Arctic change and adaptation

• Joint publication processes and writing groups
• Preparation of research projects and joint funding applications
• Stakeholder collaboration

• Conferences
• Collaboration
• Research visits
• New initiatives
• Indigenous research collaboration

• Collaboration with international master’s programmes

Arctic World Politics

• Support for early-career researchers

If you would like to become involved in the research community’s activities, please contact the coordinator and sign up to participate. Researchers and research groups are warmly welcome to join!

The Arctic Change and Adaptation Research Community collaborates with the following research groups:

Older people’s learning, competences and inclusion

This multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research group explores older people’s learning, competences and inclusion in the context of the mediatisation, digitalisation, robotisation and datafication of society. Our focus lies particularly on media literacy, robot literacy, digital competence and digital inclusion among older residents of northern sparsely populated regions, Sámi elders and older immigrants. Additionally, our research addresses geragogy, age-friendly environments and age-friendly learning environments.

SÁMIED – Research group on Sámi upbringing and education research

The SÁMIED research group studies Sámi upbringing and education in various ways. The research group’s work centres on language and culture aware teaching, intergenerational transfer of knowledge and culture, children and young people’s participation, curricula, teacher training, digitality, well-being of students and lifelong learning. The research group especially examines how education corresponds with Sámi rights and needs, as well as how culturally sustainable development and education is carried out. The research also produces information for the development of education systems in general. SÁMIED operates as part of Nordic and international research cooperation.

Playfulness and playful learning 

Research group explores playfulness and playful learning as a natural way to enhance  future-oriented skills and competencies. The group develops the playful minds approach and studies how playfulness fosters creativity, learning and innovation across life and different contexts – from early childhood to higher education and the workplace. Playfulness and play are explored through the lenses of continuous learning and pedagogy across different educational levels, integrating interdisciplinary perspectives and emerging technologies.

Global Change Research Programme

Global Change Research Programme is a natural sciences-oriented programme bringing together experts from many academic disciplines such as biology, physical geography, biogeography, glaciology, geophysics and ecology, but also social and cultural anthropology. Research themes cover Arctic ecosystems and society; adaptation and resilience of nature and Arctic social-ecological systems, including local livelihoods, and the cryosphere.

Northern Art, Community and Environment Research (NACER)

Northern Art, Community and Environment Research (NACER) is a research group in the Faculty of Art and Design at the University of Lapland, focusing on research in art education and visual arts. NACER focuses on the academic field of art education, including research on visual art education in schools, educational institutions, and universities. Its work also extends to the wider field of visual arts, encompassing both traditional Indigenous and non-Indigenous art practices as well as contemporary collaborative art forms. In line with the university’s profile, NACER places strong emphasis on Arctic sustainability and ecocultures.

Law, Technology and Sustainability Transitions (LOST)

The Law, Technology and Sustainability Transitions (LOST) research group at the University of Lapland explores the impact of law on the integration of sustainability into technological and digital transformation strategies. In light of core values of sustainability transitions and fundamental rights protection, LOST addresses persistent global challenges including climate change, biodiversity loss, and associated injustices. The group recognises that sustainability transitions are radical, multidimensional processes requiring systemic changes across energy, transport, food, housing, and industrial production.  These transformations may challenge existing market structures and geopolitics while protecting fundamental rights during times of societal change. LOST’s members conduct impactful research across diverse sustainability domains, from battery value chains and circular economy to AI-driven health data governance, sustainable mining, and decolonial environmental critique.