Teaching Arctic Law at Harbin Engineering University!

From 23–29 August, I had the pleasure of delivering a week-long academic course on Arctic Law at the Department of Law, Harbin Engineering University (HEU), a member institution of the University of the Arctic (UArctic). The course, titled “Frontiers of Arctic Legal Governance,” provided an opportunity to introduce students to the complex legal and governance dimensions of the contemporary Arctic and, at the same time, to engage with China’s growing academic interest in Arctic affairs. My visit to Harbin Engineering University was particularly interesting because of the university’s distinctive academic profile. Founded in 1953, HEU has developed into a leading institution in shipbuilding, marine engineering, ocean development and related fields. Its long-standing expertise in maritime and ocean affairs makes it a particularly relevant environment for discussing the Arctic and the Arctic Ocean, where questions of navigation, marine environmental protection, resources, sovereignty and governance are becoming increasingly important. I was also impressed by the university’s growing engagement with Arctic research. HEU hosts the Center for Arctic Region and Marine Science, which brings together research on Arctic politics and security, Arctic policy and international organizations, the Northern Sea Route, Arctic resources and the environment, and maritime technologies. This combination of legal, political, environmental and maritime expertise creates valuable opportunities for interdisciplinary Arctic research and education. 

During the course, I addressed a broad range of issues under the theme of Arctic legal governance, beginning with questions of sovereignty and jurisdiction and moving to environmental protection, Arctic and Arctic Ocean governance, and the application of human rights law to the rights and interests of Arctic Indigenous peoples. I also highlighted that Arctic governance cannot be understood through law alone, but requires attention to the interaction between international law, regional institutions, national legal systems, and the region's rapidly changing political, environmental, and socio-economic realities. The course drew approximately 35 advanced undergraduate and Master’s-level students. Their engagement and questions made the week particularly rewarding. The discussions demonstrated a strong interest among Chinese students in understanding the Arctic not only as a region of scientific and environmental significance, but also as a complex legal and geopolitical space.

                                                                                                                        - Kamrul Hossain