33 university leaders, Presidents, Vice-Presidents and Rectors from throughout the Circumpolar North, representing member universities of the University of the Arctic gathered at Rovaniemi, Finland, to attend the Second University of the Arctic Rectors' Forum, 17-19 February 2008. This was the first time such a large number of northern university leaders have assembled to address common issues and cooperation. Mauri Yla-Kotola, Rector of the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi commented, "It is a privilege to be hosting such a prestigious and historic event here in Rovaniemi, but, then again, Rovaniemi has often played a significant role in Arctic cooperation." The University of the Arctic itself was launched at the University of Lapland in 2001. The University of Lapland has hosted the UArctic International Secretariat ever since.

The Rectors' agenda included plans for joint influence on arctic policy, as well as cooperation in research and education. The meeting highlight was the signing of the Charter for the University of the Arctic. "The Charter will clearly lay out the commitment of UArctic's higher education members, currently at 84, to cooperation in research, education programming, marketing as well as mobility," mentioned Steve Jones, Chair of the UArctic Rectors' Forum, and Chancellor of the University of the Alaska, Fairbanks, US. He continued, "this is a momentous event in university cooperation in the Circumpolar North: big research intensive institutions and small northern colleges and indigenous institutions, all united behind the same Charter and commitment. This is a unique document between such a diverse group of institutions."

The second day of the Forum was dedicated to a joint seminar with the Standing Committee of Arctic Parliamentarians. The seminar gathered the Rectors' Forum and parliamentary delegations from the Arctic Council member countries to address two topical issues for the Arctic today: adaptation to climate change in the Arctic and Borders and Access to the Sea in the Arctic.

Lars Kullerud, President of UArctic, stressed the importance of the gathering: "It is important that university leaders work with policy makers to ensure that also the south realizes that the Arctic is an extremely important region for them: it has most of the untapped energy and mineral resources, it is rich in fish and forest, and it has the largest pristine nature areas in the world. It has a diverse population, both indigenous and non-indigenous. The universities in the eight Arctic countries as well as the parliaments need to join forces to tackle big issues like adaptation to climate change before it is too late. The universities as generators of knowledge and institutions responsible for capacity building in the region need to be active players in developing the Arctic. What happens in the Arctic is extremely relevant for the whole globe."


For more information, please go to:
http://www.uarctic.org/

Or contact:
Lars Kullerud
President, University of the Arctic
Phone: +47-9087-0099
E-mail: lars.kullerud@uarctic.org

Steve Jones
Chancellor of the University of Alaska Fairbanks
Phone: 907-474-7112
E-mail: chancellor@uaf.edu

Outi Snellman
UArctic Director of Administration and University Relations
University of the Arctic
Phone: +358-40-501 0209
E-mail: outi.snellman@uarctic.org