2014-2015

News Release

REF NO.: 53

SUBJECT: University of the Arctic leadership to visit Memorial and share northern knowledge and expertise

DATE: October 23, 2014

UArctic, an international consortium of northern universities, colleges, research institutes and other organizations committed to higher education and research in the North, will bring its annual board of governors meetings to Memorial University and St. John’s this week. Every year, the UArctic board meetings are hosted by a different member organization that is leading the way in research, education and collaboration in the North.

“Memorial University is an important partner in the development of the North and the Arctic and we look forward to discovering new and exciting opportunities to work together,” said Lars Kullerud, president of UArctic. “The mission of UArctic is to empower the people of the circumpolar North by providing unique educational and research opportunities through collaboration within a powerful network of members. We are happy to see Memorial’s energy for engaging in the North.”

Dr. Gary Kachanoski, president and vice-chancellor of Memorial University, currently serves on the UArctic board and is pleased to be hosting the group made up of senior representatives from member institutions.

“Memorial University is leading significant research and education initiatives in Northern regions,” said Dr. Kachanoski. “Our physical location on the edge of the North Atlantic provides a rich, living laboratory right outside our front door. Memorial has earned national and international distinction in a variety of fields, including arctic technology, and we are pleased to showcase some of our unique resources and capabilities with the UArctic Board.”

Memorial has been a member of UArctic since 2006. Dr. Keith Chaulk, director of the Labrador Institute, is currently serving as vice-president (Indigenous) with UArctic. In his role, Dr. Chaulk provides guidance and leadership related to the integral role of Indigenous peoples in northern education and research.

“UArctic presents a unique opportunity for faculty, staff and students at Memorial to exchange knowledge and share expertise with renowned organizations with similar priorities in the areas of Arctic research, development and education,” said Dr. Chaulk.

While visiting the province, experts with UArctic will present at two concurrent sessions for students, faculty, staff, researchers and administrators in the Memorial community with an interest in UArctic programs and partnership opportunities.

Since Memorial became involved with UArctic, faculty members, staff, researchers and students have been involved in collaborations with the group and its member organizations. An example of this collaboration is the exchange of six students from the University of Akureyi in Iceland, who last fall benefited from Memorial’s relationship with UArctic. The Marine Institute hosted the third year students who were completing a bachelor of science in fisheries program, providing them with hands-on experience in the local marine sector that will transfer as credit to their program of study.

This fall, there are nine students from Greenland, Iceland, Sweden and Norway completing exchanges at Memorial as part of the North 2 North exchange program organized by UArctic.

UArctic has more than 170 member organizations in the eight Arctic countries and beyond. It is the North’s only truly circumpolar higher education institution and one of the world’s largest education and research networks.

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