
Arctic Five research university cooperation will develop over the next two years under the leadership of the University of Lapland.
The University of Lapland is responsible for the Arctic Five cooperation that began in 2016 with the leadership of four Arctic research universities signing a Joint Arctic Agenda declaration. The signatory universities were the University of Lapland, the Norwegian Arctic University (UiT), the University of Oulu and Luleå University of Technology (LTU). In 2017, the signatories were joined by the University of Umeå (UMU).
Arctic Five combines research and education collaboration between member universities and aims to create better opportunities for researchers, teachers and students to carry out activities between the partner universities. The Arctic Five is a significant collaboration entity, with more than 90,000 students studying at its member universities, taught by 10,000 researchers and teachers. Arctic Five is a major producer of graduates and science-based information, as well as a source of innovation and expertise in the northern regions. One of the goals is to jointly promote Arctic information production and its role in local, regional and EU decision-making.
The activities of Arctic Five are led by the Rector’s Council, which includes student representation jointly selected and nominated by the student unions of the Arctic Five partner universities. Arctic Five purpose was first specified in the above-mentioned Joint Arctic Agenda Declaration and operationalised in the By-Laws adopted on 5 March 2021. Arctic Five collaboration is implemented through the Arctic Five Secretariat and the Director of Arctic Five, Senior Expert, Harri Malinen at the University of Lapland. Director of Arctic Five serves as presenting official, chair/co-chair and secretary of the Arctic Five official operational bodies (Rectors Council, Executive Team, Coordination Team, Research Area Teams). A co-director to support operations, Professor Dag Avango, has been appointed to Luleå University of Technology. In accordance with the By-Laws, each member university is committed to its activities and funding, and manages resources internally, reporting to the Secretariat.
A joint student body, the Student Team, which has two nominated students from each Arctic Five university’s student union and who have appointed a joint representative and vice representative to the Rector’s Council ensure that students are part of the decision making and Arctic Five development. Student Team is led and operated by the students themselves.
Arctic Five's operations will be specified with the help of the Arctic Five strategic guideline to be confirmed in autumn 2021 and the 4-year plan implementing it. Research collaboration is already carried out in six selected research thematic groups, which are also linked to the thematic areas of the Arctic University Network (UArctic Thematic Areas). Education (https://www.arcticagenda.org/areas/education/) is the responsibility of the Faculty of Education. A new initiative Arctic Five Chairs and Fellows implementation plan will be developed during the spring and summer and will be confirmed in the autumn of 2021 by the Rector’s Council.
For more information contact:
Director of Arctic Five, Senior Expert Harri Malinen,
+358 40 5720778, firstname.surname@ulapland.fi
Vice-Rector for Research Osmo Rätti
+358 40 013 8804, firstname.surname@ulapland.fi