ScAN Annual Report highlights a year of Arctic collaboration and international engagement
The Scottish Arctic Network (ScAN), has published its Annual Report 2025–2026, highlighting a year of strengthened international partnerships, new research opportunities and growing engagement across Scotland’s Arctic research and education community.
Established in 2022, ScAN brings together researchers and educators from Scottish higher education institutions working on Arctic-related research, education and collaboration. During 2025-2026, the network continued to strengthen connections across disciplines and institutions while expanding its engagement with UArctic and international partners.
A major highlight of the year was the Scottish Arctic Conference and ScAN Annual General Meeting, held at the University of St Andrews on 5-6 March 2026. The event brought together approximately 60 participants, including researchers, policymakers, educators and international partners. The programme featured research presentations, discussions on UArctic Thematic Networks, an early-career researcher panel and a keynote address by UArctic Secretary General Outi Snellman. The conference also helped establish new connections and encouraged greater participation by Scottish researchers in UArctic activities.
ScAN’s pilot Arctic Travel and Partnerships Fund was another key achievement. Supported by the Scottish Government’s Scottish Education Exchange Programme, the initiative received 29 applications from eight Scottish institutions and awarded funding to 12 researchers and postgraduate students. The grants supported conference participation, fieldwork, specialist training and visits to international partners across the Nordic and Arctic regions, helping participants develop collaborations, explore future funding opportunities and share their research internationally.
During the reporting period, ScAN also mapped research expertise across its membership and identified six interdisciplinary themes for further development: climate; water; community and culture; health; security, law and justice; and sustainability and energy. The themes will help connect researchers working on shared challenges and support future collaboration, knowledge exchange and funding applications.
ScAN members remained active across the wider UArctic network, participating in the UArctic Congress 2026 in the Faroe Islands, contributing to international research and education initiatives, and taking on leadership roles. The network also welcomed the University of Stirling to its membership and continued to strengthen its communications through a new monthly newsletter, expanded online resources and active engagement on LinkedIn and Bluesky.
Recognizing the network’s contribution to international Arctic collaboration, UArctic confirmed continued operational support for ScAN as a Regional Centre for 2026-2027.
Looking ahead, ScAN will continue developing its thematic research communities, strengthening international partnerships and increasing the visibility of Scottish Arctic expertise. Securing sustainable long-term funding remains a priority as the network builds on the achievements of 2025-2026.
Read the ScAN Annual Report 2025-2026 to learn more about the network’s activities, partnerships and plans for the future.
ScAN operates as a UArctic Regional Centre; for more information, see ScAN's Regional Centre page.