UiT Researchers Head to the Faroe Islands to Share Arctic Knowledge

Researchers from UiT are set to participate in a series of panel debates during the Arctic Congress, organised by UArctic in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands. They will contribute fresh perspectives on the blue economy, Indigenous peoples, climate change, and preparedness.

Landscape from The Faroe Islands, featuring the ocean, cliffs and waterfalls — Landscape from the Faroe Islands. Photo: Mostphotos.com

Portrettbilde av Bredesen, Kim

Bredesen, Kim kim.bredesen@uit.no Rådgiver

Published: 22.05.26 12:00 Updated: 22.05.26 14:30

Arctic Geopolitics Sustainability

UArctic is a global organisation established to promote collaboration in Arctic research and higher education.

Every other year, UArctic organises a congress that brings together researchers, politicians, and leading societal actors from around the world. This year, the congress will take place from 26–29 May in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.

Read more about the Arctic Congress here.

The congress includes the UArctic Assembly and the UArctic Rector’s Forum, where the organisation’s status is discussed and reviewed, and new decisions regarding strategic direction are made.

In the three days leading up to the congress, a series of panel debates and presentations will be held, focusing on scientific perspectives on the Arctic. This year’s main themes are sustainable economic development and international cooperation, the ocean, climate change in the Arctic, biodiversity, Indigenous peoples, and northern communities.

New this year is the inclusion of the Ocean Connectivity Conference, organised by the Nordic Council, as part of the Arctic Congress.

UiT’s Contributions to the Congress

UiT researchers will present new findings and analyses on natural conditions and societal challenges in the Arctic.

Key focus areas for UiT include Arctic Ocean 2050 and research contributions to the International Polar Year (IPY).

Facts About UArctic

Promotes collaboration in research and higher education related to the Arctic.
Has 212 members across both Arctic and non-Arctic countries.
Collectively, the member institutions have 2.5 million students and 511,000 staff.
In the Nordic region, UArctic has 69 members.
The university alliance The Arctic Six is one of the organisation’s four regional hubs.

During the congress, there will also be an emphasis on the collaboration of UiT researchers within various thematic networks and clusters alongside colleagues through The Arctic Six. This is an alliance of six universities located in the Arctic regions of Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

The Arctic Six serves as a regional hub for UArctic, facilitating knowledge development and innovation in collaboration with local communities, as well as the private and public sectors.

Through this research collaboration, new knowledge is being developed across a range of fields. These include the consequences of climate change, preparedness, the transport and energy sectors, public health, the development of environmental technology, and the ripple effects of geopolitical tensions.

In the overview below, you can read more about the projects UiT researchers will present at the Arctic Congress.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about the sessions where UiT is contributing or wish to interview UiT researchers, you can contact:

Kim Bredesen, Communications Advisor at UiT

Mobile: +47 984 60 956

Email: kim.bredesen@uit.no

Sessions Featuring UiT Researchers

(Click on the links to see the names and titles of the researchers)

Indigenous rights, languages, and culture

26 May

Indigenous Language Policies, Local Politic Making and Implementation

27 May

Birgejupmi: Co-creation in Practice - Stories from the Field

Indigenizing Academia: Lessons across the Arctic

Enabling Indigenous Research Leadership Through Capacity Building

Blue economy, fisheries, and aquaculture

26 May

Blue Economy Strategies for Enhancing Productivity and Efficiency in Arctic marine Resources and Sectors

27 May

Climate change adaptation and mitigation in Arctic fisheries

Opportunities and Barriers to Mitigation and Adaptation in Arctic fisheries

Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Fisheries: Methods, Monitoring, and Practice

Marine research

27 May

Understanding and Imagining Extreme Marine Environments in the Arctic regions

Arctic Marine Biodiversity: Current Insights and Knowledge Gaps

Shipping and logistics

26 May

Navigating Arctic Futures: Ocean Dynamics and Shipping Toward 2050: The Arctic 2050 Programme

28 May

Sustainable and Intelligent Urban Logistics Planning

Geopolitics

26 May

Shifting Poles: Asia's Role in Arctic Geopolitics and Governance

27 May

Revitalizing Arctic Science Diplomacy in an Era of Geopolitical Transformation

Climate change

26 May

Warning on the AMOC: Challenges and Responses from the Arctic to the North Atlantic

Health and welfare

26 May

Social Inequalities in Health in the North Atlantic

Paediatric Mental Health and Wellbeing in the Arctic

Healthy Ageing for all in the Arctic

Occupational Safety and Health in the Arctic: Building climate resilience for workers and communities

28 May

Navigating Uncertainties in the Arctic: Climate, Health, and Sustainable Healthcare Education Approaches in Northern Regions, by UArctic Northern Nursing Education

University collaboration and science communication

26 May

UArctic’s new sister – a renewed Antarctic University corporation structure

28 May

Creating and Communicating Arctic ArtScience

Preparedness

27 May

Arctic Emergency Management: Advancing Collaborative Approach

Resilience, sustainability, innovation, and local communities

26 May

Interdisciplinary Connections & Creative Capacity Building in Small Northern Communities

From Detection to Action – Community Resilience to Emerging Arctic Extremes

27 May

Innovation, Sustainability, and Economic Growth in Arctic Societies: The Strategic Role of Projects, Programs, and Portfolios

Solid Waste Management in the Arctic: Issues, Complexity, and Sustainable Future

Biocultural Heritage: Understanding, Applying and Governing for Sustainable Future

28 May

How can the EU support a Smart Arctic Watch: Boosting science and policy for responsible marine governance

Indigenous Food Systems and Foodways of the Arctic

Art, literature, culture, and history

26 May

When the Waters Came: Using Literature and History to Build Community Resilience to Arctic Water Risks

27 May

The Ocean as a Connector Between People, Places, and Cultures in Literature and History

Cultural Management of Fish Resources: Diversity for the Future

28 May

Representations of Indigenous Peoples in Medieval Literature

International student projects

26 May

Tracing the Journeys of the International Graduate Student Research Cohort in Interdisciplinarity and International Cooperation

Equality, youth, and upbringing

27 May

Youth, Values, and Compromise: Building Resilient Northern Communities Across Generations

28 May

Intersectional Gender Equality in Arctic Academia – engaging with Communities and interacting with youth

UiT Researchers and Staff Contributing to Arctic Congress 2026

Andreas Altenburger – Associate Professor at the Arctic University Museum of Norway

Bodil Hansen Blix – Professor at the Department of Health and Care Sciences

Bodil Bluhm – Professor at the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology

Lars Ailo Bongo – Professor at the Department of Computer Science

Dorothee Ehrich – Senior Researcher at the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology

Astrid M.A. Eriksen – Researcher at the Centre for Sami Health Research (SSHF)

Aileen Aseron Espiritu – Researcher at the Centre for Geopolitics, Peace, and Security

Igor Ezau – Professor at the Department of Physics and Technology

Trude Fonneland – Professor at the Arctic University Museum of Norway

Helge Fredriksen – Associate Professor at the Department of Computer Science

Abhik Gosh – Professor at the Department of Chemistry

Ketil Lenert Hansen – Professor, Research Group for Child and Family Welfare

Erik Henriksen – Professor at the Department of Technology and Safety

Nina Hermansen – Docent at the Department of Child Welfare and Social Work

Anje Christina Höper – Researcher / Research Group Leader at the Research Group for Occupational Health

Tiina Ikäheimo – Professor at the Research Group for Occupational Health

Øystein Klemetsen – Associate Professor at the Department of Technology and Safety

Lars Kullerud – President of UArctic and Senior Advisor at the Section for International Cooperation

Èva Cosette-Laneville – PhD Candidate at the Department of Language and Culture

Yajie Liu – Professor at the Norwegian College of Fishery Science

Filip Maric – Associate Professor at the Department of Health and Care Sciences

Kate Maxwell – Professor at the Conservatory of Music in Tromsø

Veslemøy Mantor – Senior Engineer at the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology

Tiziana Melchiorre – Researcher at the Norwegian College of Fishery Science

Lilli Mittner – Associate Professor at the Centre for Women's and Gender Research

Mikko Antti Moilanen – Professor at the School of Business and Economics, UiT Tromsø

Bente Norbye – Docent at the Department of Health and Care Sciences

Yara Hannah Theresa Nieuwenhuis – Officer at the Section for Research, Education, and Outreach (UMAK)

Iveta Novokova – Associate Professor at the Department of Building, Energy, and Material Technology

Dag Rune Olsen – Rector at UiT

Giuliana Panieri – Professor at the Department of Geosciences

Greg Michael Poelzer – Professor at the Department of Social Sciences

Issam Rais – Associate Professor at the Department of Computer Science

Jorge Santos – Professor at the Norwegian College of Fishery Science

Eli-Anita Øivand Schøning – Researcher and Project Manager at the Arctic University Museum of Norway

Signe Groot Terkelsen – PhD Candidate at the Department of Archaeology, History, and Religious Studies

Øystein Alexander Vangsnes – Professor at the Department of Language and Culture

Florian Vidal – Senior Advisor at the Centre for Geopolitics, Peace, and Security

Hao Yu – Professor at the Department of Industrial Technology

Elisabeth Wetzer – Associate Professor at the Department of Physics and Technology

Fern Wickson – Professor at the Norwegian College of Fishery Science

Barrett Thor Zimmerman – Advisor at the Department of Arctic and Marine Biology

Bredesen, Kim kim.bredesen@uit.no Rådgiver

Published: 22.05.26 12:00 Updated: 22.05.26 14:30

Arctic Geopolitics Sustainability

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