The Arctic region as a zone of collaboration and a zone of competition

On September 20, 2021, within the framework of the international student research project "The Arctic as a zone of cooperation and a zone of competition", which is being implemented for the first time in 2021/2022 academic year by the School of International Regional Studies of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, National Research University Higher School of Economics under the supervision of the head of the Department, Vera Vishnyakova, Ph.D and a Russian postdoc of School of International Regional Studies Irina Strelnikova, Ph.D in cooperation with the University of Oslo (Norway), the University of Akureiry (Iceland), Novosibirsk State University (Russia) and the Arctic Economic Council, held a meeting of participants and international partners of the project in a Zoom format. Within the framework of this meeting, the main contours of the project were outlined, important areas of research in the Arctic were identified. Presentations were made by Professor Alla Pozdnyakova from the University of Oslo, representative of the Arctic Economic Council Irina Zhilina, research assistant from the Stefansson Arctic Institute Jonathan Wood, and senior lecturer at the Faculty of Economics of Novosibirsk State University, researcher at the Stanford US-Russia Forum, "Arctic Policy" working group Brodt Luisa Erkinovna.

On October 11, 2021, within the framework of the international student research project "The Arctic as a zone of cooperation and a zone of competition", which is being implemented for the first time in 2021/2022 academic year by the School of International Regional Studies of the Faculty of World Economy and International Affairs, National Research University Higher School of Economics under the supervision of the head of the Department, Vera Vishnyakova, Ph.D and a Russian postdoc of School of International Regional Studies Irina Strelnikova, Ph.D in cooperation with the University of Oslo (Norway), the University of Akureiry (Iceland), Novosibirsk State University (Russia) and the Arctic Economic Council, held a lecture of guest speaker -  senior lecturer at the Faculty of Economics of Novosibirsk State University, researcher at the Stanford US-Russia Forum, "Arctic Policy" working group Brodt Luisa on topic «Arctic energy resources: the case of offshore oil and gas». The lecture covered both more general issues of the strategic importance of the Arctic region, as well as the specifics of the energy potential of the Arctic and its main oil and gas fields.

On November 8th, within the framework of the international student research project "The Arctic as a zone of cooperation and a zone of competition", there was held a Zoom lecture by the Arctic Economic Council’s advisor Irina Zhilina. The Council was created 7 years ago for business networking in the Arctic, policy advocacy, and linking businesses and regional politics. The meeting participants discussed global trends concerning the Arctic. 

A separate emphasis was placed on the problem of climate change, which is relevant both for the whole world and for the Arctic because the ongoing changes in this region have an impact on other territories. The Arctic Economic Council is a B2B organization dedicated to the responsible development of business cooperation in the Arctic. Contrary to popular belief, economic development does not always mean environmental degradation (pollution, emissions, etc.). As an example, Irina talked of several companies whose activities are aimed at minimizing industrial waste and emissions. Among the solutions offered are the electrification of transport (Finnair, Volvo), the use of renewable energy sources (Icelandic company Carbfix), and the pursuit of the low-carbon economy.

     Even though only 4 million people live in the Arctic, this region connects 90% of the entire world - due to transport routes, both air, and sea. The Arctic is often compared by experts to outer space because it is the last frontier on Earth, and all discoveries in one way or another lead to innovations that help in solving global problems. 

At the end of the meeting, the participants were asked to discuss and answer the question: "What factors are important for the positive investment environment?". Among the options proposed by the students were a stable socio-economic situation, favorable taxation conditions, a developed transport system, and others.

 Summing up, the expert once again emphasized that it is possible to develop business in the Arctic by offering cost-effective solutions to climate change issues.

On December 8, 2021, the international student research project “The Arctic as a zone of cooperation and a zone of competition” hosted a lecture titled “Science Diplomacy in the Arctic” featuring two guest speakers – Elena Adasheva, PhD Candidate in Sociocultural Anthropology at Yale University and Luiza Brodt, senior lecturer of Economics at Novosibirsk State University. Elena and Luiza are research fellows at the Arctic Policy Working Group of the Stanford US-Russia Forum where their project focuses on the Arctic science diplomacy between the United States and Russia.

The lecture, conducted in English, had an interactive format allowing students to contribute their comments and ask questions. First, the presentation covered theoretical aspects of science diplomacy, including science diplomacy definitions from various schools of thought, stakeholders, networks, and approaches to conducting and studying science diplomacy. Second, the speakers discussed various examples of science diplomacy in the Arctic. The study cases included the Arctic Council, non-Arctic States (China, the United Kingdom, Monaco), Murmansk Region, and international Arctic science organizations (IASSA and IASC). This lecture provided theoretical foundations of science diplomacy and highlighted the importance of the Arctic region for examining relations between science and diplomacy.

On December 16, 2021, within the framework of the international student research project "The Arctic as a zone of cooperation and a zone of competition", which is being implemented in cooperation with the University of Oslo (Norway), the University of Akureiry (Iceland), Novosibirsk State University (Russia) and the Arctic Economic Council, held a regular lecture of guest speaker of the project Juha Saunavaara, Assistant Professor at the Hokkaido University Arctic Research Center on the topic: "Telecommunication infrastructure, environment and the sustainable development of the Arctic" was held in a distant format. The lecture addressed the most pressing issues related to the development of telecommunications infrastructure in the Arctic, as well as aspects that hinder its development.

On January 12, 2022, an international online conference was held within the framework of which the project participants, led by the project manager and researcher of the department, Ph.D. I.A. Strelnikova in cooperation with foreign partners of the project, successfully made presentations and reports of their first scientific work. As part of their research, HSE students collaborated with students from Iceland and Norway and considered various aspects of the Arctic agenda, including legal, political, environmental, economic, and socio-cultural issues. The conference was attended by leading researchers from the University of Oslo and the University of Akureyri, as well as a representative of the Arctic Economic Council. A decision was made to publish the scientific papers of the participants in the leading foreign scientific journal specializing in Arctic research (Iceland).

On February 7, a lecture was held by the guest speaker, Kamrul Hossein, as part of the project "The Arctic as a zone of cooperation and a zone of rivalry."
Topic: Science-Law interface: the case of the outer limits of the continental shelf in the Arctic Ocean.

Kamrul Hossain is Research Professor and Director of the Nordic Institute for Environmental and Minority Law at the Arctic Center and Adjunct Professor of Public International Law at the University of Lapland. Professor Hossain's research focuses on international environmental law and human rights, especially in relation to the rights of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic.

As part of the lecture, the audience had the opportunity to ask questions to Mr. Hossein and received answers to them.

On February 14, 2022 Mirva Salminen gave a lecture "Three approaches to cybersecurity in the Arctic". Mirva Salminen is a Research Fellow at the Faculty of Law at the University of Lapland. Ms. Salminen is currently a member of the LEXSECURE project, which studies the legal basis for supranational supply chains and ensuring the availability of critical commodities such as health products in a global crisis. Ms. Salminen is engaged in the study of digitalization and cybersecurity in the Arctic region, and has experience in research and expert positions in the field of cybersecurity in both the public and private sectors.

On April 12, 2022, a lecture by Alla Pozdnyakova, Professor of the Faculty of Law of the Scandinavian Institute of Maritime Law, University of Oslo (Norway), will be held as part of the project. The lecture is devoted to the crisis of cooperation in the Arctic and the role of non-Arctic states, their unilateral measures to combat climate change in the region

Information about the conference is available here.

Information about the conference is available here.

VI Russian Scientific and Practical Conference "Sustainable North: Society, Economy, Ecology, Politics"

Information about the conference is available here.

Student Summit "Arctic Youth"

Registration is available here.

Round table "Arctic diplomacy in the XXI century"

October 14 at 16.00 Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia st. Ostozhenka, 53/2, building 1

The format of the event is hybrid

Contacts:

Tel. 8-916-034-88-02

Email: lidiia.nik.sidorova@gmail.com

Scientific-practical conference "Topical issues of innovative development of the Arctic region of the Russian Federation"

Acceptance of applications for participation in the conference: until October 25, 2020

Submission of the text of the article: until November 15, 2020

Conference: November 16-30, 2020

Questions: Shishkina Anastasia Vasilievna

by email: a.shishkina@narfu.ru

by phone: 8 (8184) 53-95-74

The information letter is available here.

The University of Oslo has a strong focus on the Arctic, and has a long-standing tradition in research
on topics related to the Arctic.

Fridtjof Nansen, the famous Norwegian polar explorer, scientist, diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
was professor in zoology and oceanography at the University of Oslo in 1897 (then called the Royal Frederick University, Universitas Regia Fredericiana).

The UiO Arctic Committee was established as a working group in early 2014 by the University Management
in order to oversee the mapping process on UiO activities related to the High North and to suggest measures to develop and expand UiO research and other activities further and to improve the visibility of UiO research on the area, which was highly fragmented
and not very visible.

Currently, the Arctic Committee is implementing several measures to improve the visibility of the
wide variety of research on the Arctic / High North going on at the University of Oslo and is also looking into possibilities for expanding interdisciplinary research in the area.

The Arctic Economic Council (AEC) is an independent organization that facilitates Arctic business-to-business
activities and responsible economic development through the sharing of best practices.

Part of the AEC Investments & Infrastructure Working Group’s aim is to increase understanding that
the Arctic is not a region with limited economic growth potential but can provide significant opportunities. The Working Group also focuses on how different funding options can serve the region and how the Arctic can attract growth capital

Novosibirsk state university is located in the world-famous scientific center – Akademgorodok. 80% of NSU faculty members are scientists from the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. So education is carried out in close connection with the world-class scientific achievements.

 Novosibirsk is the non-official capital of Siberia and the scientific center of Russia. Moreover it is one of the most rapidly growing cities in the country being its Siberian cultural and economic center as well as a major transportation hub. In Novosibirsk one can obtain high-quality English taught training at comparatively low cost of living and education. Novosibirsk is among top 20 Best Student Cities in the world according to the availability of education. Ranking specialists especially point out the unique R&D atmosphere of the Academgorodok center where Novosibirsk State University is located.

The University of Akureyri places a great emphasis on research related to arctic issues; e.g. the
universities research and development centre is also hosting the Northern Research Forum as well as other arctic emphases.

The university is one of the founding members of the UArctic. Since 2011 there has been a special
professorship for Arctic matters at the university called the Nansen professorship. The purpose is to strengthen collaboration between Iceland and Norway in the field of Arctic Scientific Research.