This transdisciplinary research school trains researchers to address societal challenges in a sustainable manner
About the research school
The research school focuses on renewable energy, food security, and health and welfare in the Arctic. We will collaborate with actors in both the private and the public sector. The research outcomes will contribute to transformation and resilience in the Arctic and will thus operationalize Sustainable Development Goals.
The training provides PhD candidates with knowledge, professional and transferable skills, and general competences that enable them to contribute to innovative and sustainable solutions for societal challenges in the Arctic.
“Changing Arctic” will arrange courses, seminars, workshops, and excursions, and will organise secondments in industry, private enterprises, NGOs, as well as public institutions involved in management and policy making. This is to ensure the relevance of project outcomes and enhance the employability of the PhD graduates.
Professor Tiina Ikäheimo Appointed as a New Arctic Five Chair
Photo credit: https://www.arcticfive.org/Photo: Tiina Ikäheimo / UiT
The Arctic Five has appointed 16 new Arctic Five Chairs to enhance research and educational collaborations in the Fennoscandinavian Arctic from 2024 to 2026. This initiative, involving UiT – The Arctic University of Norway, University of Lapland, Umeå University, University of Oulu, and Luleå University of Technology, focuses on building and strengthening alliances.
We are proud to announce that Professor Tiina Ikäheimo, one of our esteemed steering group members, has been appointed as one of the Arctic Five Chairs. Congratulations to her!
Changing Arctic Candidates at Arctic Congress Bodø 2024
Photo: Polina Smirnova Photo credit: Arctic Five
Four of our PhD candidates, Polina Smirnova, Mojdeh Rafieian, Kristina Roset, and Alexandra Abrahams, actively participated in the Arctic Congress 2024 in Bodø. This unique event combined the International Congress of Arctic Social Sciences (ICASS) XI, UArctic Congress 2024, and High North Dialogue 2024, featuring high-level plenary sessions, parallel sessions, networking activities, and social and cultural events.
Photo (from left): Anje Christina Höper (UiT), Mojdeh Rafieian, Tiina Ikäheimo (UiT)
Bringing these three conferences together in Bodø was an extraordinary showcase of Arctic cooperation, aligning with sustainability goals such as reducing CO2 emissions and increasing partnerships. The congress focused on four themes: People of the North, Sustainable Economic Development, Climate and Environment, and Oceans.
Photo: Alexandra Abrahams
Our candidates made significant contributions and gained valuable insights from the conference. Mojdeh and Polina presented their research, Alexandra participated in the poster sessions, and Kristina enhanced her knowledge on institutional ethnography. Additionally, Polina took part in a scenario planning workshop for the Arctic, organized by High North Dialogue. This workshop aims to create a learning platform to share knowledge and facilitate networking for young, ambitious individuals interested in societal development in the High North.
We are thrilled for our PhD candidates' active involvement and impactful contributions at the Arctic Congress Bodø 2024, demonstrating their commitment to advancing Arctic research and collaboration.
Our PhD candidate Claudia Cheng chose the company, Troms Kraft for her secondment spanning three months.
Troms Kraft, a publicly owned power company, specializes in producing, distributing, and selling electricity from renewable sources. It is jointly owned by Troms Holding (60%) and Tromsø municipality (40%). The company focuses on four strategic areas: power production, distribution, sales, and electrification. Their mission is to ensure stable access to electricity and they actively support local community projects, also some initiatives those benefiting children and young people. Troms Kraft has set ambitious sustainability targets, aiming to lead the transition to a greener society.
During her secondment, Claudia experienced Norwegian working culture and gained valuable insights into applying her research skills beyond academia. She emphasized building a network of relevant contacts for her future research. Claudia identified research and presentation skills as the main transferable learning outcomes. These skills were crucial for conducting stakeholder interviews and presenting findings effectively to both the company's department and its partners, using language accessible to non-academic audiences. She appreciated the inclusive environment created by her colleagues, which enhanced her understanding of the power market dynamics.
Claudia suggested improving the secondment process by discussing expectations between supervisors/mentors and PhD candidates in advance, as she believes this step would clarify tasks and work schedules more effectively. Given the other obligations related to her PhD work, she recommends allocating at least one day a week to handle these responsibilities, ensuring better manageability. Regarding timing, Claudia proposed that secondments could ideally occur either in the second semester of the first year or later in the third or fourth year of the PhD program. Early secondments can help refine and fine-tune research goals, while later ones allow PhD candidates to contribute more substantially with additional time and knowledge.
Claudia's secondment not only allowed her to contribute with her research and expertise to Troms Kraft but also provided opportunities for her professional growth through networking and knowledge enhancement. Her experience underscores the mutual benefits of academic-industry collaborations.
Adrianna Kochanska - Sjókovin - Blue Resource
Our PhD candidate, Adrianna Kochanska, chose Sjókovin - Blue Resource for her secondment, spanning two months.
Sjókovin is a private, independent, not-for-profit research center based in the Faroe Islands. Their vision is centered around fostering sustainable development and innovation in fisheries and aquaculture. They boast a team of experienced researchers with strong competencies in socio-economic impact assessments, resource management, risk assessments, value chain and market analysis, as well as policy and governance analysis. They also excel in project management, having served as coordinators and work package leaders in National, Nordic, and European research projects.
Photo: Adrianna Kochanska
During her secondment, Adrianna worked within the scope of the AquaVitae and SeaMark projects where in collaboration with Sjókovin she created Industry Business Plans and Value Chain Analyses for a kelp producing company, Ocean Rainforest.
Adrianna emphasized the importance of understanding that every decision made by industry representatives must carefully weigh potential costs and benefits, especially in the context of a start-up company. Effective cooperation with industry requires good negotiation skills and resourcefulness, as industry partners need evidence that sharing data with researchers will provide operational results. In this context, communication with various audiences, negotiation, and active listening are critical transferable skills, which should be nurtured among PhD candidates.
Adrianna immersed herself fully in the world of macroalgae, engaging in open dialogues and gaining practical knowledge. She had the opportunity to carry out interviews and collect primary data, and thanks to an open dialogue with the industry, she was able to make suggestions for improvements of internal data collection.
Working with a new team and an external institution demands extra effort to learn on the job and demonstrate trustworthiness with important responsibilities. The specific tasks assigned by her host company required a full-time commitment, which can become challenging if PhD students are expected to balance a full time PhD position with the new obligations. Adrianna recommended that when planning secondments PhDs should try to clear their calendar of any significant obliagations. This will allow them to be more flexible and take the full advantage of the experience.
Photo (from left): Adrianna Kochanska, Unn Laksa (CEO of Sjókovin)
Overall, Adrianna viewed her secondment as highly valuable. It was a mutual exchange where she collaborated with a not-for-profit research institute and industry partners offering her time and skills while gaining valuable knowledge and experience towards her PhD research.
Traditionally PhD candidates are expected to use 25% of their contract in teaching and administrative duty work, Adrianna emphasizes that it is essential to diversify the PhD obligations to include interaction with industry, policy makers and other non-academic institutions. Such experiences will deliver new perspectives for the PhD candidates and enhance their employability after the completion of the PhD.
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