International security event Arctic Security Forum will bring high-profile experts together in Oulu

The Arctic is receiving growing global attention, and cooperation among different countries and stakeholders regarding the Arctic is now needed more urgently than ever. Especially climate change and geopolitical tensions pose challenges to the Arctic and its inhabitants. The Arctic region also offers many opportunities, as there is a need to develop technologies and services for the region.

The goal of the event is to share information and to discuss and foster cooperation in total defence, transportation and preparedness in the North.

“Comprehensive security is an emerging research area in which the role of universities is growing rapidly. We need new collaborations to ensure that the most innovative solutions find their way into society as effectively as possible,” says Matti Latva-aho, Vice Rector for Research at the University of Oulu.

Perspectives from the Arctic Council and NATO

The Arctic Council is represented at the event, including Kalle Kankaanpää, Ambassador for Arctic Affairs, Senior Arctic Official for Finland.

Views from NATO will also be heard, as Nathan Robinson Grison, Director of the Committee on Democracy and Security & Sub-Committee on Resilience and Civil Security, NATO Parliamentary Assembly will give a keynote speak (via remote connection). Other keynote speaker is Gunhild Hoogensen Gjørv, Professor in Security Studies and Geopolitics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway.

“The Arctic lives and breathes in step with the rest of the world. Global phenomena affect the Arctic, and changes in the Arctic affect the rest of the world. Therefore, multilateral cooperation is essential,” says Kankaanpää.

Arctic Security Forum is hosted by the University of Oulu as part of the Arctic Six Alliance and organised jointly by all Arctic Six universities: Luleå University of Technology, Umeå University, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Nord University, the University of Lapland, and the University of Oulu.

For more information on the event programme, see the Arctic Security Forum event page