New Norwegian-Alaskan Cooperation in the Arctic

Two main institutions in Norway and Alaska have agreed to cooperate on projects and programs in the Arctic. This strategic integration will better serve the citizens of Alaska, the U.S. and Norway, as well as public policy makers, communities, businesses, and other Arctic stakeholders.

A Memorandum of Agreement is entered by the Institute of the North, which is Alaska's Center for Arctic Policy, and the High North Center for Business and Governance at Nord University Business School, which is a national center for research, education, communication and policy development on High North/Arctic Issues.

The agreement implies that the Institute of the North and the High North Center will be strategic partners and encourage staff and faculty to utilize each other’s resources in the cooperation.  Both institutions will provide expertise and resources to projects of mutual interests.

The High North Center and the Institute of the North will work to facilitate program partnerships in the following areas:  Arctic policy; business and resource development; local, sub­ national, national and international governance.

The institutions will be strategic partners and encourage staff and faculty to utilize each other’s competence and expertise. The Memorandum of Agreement also includes collaboration within Arctic Council projects related to sustainable development, cooperation at conferences as “Week of the Arctic” and “High North Dialogue”, and in general in projects strengthening Alaska -Norway Collaboration.

Nils Andreassen (Director of Institute of the North) and Frode Mellemvik (Director of the High North Center Nord) say in a press release that they find compelling reasons to develop a relationship in a manner that leverages the capacity and interests of our two organizations. It is the position of the Institute of the North and the High North Center that a strategic and organizational approach to a shared future is advantageous to each party, they say.