Here below you can find all master courses the University Centre offers. All courses are taught in 1-3 week modules running from August through June. See how the courses are organised in the teaching schedule for both programs. Usually 2-3 courses are taught at the same time, but students may only enroll in one course at a time. 

The master courses are available to you whether you plan to pursue a degree or just take a course or courses. Please review the options for guest studies to determine how you can apply. 

For further information, contact the Administrative Director of Education and Teaching.

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Outlook to the Future: Coastal Arctic Scenarios

  • Spring 2024
  • Next course: 15. April - 26. April 2024
  • CMM/CRD Elective Course | 4 ECTS
  • Course:CRD14
  • Instructor: Adam Stepien
Learning outcome

About the course

The course brings together a broad range of transdisciplinary information on the challenges and developments taking place in Arctic coastal communities. Students also learn basic methodologies for thinking about the future: techniques that are commonly used in private and public organizations. In a workshop, we apply these foresight methods in creating future scenarios for northern coastal settlements. The scenarios are to allow students to develop and integrated view on developments, understand what is known, what is by nature uncertain and what we still need to learn in order to better understand the drivers and dynamics of change in the Arctic.

Instructor

Adam Stepien:

is a political scientist working at the Arctic Centre of the University of Lapland. In his research, he focuses on Arctic governance, and in particular on the role of the European Union in the Arctic. Adam also deals with indigenous politics and regional development in northern peripheries. He has participated in a number of policy support and advisory projects, where the future of the Arctic is often being considered. 

As my course has a format of a workshop, it was of particular value for me that students had much personal experience and knowledge on a broad variety of issues relevant for Arctic communities, allowing them to learn from each other and making the course very enjoyable for the teacher.

Learning outcome

This course centers on different future scenarios regarding the Arctic. Different stakeholder groups, their views and interests in the Arctic will be presented and discussed. Pressing themes, such as minority and indigenous rights, resource use and extraction, political development and international cooperation will be explored through theories and methodologies such as strategic foresight and strategic impact assessments (SIA). Students will thus be equipped with the ability to develop critical thinking about ongoing economic, political and social changes and their implications. The course will draw on existing academic outputs and apply practical ‘tools-based’ exercises.

On completion of the course, a student:

  • can explain how foresight techniques can make innovation, regional development and marine policies more robust.
  • can identify the change processes at play in the Coastal Arctic and understand their characteristics.
  • can analyse the interrelationships between drivers and be able to consider their impacts.
  • can test new business ideas against alternative versions of the future.
  • can test ways of regional development policies and marine management policies against alternative versions of the future.
  • has demonstrated ability in communicating foresight techniques to stakeholders in an exemplified marine management or regional development situation.
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