Svalbard is a remote island archipelago in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. It belongs to Norway, but it is still a thousand kilometres north of the Norwegian mainland. I spent my exchange semester there in spring 2026. I chose this destination because I genuinely enjoy Arctic conditions. I love snow, cold weather, and winter activities, so studying in such an environment felt like a perfect opportunity for me. One of the main reasons I wanted to go on exchange was to improve my English, learn to manage independently in a foreign place, meet new people, and broaden my perspective. Studying abroad offered all of these experiences and much more.
Life up there is quite different from life down here. Everything happens at a slower pace, and daily life is very dependent on the weather. When moving around outside, you always have to think about the terrain, weather conditions, and the surrounding nature. In many ways, you really feel like you are living closely with nature. One interesting fact about studying in Svalbard is that rifles are part of everyday safety equipment outside the settlements. We were taught how to use a rifle in case we encounter a polar bear. Polar bears are a real danger in Svalbard, although sightings are still quite rare since the animals usually avoid people.
I study environmental engineering, and Svalbard felt like a dream destination for someone like me who enjoys documentaries and everything related to natural sciences. The Arctic environment clearly shows how human activity affects even the most remote places on Earth. Even though there has not been much direct human activity in Svalbard, the area still shows clear signs of global pollution. Through long-distance transportation, pollutants from other parts of the world eventually end up in the Arctic. In this sense, Svalbard is both unique and fragile: it has a small population, but environmental changes can be observed there very clearly.
Studying in Svalbard differed quite a lot from my normal study routine in Finland. The courses were very practical and hands-on. In addition to lectures and group work, we had several fieldwork days. We travelled by snowmobiles to glaciers to collect samples and observe the environment. The semester started in the second week of January with a mandatory safety course. During that week we learned about the risks of the Arctic environment. The course was highly practical and became one of the most memorable parts of my studies. We practiced shooting rifles, learned how to rescue someone buried under an avalanche, and trained how to build an emergency camp on a glacier. During my exchange I completed following courses: Arctic Survival and Safety, Arctic Environmental Pollution: Distribution and Processes, and The Stormy Sun and the Northern Lights.
Overall, studying in Svalbard was one of the most educational and unforgettable experiences of my university studies. I would highly recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity to go. The exchange strengthened my feeling that I would like to live and work abroad in the future.
Melina was on a north2north exchange from Tampere University to University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS).
