Arctic Doctoral Programme ARKTIS

ARKTIS (2003-2013) was a multidisciplinary doctoral programme coordinated by the Arctic Centre at the University of Lapland. The joint research theme of the programme was ‘Social and Environmental Impacts of Modernization and Global Change in the Arctic’. The ARKTIS had also a specific sub-theme called ‘Resource, political and environmental economics in promoting sustainable social development in the Barents Euro-Arctic area’.

The objectives of the ARKTIS were:
• to foster co-operation between different disciplines in Arctic research,
• to raise the scientific level and appreciation of multidisciplinary research,
• to intensify research education, and
• to give tools to understand how various changes in the Arctic impact the social conditions and development.

ARKTIS had 20 doctoral students enrolled at the universities of Lapland, Oulu, Eastern Finland and Helsinki. The disciplines were social sciences - such as sociology, political science, environmental politics and international relations, economical studies, cultural studies, law and education – as well as biology and geography.

The multidisciplinary research education was organised into four main thematic areas which were: (1) globalisation and modernisation, (2) land use and industrial impacts, (3) global climate change, mitigation and adaptation, and (4) environmental and minority law. The doctoral programme had about 50 supervisors or other associate members from institutions in Finland and other Nordic countries, UK, USA, Canada and Russia. So far 16 students have defended their doctoral theses (by 2017).

ARKTIS organised international annual research seminars, public lectures, method studies and it supported students’ mobility and forms a national and international network of Arctic research.

ARKTIS was successful in obtaining highly-competed funding from the Ministry of Culture and Education for three different periods and total of 14 full-time salaried doctoral posts during its existence. In addition to doctoral students with salaried posts, ARKTIS had associate students with their own external funding. ARKTIS was funded by the grants of the Academy of Finland for its seminars and other educational activities.

ARKTIS was led by Professor Paula Kankaanpää, Director of the Arctic Centre and coordinated by Docent, Dr. Päivi Soppela, Senior Scientist during 2003-2013.
Dr. Anna Sinisalo and Doctoral researcher Ilona Mettiäinen acted as substitute coordinators during coordinator's leaves of absence.