Overall Goal

Goal of the Thematic Network is to strengthen Northern universities and college’s knowledge and skills in local and regional development, by sharing resources, facilities and expertise.

Main Activities

• Student and teacher exchange
• Course and study program development
• Further develop BCS Advanced emphasis
• Develop an international applied master in regional development in the North
• Regional research and development
• Stimulate joint research and development projects.
• Stimulate co-operation and information exchange, by developing a web-page for the thematic UArctic network.
• Arrange and co-ordinate thematic conferences
• Yearly conference one a topic of current relevance for the network
  

Activities in 2012

• January: Start of UArctic Advanced Emphasis Course in Management of Local and Regional Development at Finnmark University College
• February: Final local development workshop in the municipality of North Cape, Northern Norway, in cooperation with local authorities and the University of Tromsø
• Planning of two development workshops and summer business schools in the rural communities of Digby and Cape Breton in Nova Scotia
• March: Tana-Utsjoki cross-border evaluation and learning workshop
• Planning of development partnership and summer business school for the Ust-Tsylma region of Komi, in cooperation with regional and national authorities and the University of Syktyvkar and Ukhta
• May: Implementation of Local development workshops in Digby and Cape Breton, in cooperation with Saint Mary's University. Organization of one of three main network meetings, in Halifax, Nova Scotia
• Initiation of the third phase of the research and development project 'Alive Village': Social and economic development in Rural Arkhangelsk, in cooperation with the Ministry of Youth affairs, Sport and Tourism
• June: Implementation of local development workshops and summer business schools in the Ust-Tsylma region, lecturing in local and regional development at the university of Syktyvkar
• Teaching Regional Development at the Institute of Finance and Economics during summer school at the North Eastern Federal University in Yakutsk, organizing two new rural evelopment workshops in
• Yakutia and the main Russian network meeting in Yakutsk. Hopefully our new e-book on rural development in Yakutia will be ready and presented at the meeting
• September: Start of applied international master program in Rural Development, at Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Canada
• October:The 9th international Gargia conference for regional development, and main Norwegian network meeting
• November: Final report seminar for the Ust-Tsylma regional development workshops and summer business schools. Presentation of a comprehensive program for rural development in the Komi Republic

Partners

• Finnmark University College (lead)
• Northern (Arctic) Federal University
• North Eastern Federal University
• Saint Mary's University
• Syktyvkar State University
• University of Alaska Fairbanks
• University of Alberta
• University of Northern British Colombia
• University of Tromsø
  

Contact Information

Tor Gjertsen, Finnmark University College, Norway
Email: tor.gjertsen (at) hifm.no