UW at the Arctic Circle Assembly
Every year, the University Centre of the Westfjords (UW) provides a unique opportunity for students to attend the Arctic Circle Assembly as part of two of its key courses: Arctic Ocean Governance and Just Transitions. The assembly, held annually in Reykjavík, brings together a wide range of global experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss pressing Arctic issues. For UW students, it offers much more than just attending sessions; it’s an experience that adds to their academic journey and broadens their professional horizons. This year, the group attending the assembly consisted of staff from UW, instructors, and numerous master's students.
The sessions and events at the Arctic Circle Assembly directly complement the topics covered in these UW courses, adding to the students' understanding of complex governance and sustainability issues in the Arctic region. Beyond academic learning, the Arctic Circle Assembly provides students with a chance to network with participants from diverse fields, creating important connections for future thesis projects, internships, and career opportunities. These interactions could help to shape the students' professional paths, as they gain direct access to experts in areas such as marine policy, environmental conservation, and sustainable development.
From left: Peter Weiss, Director of UW, John Burrows, UW alum, Brack Hale, Academic director of UW. Picture on the right: Katharina Heinrich, UW alum.
In addition to engaging with current topics, the Arctic Circle Assembly is also a perfect platform for UW to reconnect with its alumni who are making significant contributions to the Arctic community. This year, we had the pleasure of catching up with several distinguished graduates, including John Burrows, who is now serving as the Seafood Technical Director at the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. John graduated from the Coastal Marine Management master’s program in 2018. His thesis research was on potential marketing strategies for Icelandic lumpfish. We also met with Katharina Heinrich, who graduated from the same program in 2023. Her thesis research was on area-based management in the High Seas. Katharina is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Helsinki and serves on the Board of Directors for the Arctic Youth Network.
Adding a creative touch to our Arctic Circle Assembly experience, two of our second-year master’s students, Benedek and Rebecca, took over our Instagram account for the duration of the event. Through their lens, they captured the energy of the assembly, sharing moments from key sessions and networking events. You can see their photos below:
