The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) is the world’s northernmost higher education institution, located in Longyearbyen at 78º N. We provide research-based education of the next generation of Arctic experts in biology, geology, geophysics and technology.
Apply to UNIS courses
To apply to UNIS courses, you must be enrolled at Bachelor, Master or PhD level at a Norwegian institution of higher education or an accredited international institution of higher education.
HOW TO APPLYAffiliated Sites
- ARCeX – Research Centre for Arctic Petroleum Exploration
- Arctic Safety Centre
- bioCEED – Centre for Excellence in Biology Education
- Birkeland Centre for Space Science
- Kjell Henriksen Observatory
- LYSEF – Longyearbyen Science and Education Forum
- SIOS – Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System
- The Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research
- UNIS CO2 Lab
Latest news
Queen Sonja presented a personal Royal gift
Their Majesties King Harald and Queen Sonja visited UNIS today and presented their anniversary gift to UNIS: A graphic print made by Queen Sonja entitled “Ice cave”.
Royal visit to UNIS
Their Majesties King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway will visit the University Center in Svalbard (UNIS) on Thursday 9 August 2018 in connection with the 25th anniversary of UNIS.
First record of the hydrozoan Sympagohydra tuuli in Svalbard sea ice
9 July 2018
We don’t know much about the tiny algae and animals living inside sea ice. Microscopic sea ice animals are rarely identified to species level because many of these tiny critters are larvae of pelagic and benthic species and look completely different from the adults. We simply don’t recognise them.
UNIS Annual Report 2017
7 June 2018
In 2017, 794 students from 45 nations spent shorter or longer periods at UNIS. This included both course students and guest master’s students. 50% of the students came from programmes of study at Norwegian universities.
@UniSvalbard on Instagram
Follow us on Instagram and tag your own pictures with #UniSvalbard for reposts!
UNIS on Facebook
The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS)
UNIS is the world’s northernmost higher education institution, located in Longyearbyen, at the High Arctic archipelago of Svalbard (78º N).
UNIS offers high quality courses at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate level in Arctic Biology, Arctic Geology, Arctic Geophysics and Arctic Technology.
NARWHALE TUSK
Crew onboard a ship sailing around Svalbard found this narwhale tusk and by order of the Governor of Svalbard, the tusk has now been donated to Svalbard Museum. During the next week, the tusk will be cleaned and perhaps put on exhibit at a later stage.
The narwhal (Monodon monoceros) is a medium-sized toothed whale that possesses a large "tusk" from a protruding canine tooth. It lives year-round in the Arctic waters and is a uniquely specialized Arctic predator. In winter, it feeds on benthic prey, mostly flatfish, under dense pack ice. During the summer, narwhals eat mostly Arctic cod and Greenland halibut, with other fish such as polar cod making up the remainder of their diet. Narwhals can live up to 50 years. They are often killed by suffocation when the sea ice freezes over. Other causes of death, specifically among young whales, are starvation and predation by orcas.
What befell this individual narwhale is unknown, but the carcass has been completely dissolved and only the tusk and skull was left.
Crew onboard a ship sailing around Svalbard found this narwhale tusk and by order of the Governor of Svalbard, the tusk has now been donated to Svalbard Museum. During the next week, the tusk will be cleaned and perhaps put on exhibit at a later stage.
The narwhal (Monodon monoceros) is a medium-sized toothed whale that possesses a large "tusk" from a protruding canine tooth. It lives year-round in the Arctic waters and is a uniquely specialized Arctic predator. In winter, it feeds on benthic prey, mostly flatfish, under dense pack ice. During the summer, narwhals eat mostly Arctic cod and Greenland halibut, with other fish such as polar cod making up the remainder of their diet. Narwhals can live up to 50 years. They are often killed by suffocation when the sea ice freezes over. Other causes of death, specifically among young whales, are starvation and predation by orcas.
What befell this individual narwhale is unknown, but the carcass has been completely dissolved and only the tusk and skull was left.
Longyearbyen live – 360 degree panorama
Live web camera from the roof of Svalbard Science Centre:
