Northern Connections - Engaging young people in rural Arctic societies in building sustainability across borders

This interdisciplinary project proposes to bring young people from island and rural schools in Norway, Finland, and Shetland together to connect through online and real-life arts and science-based activities. It encourages young people to engage with each other across political and cultural borders to discover that they face many of the same challenges.

The project integrates art and science by applying dialogical and participatory methods for creative engagement to create content for an interactive game and exhibitions that will expand connections and support sustainability, social justice, and well-being.

The project builds research-based knowledge into ways to build connections between pupils, teachers, local stake holders and academics to support sustainable development in the North.

        
Drawing Local Birds. Photo:  Mette Gårdvik       Film making. Photo: Wenche Sørmo
                                   

Deliverables in the project are 3 Design Labs, workshops and 3 local exhibitions. The project partners have already held workshops and Design-Labs at the participating schools in Norway and Shetland, and next spring they will visit the school in Finland.

The Filmstars. Photo: Wenche Sørmo

Results from the project will be published as an online publication/catalogue of the project (Open access), and presented at international conferences, e.g., Relate North 2026/2027 and International Education Through Art (2027).

The management of the project is led by Wenche Sørmo, Nord University, and the steering committee consists of Karin Stoll and Mette Gårdvik at Nord University, Roxane Permar, Siun Carden and Helen Garbett from UHI Shetland (University of the Highland and Islands), Annamari Manninen and Suvi Autio, University of Lapland (ULapland).

The project is funded through the UArctic Norwegian Funding for Networking Activities by UiT The Arctic University of Norway, the Scottish government SEEP fund and by the respective participating universities. It is also supported by Sustainability Transformations Doctoral Education Pilot, SusTra, and ongoing doctoral research by Suvi Autio.