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Dryas octopetala in Björkliden, Sweden PHOTO: Anna Pakkanen

History

Many have thought that a circumpolar university would provide unparalleled opportunities to
share information about arctic and northern sustainability, meet the unique needs of students in
the north, and to validate northern cultures, languages and learning systems. In the early 1990’s
ideas met opportunity and the idea was put into action. 

1997

  • Arctic Council asks Circumpolar Universities Association (CUA) for a feasibility study on an Arctic university.

1998

  • CUA working group submits Final Report to the Arctic Council.
  • Arctic Council Iqaluit Declaration announces the "establishment of the University of the Arctic, a university without walls..."
  • Interim Council of the University of the Arctic formed; first meeting in Fairbanks, Alaska.

1999

  • UArctic Circumpolar Coordination Office (later the UArctic International Secretariat) established in Rovaniemi, Finland.

2000

  • Release of UArctic Integrated Plan, detailing program implementation of Bachelor of Circumpolar Studies, Arctic Learning Environment, and Circumpolar Mobility Program (later named north2north).

2001

  • Official launch of the University of the Arctic, in Rovaniemi, Finland.

2002

  • First students take Circumpolar Studies courses.
  • First students participate in pilot exchanges in north2north program.
  • Lars Kullerud appointed first UArctic Director (later President).
  • UArctic is granted official observer status at the Arctic Council.

2003

  • UArctic Undergraduate Office established at University of Saskatchewan, Canada to coordinate Circumpolar Studies program and delivery.

2004

  • UArctic north2north Mobility Office established at Finnmark University College, Norway (now part of UiT - The Arctic University of Norway).

2005

  • UArctic publishes the Strategic Plan 2005-2010, endorsing Thematic Networks as core program activities.
  • Thematic Coordination Office established at Thule Institute, University of Oulu, Finland.
  • Planning begins for UArctic’s participation in the International Polar Year.

2006

  • UArctic Russian Information Center established at Sakha State University, Yakutsk, Russia (now North-Eastern Federal University).
  • First degree graduates of Circumpolar Studies program.

2007

  • First UArctic Rectors' Forum held at Dartmouth College, USA.
  • UArctic participation in International Polar Year 2007-2008.

2008

  • Establishment of UArctic Catalog Office, to develop what is now the UArctic Studies Catalogue (education.uarctic.org).

2009

  • Publication of UArctic Strategic Plan 2009-2014.
  • GoNorth program established to support joint marketing, promotion and student recruitment efforts of UArctic member higher education institutions.

2010

  • UArctic’s first Vice-President Indigenous appointed
  • UArctic Research Office established at the Northern (Arctic) Federal University in Arkhangelsk, Russia.

2011

  • UArctic celebrates 10th anniversary at Council meeting in Lapland, Finland.
  • First non-Arctic members join UArctic.
  • IASC, IASSA, and UArctic sign agreement on research cooperation in the Arctic

2012

  • UArctic conducts External Review of its organization and activities, preceding the development of its next Strategic Plan.

2013

  • UArctic publishes its Strategic Plan 2020, reinforcing UArctic as a network organization that supports cooperative activities of its members in order to better serve the Circumpolar North.

2014

  • Relaunch of the UArctic website, including a new student-focussed portal and UArctic Study Catalogue.
  • New management structure, with President and Vice-Presidents Academic, Organization, Research, Interregional Cooperation, Indigenous, and Finance.

2015

  • Kingdom of Denmark (Denmark, Greenland, Faroe Islands) joins the north2north student mobility program.

2016

  • First ever UArctic Congress held in St. Petersburg, bringing together Council, Board, Rectors' Forum and a scientific conference.
  • Launch of the Research Infrastructure Catalogue.
  • UArctic appoints first Vice-President Mobility.

2017

  • UArctic becomes UNESCO partner organization.
  • Marks 20 years since the idea of the University of the Arctic was first proposed to the Arctic Council.
  • Rectors' Forum at University of Aberdeen (Scotland) is first major UArctic meeting at a non-Arctic member.

2018

  • Second UArctic Congress held in Oulu and Helsinki, Finland

2019

  • UArctic Association ry established and registered as non-profit in Finland.

2020

2021

  • UArctic Congress 2021 (originally planned for 2020) held in Iceland
  • UArctic 20 Years Anniversary seminar held in Rovaniemi

2022