Delegation from RGU represents ScAN at the Arctic Circle Assembly

Members of the Scottish Arctic Network (ScAN) from Robert Gordon University participated in the 2026 Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavík, Iceland, joining researchers, policymakers, Indigenous representatives, businesses and community leaders from across the Arctic and beyond. The Assembly offered discussions on a wide range of Arctic priorities, including innovation and entrepreneurship, healthcare in remote communities, renewable energy, tourism, Indigenous knowledge and emerging Arctic research agendas.

A recurring theme throughout the Assembly was the importance of local capacity building and ensuring that communities remain active participants in shaping their own futures. Across sessions, speakers highlighted the need for place-based approaches to development, stronger connections between research and practice, and meaningful community involvement in decision-making.

Several discussions resonated strongly with issues facing Scotland's rural and island regions. Topics such as workforce shortages, transport connectivity, renewable energy transitions, community resilience and sustainable tourism reflected challenges shared across northern regions and reinforced the value of continued knowledge exchange between Scotland and Arctic partners.

The Assembly also highlighted the growing role of universities as regional anchor institutions. Discussions focused on the contribution of higher education to innovation, skills development, entrepreneurship and community resilience, alongside the importance of applied and place-based research that responds directly to societal challenges.

Representing both RGU and ScAN, Dr Alöna Roitershtein attended the Assembly alongside Professor David Gray and RGU MRes student Rangika Piyadigamage. A particular highlight was Rangika's presentation, From Crustacean Shell Waste to Antimicrobial Chitosan Nanomaterials, delivered as part of the International Graduate Research Student Cohort (IGSRC), an eight-month international programme bringing together students from Scotland, Iceland, Norway, Canada and the United States to explore challenges and opportunities for the Arctic Blue Economy. Read Rangika’s full paper here: https://mnai.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Rangika_final.pdf

The IGSRC project concluded with a warm and welcoming reception at the Iceland Ocean Cluster, where students reflected on their experiences over the previous eight months and shared their work with guests from academia, industry and government. The RGU team was joined by Dag Rune Olsen, Rector of UiT The Arctic University of Norway, alongside Inga Burton and John Ross Scott from Orkney Islands Council, to celebrate the students' achievements and the culmination of this year's programme. 

While the subjects varied, many discussions returned to a common question: how communities can retain agency and resilience in the face of rapid environmental, economic and social change. It was particularly valuable to contribute a Scottish perspective to those conversations and to strengthen connections with colleagues and organisations from across the Arctic and the North.

Elsa Cox, Orkney Development Manager and ScAN steering group representative, reflected on RGU’s participation: Engaging with the Arctic Circle Assembly brings significant benefits for Scotland, creating opportunities to share knowledge, strengthen international partnerships and learn from regions facing many of the same challenges as our rural and island communities. These connections raise RGU’s international profile and build future collaboration, research and investment opportunities across Northern and Arctic regions.

Written by Alöna Roitershten, UArctic Engagement Officer, RGU