Focus on the Barents Region, the EU and the Entire North (ISSK 2018)

The Boiling Point – Petrozavodsk hosts the 15^th International Summer School in Karelia (ISSK) “Discourses and dimensions of the Barents Region, the EU and the entire North - theories & methods of Arctic studies”.
The school convened over 30 Bachelor and Master Degree students, postgraduates and teachers from PetrSU, representatives of universities of Finland, Spain, Estonia, Canada and other countries, as well as specialists of public and academic organizations, engaged in research in this area.

In the course of a week, they attended lectures, seminars and training sessions to deepen their knowledge of the Barents region, the EU and the entire North, and develop skills of working in an international team.

The Vice-Rector for International Affairs Marina Gvozadeva addressed the participants with a welcoming word. She noted that for 15 years the organizers have managed to pinpoint the most relevant issues to be discussed at the Summer School in Karelia. “For Petrozavodsk State University, the Flagship University of Karelia, this event is essential, as our university is the actor of “soft security” in the border region. It promotes solid neighborhood relations and facilitates cooperation in the Arctic and Barents regions. I hope that the school will help lay the groundwork for both new research projects in priority areas and practical interdisciplinary projects in pressing issues, implemented by international teams,” said Marina Gvozdeva.

The participants were also welcomed by the Director of the Institute of History, Political and Social Sciences, Sergey Verigin: “I am sure that you will learn a lot and have fruitful discussions. Good luck!”

According to the curator of the school Aleksandra Smirnova, each time the school involves not only scientists and researchers but also those who are engaged in practical work. For instance, this year Pavel Petrov, the Head of the Department of International Cooperation of the Karelian Research Center of the RAS, and Igor Shevshuk, the Director of the Swedish-Karelian Information Business Center, will share their expertise in project work, applying for grants of international foundations and organizations.

The school is organized by Petrozavodsk State University and its Finnish partners: the University of Lapland and the Aleksanteri Institute of the University of Helsinki under the project “EU Center in the Barents Region of Russia” implemented with the financial support of the Erasmus+ program of the European Union.

The school will close on May 19.