UArctic Institute for Arctic Policy

The University of the Arctic Institute for Arctic Policy (IAP) is a collaboration between Dartmouth College, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and University of the Arctic. IAP promotes discussion and analysis of critical issues facing the circumpolar north and its peoples as a result of climate change. Through a series of meeting on aspects of climate change requiring policy attention, IAP brings together representatives of governments, the academy, non-governmental groups, and indigenous peoples to discuss these issues, identify and prioritize the policy-related research requirements, and help develop the agendas for governments to address pressing policy issues.

Partners

Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College is a private, co-educational liberal arts school located in Hanover, New Hampshire, USA. Dartmouth College has a long tradition of research and teaching in northern  and polar studies. Originally founded in 1769 for the education of Native Americans, Dartmouth is the ninth oldest college in the U.S. Enrollment is approximately 1,800 graduate and 4,100 undergraduate students and includes the highest percentage of Native American students of any Ivy League institution. The college has 19 graduate programs in the Arts and Sciences, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and Tuck School of Business.

University of Alaska Fairbanks

The University of Alaska Fairbanks is the northernmost Land, Sea, and Space Grant institution in the U.S., offering 28 certificates, 167 degrees in 122 disciplines ranging from bachelors to Ph.D.  UAF has an enrollment of over 9,800 students who come from Alaska, most other states, and 52 foreign countries. About half graduated from high school in Alaska and more than 200 are international students. Undergraduate students make up 89 percent of the total student body.

In 1922 the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines opened its doors and grew quickly to become the University of Alaska in 1935. By the time Alaska became a state in 1959, students could earn Ph.D.s at the university. UAF remains the only campus in the state that awards doctoral degrees.

University of the Arctic

The University of the Arctic (UArctic) is a cooperative network of universities, colleges, and other organizations committed to higher education and research in the North. Members share resources, facilities, and expertise to build post-secondary education programs that are relevant and accessible to northern students. Their overall goal is to create a strong, sustainable circumpolar region by empowering northerners and northern communities through education and shared knowledge.

UArctic promotes education that is circumpolar, interdisciplinary, and diverse in nature and draws on combined strengths to address the unique challenges of the region. The University of the Arctic recognizes the integral role of indigenous peoples in northern education and seeks to engage their perspectives in all of its activities.

Conferences

IAP brings together representatives of governments, non-governmental organizations, indigenous peoples, and scientists in order to discuss, identify, and prioritize issues and policy-related research and to help develop the agendas for governments to address pressing policy issues.

2015: Arctic Council Initiatives To Sustain Arctic Cooperation - Priorities for te U.S. Chairmanship, 2015-2017

  • The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a meeting in experts, government officials and NGO representatives, in partnership with Dartmouth and the University of Alaska Fairbanks, to develop policy recommendations for the US Chairmanship of the Arctic Council. Download the recommendations.

2013: Euro-Atlantic Action Plan for Cooperation and Enhanced Arctic Security

  • Dartmouth College, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, in partnership with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, sponsored a meeting with 40 leading Arctic scholars, government officials, industry leaders and representatives for indigenous peoples met in Washington, D.C., in February 2013 to examine key issues facing the region -- energy, health, commercial shipping, security and governance -- and to make recommendations for action. Download the report.

2011: Arctic Health - Challenges and Responses to Rapid Climate, Environmental, and Social Change

  • Key authorities in the area of arctic health met at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, May 23-25, 2011, to discuss "Arctic Health: Challenges and Responses to Rapid Environmental and Social Change." Topics included: climate change, globalization and the emergence of new diseases and disease patterns; environmental change in human health; research considerations in partnerships with northern communities; priorities for institutional/community responses to rapid change; lessons learned and pathways forward. Download the report.

2010: Climate Change and Human Security

  • Scientists and other experts from across the North met September 5-8, 2010, at the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi, Finland to address issues of climate change and human security. Download the report.

2009: Considing a Roadmap Forward - The Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment

  • An international group of scientists, policymakers, military and government officials met October 22 – 24, 2009, in Fairbanks, Alaska, to decide how to take action on recommendations from the Arctic Council's Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment. The University of Alaska Geography Program hosted the workshop. Download the report.

2008: Arctic Climate Change and Security Policy

  • The first IAP conference, held December 1-3, 2008, at Dartmouth College, was attended by academic scholars, policymakers, shipping and energy experts, and representatives of indigenous peoples. These round-table discussions on climate change and Arctic security issues resulted in the publication of The Arctic Climate Change and Security Policy Final Report and Findings, released in June 2009 at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C. Download the report.

Contact Us

Ross Virginia, Ph.D., Director, Institute of Arctic Studies
Myers Family Professor of Environmental Science
Co-Lead Scholar, Fulbright Arctic Initiative
Dickey Center for International Understanding
Dartmouth College
6214 Haldeman Center
Hanover, NH 03755

Phone:  603-646-0192
Fax:  603-646-2168
Ross.A.Virginia@dartmouth.edu
https://dickey.dartmouth.edu/people/ross-virginia

Mike Sfraga, Ph.D., Director, Polar Initiative
Wilson Center
Washington, DC  

Phone: 202-691-4255
mike.sfraga@wilsoncenter.org
www.wilsoncenter.org/person/michael-sfraga

Formerly Vice-Chancellor
University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF)
Fairbanks, AK
www.uaf.edu

Lars Kullerud, President
University of the Arctic
Postboks 183
Arendal
N-4802, Norway

Phone: +47-37-03-57-08
Lars.Kullerud@uarctic.org
www.uarctic.org