The First Asia-Arctic Conference of Asia-Arctic Network for Research and Education!

 

Hokkaido Arctic Initiative—Future Earth SDGs (HAI-FES) is an initiative endorsed by the Arctic Research Centre (ARC) of Hokkaido University in Japan. The Initiative has organized the First Asia-Arctic Conference (AAC) under the Asia-Arctic Network for Research and Education (AANRE) framework. The Network was established by the ARC with a number of academic institutions with which the Centre has signed memorandums of understanding. The conference brought together scholars representing the partner institutions to speak on the changes in the Arctic environment and its impacts on the Arctic and sub-Arctic region and beyond, especially Asia.

The conference was an initiative to establish a platform for sharing information and exchanging knowledge on research and education, and human resource development in Asian countries trying to develop economic and political ties with the Arctic region. The two-day event attracted over sixty participants, both on-site and online, discussing the current status of Arctic research and education in the Institutions from the Arctic and non-Arctic countries, representing countries including Denmark, Finland, Germany, Japan, Norway, the Philipines, Poland, South Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, and the United States. With a total number of thirty-five speakers, the Conference touched upon topics such as the linkage between the Arctic and mid-latitudes, policy engagement of non-Arctic countries, northward expansion of ecosystems, Arctic shipping routes, and human resource development, followed by a special session for Taiwanese polar research activities.

The conference presented an exciting panel session entitled “Education and capacity building” to reflect on challenges in Arctic research, education, and capacity-building processes. This was followed by an interactive discussion on the need for skill development in Arctic-specific challenges, which have an interconnected nature of regional, global, and planetary concerns. I had the pleasure of contributing to the session as one of the panelists; the other panelists represented the UArctic and academic institutions from the Arctic and Asia.