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News

Welcome to a new semester at UNIS, Autumn 2024

We are excited to welcome each of you as you begin your studies on August 5th 2024.

Utlysning: Jan Christensens legat

Husk søknadsfrist 20. april 2024

Apply now for an unforgettable summer school experience in Svalbard 

Join the Polar Academy in Svalbard in June for an unforgettable summer school experience.

Welcome to a new semester at UNIS

We are excited to welcome each of you as you begin your studies on January 8th.

The Impact and Coping Strategies for the Polar Nights

The polar night brings a range of challenges that can affect our physical and mental health in various ways. Therefore, the student counselling office has initiated a Full Spectrum Lamp Café for all residents of the student accommodations at Elvesletta.

Student involvement contributes to enhanced learning experience

Students as partners is a buzzword in academia, and for many years UNIS has been working on the topic, but what does the term mean, and how can one practically facilitate student involvement and partnerships in everyday study life? We had a talk with both staff and students to learn more about the initiatives UNISbreakfast and UNISprout.

Fostering Academic Excellence: An Interview with Merle Scheiner in SCOPE

We had the privilege of speaking with Merle Scheiner, one of the organizers behind a student-led conference. SCOPE has grown over the years and provides a platform for students to showcase their research and presentation skills while fostering a strong sense of community and support. 

Utlysning: Jan Christensens legat

The deadline to apply for the Jan Christensen's endowment is 15 May 2023.

Apply for autumn courses 2023

Apply now for UNIS autumn semester courses! The application deadline is 15 April 2023.

11 things you need to know about studying in Longyearbyen

Are you going to study at UNIS this spring? Here are some tips on how to settle in, and things you should know about studying and living in Longyearbyen.

Extended application deadline for spring courses

Would you like to study in Svalbard in the spring? We have extended application deadline for some courses in Arctic Geophysicsand Arctic Geology. Apply now – first come, first serve!

The global Arctic

Around the summer solstice of 2022, a small group of twenty young researchers met in Svalbard, a small island lost between Norway and the North Pole. The Norwegian Academy of Polar Research wanted to bring us together around the theme of “The Global Arctic” to “identify and discuss points of connection within and between the natural, social and human sciences“.

New learning spaces

In September, new student learning spaces were opened on the ground floor in the student housing at Elvesletta – opening up for more collaborative work.

Blog from the field

Join Arctic Safety student Fabienne Mannherz for an excursion to Sarkofagen.

Observing Arctic marine life — from the seabed to space

NTNU researchers from AMOS, the Centre for Autonomous Marine Operations and Systems, with help from UNIS students, used small satellites and subsea robots — and everything in between — to study marine life in Svalbard’s Kongsfjorden in a first-ever experiment in May.

Science communication with a view

A cooperation between the tourist vessel MS Bard and UNIS gives students a unique opportunity to practice their science communication skills. For the guests onboard it is a fantastic way to learn more about the research in the pristine location they visit during their holiday.

Extended application deadline for spring courses

Would you like to study in Svalbard in the spring? We have extended application deadline for some courses. Apply now – first come, first serve!

Student blogs – study in Svalbard

From August to December 2018, Daan van den Broek studied geophysics at UNIS. He's written three blogs where he explains how he went about applying for a semester at UNIS, and how it all went down.

Jump straight into it – a year at UNIS

Q&A about Arctic Safety studies

“UNIS is a fantastic innovation”

Morten Wedege had dreamed of studying and working in the tropics, when a small advertisement on a student board made him aware of Svalbard. It became the start of the career path, that would bring him to every corner of Spitsbergen over two decades.

A summer with underwater robots and Arctic glaciers

Last year, while Europe was tanning in the sun and experiencing its warmest summer on record, I was able to escape the heat and spend 5 weeks on Svalbard!

Student in the 90’s: Career-changing studies

With only 35 fellow students at the entire university centre, Katrine Borgå attended the first biology course at UNIS in 1994-95. She tells of a camaraderie that’s still strong after nearly three decades, and an introduction to a career path that she excels at today.

Apply for autumn courses 2022

Night at the Observatory

SCOPE 2021: First student-led conference at UNIS

Risk assessment in the Arctic

A to Z student guide to Longyearbyen

New student housing in Longyearbyen

New kids on the rock

When fieldwork doesn’t go as planned 

When fieldwork doesn’t go as planned 

Super local weather forecast in Longyearbyen

Digital learning arena for Arctic biology

Jan Christensen’s Endowment 2021

Small classes, big learning opportunities 

Study opportunities in the Arctic

Finding new inspiration 2000 kilometres from home

Celine Marie Solberg had never thought about going on exchange. But after half a year with limitations in a Covid-stricken Oslo she decided upon a semester in Svalbard. The studies has challenged her to broaden her field.

When the compass steers north

From the top of the world to… the top of the world!

Apply for autumn courses 2021

How to conduct field teaching with students scattered around the world?

How to live a corona-adapted student life

Apply for autumn courses 2020

UNIS launches permafrost course

Summer school 2020: Global Arctic

Heavy rainfall events in Svalbard

2018 in snapshots

Anniversary Photo Competition

2017 in snapshots

Glacier detective Lis is the winner!

Cruising in Svalbard: A student perspective