogue is an integral tool for the GoNorth program inpromoting northern higher education institutions as destinations of study, as well as helpingstudents within the UArctic network identify exchange destinations through the north2northmobility program.Likewise, the capacity offered by the new UArctic Finance Office at the University of AlaskaFairbanks has made UArctic finance and activity reporting more consistent and transparent,which demonstrates our value to current and potential funders, as well as our stakeholders.This information is vital for the Board of Governors in securing continued support for keyprograms such as Circumpolar Studies.It should be noted that the UArctic administration continues to be a small and efficientstructure, distributed across the Arctic region and hosted by different members of thenetwork. The additional investments in network administration build on the strongcommitment of these members, but also free up member resources to focus on academicprogram delivery and development. The strong growth in the number of Thematic Networks,and the extent of their activities and outputs is testament to the success of this approach.As UArctic moves forward in developing its next Strategic Plan 2020, which maps out ourdirection for the years to come, it is clear that there is still a critical need for consistent,sustained support of our core infrastructure. We are well placed to take advantage of fundingprograms at the national and regional levels, where education and research activities fitwithin existing frameworks and priorities. Support for administrative capacity continues to bea challenge.Listed below is a short summary of the types of activity that have resulted from thegovernment of Denmark’s support of UArctic.•

UArctic Finance Office:

provides budgeting and reporting capacity that allows moreeffective planning and supports greater fund-raising efforts. (for example the UArcticFund at the University of Lapland resulted in an endowment of €1.2)

UArctic Research Office:

to facilitate the expansion of joint northern-focusedresearch among the faculty of the member institutions. Also, UArctic aims tostrengthen its role in Arctic science policy together with other key Arctic scienceorganizations such as IASSA and IASC. This exapansion of capacity among ourRussian members has leveraged increased investment and participation by Russianhigher education institutions, particularly in Thematic Networks with a researchfocus.

UArctic Information Service and Catalogue:

provides outlets for UArctic membersand programs to promote their activities and share their experiences. UArcticCatalogue is a service for potential students as well as a marketing tool for members,offering access to all northern-themed courses and programs across the network.(resulted in complimentary funding from Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs).The Danish funding has also enabled UArctic to sustain and improve its SharedVoices annual print Magazine as well as develop the general news service abouthigher education in the Circumpolar North.

Vice-President Indigenous.

Jan Henry Keskitalo, provides greater leadership andresponsibility to UArctic’s commitment to increasing the relevance of northerneducation to indigenous peoples and developing new knowledge paradigms in highereducation. The base salary for this position is secured from Norwegian UArcticfunding, but the additional Danish support facilitates the functioning of theIndigenous Peoples Committee that works with the Vice-President.Increased support for networking among UArctic’s

Thematic Networks,

includingthe organization of annual meetings between the coordinators of these networks.Through these networks, member institutions take the lead in developing research,educational and capacity-building initiatives. The networks emerge from partnershipsamong faculty members and students, gathering resources to focus on topics ofregional importance, facilitating exchange and collaboration, and catalyzinginnovative educational approaches. In 2012, UArctic already has 25 active networkswith dozens of members engaged in a variety of activities. Overall Thematic Networkactivity currently accounts for around a quarter of the UArctic budget with funding ofapproximately €1m. In the period since the Danish funding began, the followingnetworks have commenced:ooooooooooEnvironmental Impact Assessment of Industry Contaminated AreasArctic Coastal and Marine IssuesArctic LawArctic Sustainable Arts & DesignManaging Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the NorthEnvironmental Training and Education for Sustainable Development of the Arctic(NETESDA)Communicating Arctic ResearchGeology of the ArcticPolar Ice Climate and LandArctic Extractive Industries

University of the Arctic – General Information

The University of the Arctic (UArctic) is a cooperative network of northern universities,colleges and other organizations dedicated to education, research and the promotion ofindigenous and local capacities and sustainable development in the circumpolar North. With145 member institutions and organizations spanning 24 time zones in the eight Arcticcountries and beyond, UArctic is the North’s only truly circumpolar higher educationinstitution and one of the world’s largest education and research networks. This membershipincludes five Danish institutions as well as Ilisimatusarfik (University of Greenland) and theUniversity of the Faroe Islands. Our members share resources, facilities, and expertise to

provide post-secondary education relevant and accessible to students and communities of theNorth.UArctic works in partnership with indigenous peoples, recognizing their integral role innorthern education, training, knowledge generation and transfer, and seeks to engage theirperspectives and participation in all of its activities. UArctic develops initiatives inpartnership with indigenous peoples and other northern communities that are responsive totheir needs and support their aspirations and educational requirements.Our overall goal is to create a strong, sustainable circumpolar region by empoweringnortherners and indigenous peoples through education, training and shared knowledge.UArctic seeks to promote excellence in knowledge generation and knowledge application inareas relevant to the North. UArctic’s efforts have been recognized by the Arctic Council itsmembers as the leading regional partner for education and scientific outreach.UArctic education is circumpolar, holistic, and diverse in nature and draws on our combinedmembers’ strengths to address the unique challenges of the region.•UArctic promotes a northern circumpolar voice in the globalizing world that reflectsashared regional identity across all eight Arctic states and among all northern peoplesand cultures.UArctic promotes a holistic understanding among different learning systems, bringingtogether perspectives from the arts and both social and natural sciences withtraditional and Indigenous knowledge to foster a focus on issues and needs. Thisapproach is intended to yield greater and more relevant knowledge application than aclassical disciplinary approach.

UArctic promotes cultural diversity, language plurality, and gender equality whilehighlighting the partnership among the region’s indigenous peoples and other northerners.UArctic promotes cooperation in a context in which recognized degrees are granted by themember institutions.In 2011, we marked the 10thanniversary of the network. In just tenyears, UArctic grew from a small group of dedicated institutions with a will to collaborateinto an institutionalized network with 16 offices distributed throughout the circumpolar Northand a wide range of activities ranging from coordinating its own mobility program tosystematic work on influencing global higher education policy.

UArctic Finance Office:

UArctic Research Office:

UArctic Information Service and Catalogue:

Vice-President Indigenous.

Thematic Networks,

Member engagement support.

University of the Arctic – General Information