Shared Voices Magazine 2010

The University of the Arctic Magazine SHARED VOICES 2010 UArctic VP Indigenous Building on Classroom Connections: UArctic's Vice-President The Development of 06 Indigenous position is the latest initiative towards building a UArctic Student Association indigenous leadership in UArctic Two former students of governance and program activities. 32 the UArctic write about the Newly appointed VP Indigenous need to create a student association and long-time UArctic supporter, and the advantages that such a Jan Henry Keskitalo, explains the group could provide for the future opportunities on the horizon. development of the organisation. Can Good Governance Save the Arctic? The Arctic is experiencing a profound 14 transformation driven by the interacting forces of climate change and globalization. The Arctic Governance Project is one group examining the role of governance in these transformations and exploring different ways that the Arctic's existing governance systems can maximize a cooperative future. Student Profile: Siberian Food – a Raw Deal Chen Yichao Not for the Fainthearted Doing something new is Professional chef, columnist 21 nothing new for Chinese 16 and TV icon Andreas Viestad Polar Law Student Chen Yichao. shares his experiences with local See how this student of human cuisine during his travels in Western rights lived and learned in the Siberia, and offers a recipe for the Arctic, finding ways of applying region's famous Stroganina dish. his studies to Arctic indigenous peoples. The University of the Arctic Shared Voices Magazine 2010 Editorial Team / Outi Snellman, Lars Kullerud, Scott Forrest, Harry Borlase UArctic International Secretariat Editor in Chief / Outi Snellman University of Lapland Managing Editor / Scott Forrest Box 122 96101 Rovaniemi Finland Editorial Assistant / Harry Borlase [email protected] Graphic Design & Layout / Puisto Design & Advertising / www.puistonpenkki.fi Tel. +358-16-341 341 Cover Photo / Mette Randem Fax. +358-16-362 941 Print Run / 4 000 www.uarctic.org Printer / Pohjolan Painotuote Oy, 2010 This magazine has been made possible by funding from the Government of Denmark 04 Shared Voices 20 UArctic- Our Membership Barry Scherr at a Glance 04 Year of Diversity 21 A Forum for the Leadership of Lars Kullerud and Outi Snellman Uarctic Member Institutions Brian Rogers 05 UArctic and the Inernational Polar Year 22 Adapting to Climate Change: Local Lars Kullerud Solutions to a Global Challenge Kirsi Latola and Martin Price 06 UArctic Vice-President Indigenous Jan Henry Keskitalo 23 Future Experts in Health and Wellbeing in Arctic Regions 08 Arctic Virtual Learning Tools Hannele Savela and Arja Rautio Halldor Johannsson and Kari Fannar Lárusson 24 Building and Developing Nunavik 09 A European Arctic Information Pita Aatami Centre as a Network? Markku Heikkilä 26 Why UNBC Students are Excited about the North 10 Inuit Youth at COP 15: Anke Krey, Sonja Ostertag, Becky Cadsand, Effective or Symbolic Figures? Yakutsk and BCS: and Kate Hrinkevich Janice Grey Benefits of a Circumpolar 28 The Legacy of IPY EALÁT: Classroom and Campus 10 Stories from Our Canadian Students A UArctic Instrument for Local Uarctic Office of Undergraduate Studies Competence Building in the North UArctic Institute of Circumpolar Reindeer 11 The Arctic Gap An increasing number Husbandry of UArctic students are Marlon Davies 34 30 Nunavut Arctic College Benefits 12 Adjustement of the Finnish Arctic visiting the land of extreme, see from Uarctic Circumpolar Policy Contributes to Emerging EU's what draws these students to Cooperation Arctic Policy Jamie Bell and Linda Pemik Yakutsk and its campus. Kim Kuivalainen 31 Relevant Security Dimensions 13 Arctic Parliamentary Cooperation of the High North Bjørn Willy Robstad and Hannes Manninen Lassi Heininen 14 Can Good Governance 32 Building on Classroom Connections: Save the Arctic? the Development of a UArctic Arctic Virtual Learning Tools Oran Young and Else Grete Broderstad Student Association Education in the Arctic is 15 There is no Rush in the North Harry Borlase and Mikkel Berg-Nordlie 08 undergoing rapid change. Michael Hardt 34 Yakutsk and Circumpolar Studies The VLT project is an example of how 16 Siberian Food- Benefits of a Circumpolar Classroom distant learning is a major part of this a Raw Deal Not for the Fainthearted and Campus change and the positive steps taken Andreas Viestad Claudia Federova toward accessible education. 18 The UArctic Network- Ten Years of Collaboration, Sharing, and Growth Outi Snellman 4 Year of Diversity By Lars Kullerud, President, UArctic and Outi Snellman, Vice-President Administration, UArctic “The United Nations declared Shared Voices 2010 to be the International Year of Biodiversity. It is a celebration Barry Scherr, Chair of the UArctic Board of Governors, Provost Emeritus Dartmouth College of life on earth and of the value of biodiversity for our lives“ hose living in more temperate re- to all who live or work there, with melt- -United Nation’s Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, January 11, 2010. gions have often found it easy to ing permafrost bringing rapid changes to Tignore the North. To be sure, the the environment and threatening some of Arctic and Subarctic regions have rela- the man-made structures that have been eoples of the North agree on the impor- tively few people, given the vastness of the built on it. Meanwhile, as these climate tance of safeguarding the nature we live regions they occupy. Alaska, the one state changes have resulted in the opening of Pin. Most also agree with the values of in the United States that reaches into the new sea lanes, nations have been rushing the University of the Arctic, where diversity, Arctic, contains just 700 000 people within to claim their territorial rights, raising the in culture, languages, knowledge as well as in its 1 700 000 square kilometers: more than specter of possible conflict if some of the nature, are prerequisites for a thriving and re- two square kilometers per person, which disputes cannot be resolved. And of course silient North that has the ability to support its makes it roughly 1 000 times less densely the North is home to significant reserves of inhabitants and provide services to the world. populated than New Jersey, the state with many natural resources, which on the one the greatest density. Nunavut, Canada’s hand can help bring a degree of welcome The Year of Biodiversity reflects the realiza- northernmost territory, has a little more prosperity to the region and on the other, tion by all world leaders that humankind can- than 30 000 people spread over an even carry the potential of environmental harm. not take the risk of further reducing the diver- great expanse: roughly one person per 65 sity that provides the resilience we need in an square kilometers, making it one of the For all these reasons, and others too nu- unknown and constantly changing world, be least populated locales on earth. merous to list here, it is vital for the world it through population growth, climate change, to became more engaged with the North. pandemics, financial crises, or whatever Today however, it is becoming increas- People need to spend time in the region change that takes us by surprise. Likewise, it ingly evident that importance is not to be and learn about it first hand; they need be- is easy to agree that a sustained North requires measured solely in terms of the number of come to study the problems that the North diverse minds and knowledge to enable us to people per square kilometer. Those who faces and to become involved with helping find solutions together for adapting to future do live in the region are faced with a va- to solve them. Back in the middle of the challenges that we may face. riety of issues, ranging from the struggle nineteenth century, young citizens of the to maintain traditions and languages in the United States were frequently encouraged Universities and colleges are among the most face of encroachment from the modern to “Go West,” with the West regarded as important actors in ensuring this diversity. It world, to economic difficulties and health a not yet fully explored area that offered is, however, not always easy to be an isolated problems that have been exacerbated by great opportunity for those seeking to make northern university, particularly in a region climate change. These and other chal- an impact in the world. Today, though, the with generally low population densities and lenges must be overcome if the North is call could well be to “Go North,” to a re- with the pressure to provide excellence in re- not to become another problem area for gion that for most is as little known and as search and education in multiple disciplines. the world at large. While global warming remote as the American West was then… These universities are also responsible for in the more temperate zones has been dif- and where both the challenges and the pos- focusing on local cultures and languages, as ficult for the ordinary citizen to perceive, sibilities for affecting beneficial change well as producing employable candidates nec- in the North its effects are already apparent are perhaps even greater. essary to serve the region’s schools, health- 5 UArctic Members and care facilities, businesses, and administration the International Polar Year (IPY) centres. After decades of focused institution- building in the North, national governments By Lars Kullerud, President, UArctic and institution leaders have more recently been driven in the direction of mergers and towards larger, centralized institutions. They he International Polar Year ber. The size of the yellow dots may risk striving to replicate larger southern 2007-2008 represents a mas- on the map is proportional to the institutions. An alternative path is to let other, Tsive engagement in polar re- number of projects a member was often more southern institutions take care of search by research institutions and engaged in.

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