Rector’s Conference in Tromsø: Hanne Solheim Hansen (left), Antti Syväjärvi, Dag Rune Olsen, Cathrine Norberg, Arto Maaninen and Pär Weihed.Foto: UiT
24 October 2025
How can universities in the Nordic Arctic region jointly support societal development?
This question was at the centre of strategic discussions at the Rector’s Conference of The Arctic Six this week in Tromsø.
With the expansion of NATO in the Arctic and the consequences of climate change, the region stands at the threshold of new opportunities but also face risks and emerging threats.
Dag Rune Olsen, leader of the alliance through the Rector’s Council, believes The Arctic Six can play a crucial role in identifying new pathways for development in such circumstances.
“This is a natural role for our institutions because we were all established with a clear societal mandate to contribute specifically to the development of the northern regions,” he says.
Olsen emphasises that The Arctic Six has proven to be far more than an ordinary university network, particularly through The Arctic Six Extended.
In this framework researchers collaborate with partners in the public and private sectors on areas such as energy, security, and preparedness.
During the meeting, the rectors of the alliance agreed to further integrate and expand areas of joint, cross-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration across borders.
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