Complex scientific research and cooperation in the Arctic: Interaction of universities with the academic and industrial research organizations

On the 26—27 of February 2015 at the Northern (Arctic) federal university named after M.V. Lomonosov there was held All--‐Russian conference with international participation “Interaction of universities with the academic and industrial research organizations”. This rather significant meeting was attended by 100 scientists from 14 towns who presented 85 reports (excluding the report at the general session).

The conference was opened by the Arkhangelsk regional Governor I.A. Orlov, who especially outlined the role of the region in the development of the Arctic; and the NArFU rector E.V. Kudryashova, who reminded about the Day of Arctic celebration on the last day of winter and told about the place of the NArFU in the scientific research of the Arctic, development of the NSR and North. Some telegrams from the leading scientists, including A.N. Chilingarov, were read out.

On the general session, V.A. Masloboev, deputy leader of the Kola Scientific Center of the RAS, told about their experience in cooperation with the universities in order to decide the Arctic issues. He also pointed out that the Murmansk Region could become the industrial platform for the development of the Arctic, but the present system of education does not fit the requirements of the Region. A half of the school graduates leave and does not come back. So, the stuff issue is extremely important for state ald regional development programs. Presentation of his report could be found in the 19th issue of the “Arctic and North” journal.

The Head of the NSMU Department for international cooperation Y. A. Sumarokov shared the experience he and the Medical University had in working for international scientific cooperation. The first agreement between the NSMU (ASMA) was signed in 1992 and since that time the scale of the international cooperation has been growing. It is a relevant question for the region now due to the fact that the interaction with the foreign partners contributes to the development of science. For example, the project aimed at prevention of the traumatism in the streets and roads or a new project on heat diseases in Russia.

The Head of the Department on the interaction between the ocean and atmosphere of the AANII G.V. Alekseev reported that there were different ideas about the future of the warming in t e Arctic. In 2012 t ere was a minimal ice area in t e Arctic. Advanced researc s owed t at instead of increase of temperatures, it was expected the decrease by 2030--‐2040 and the increase of the ice in the Arctic.

NArFU rector’s Assistant on scientific development K.G. Bogolicin, admitted a special relevance of information about the climate change and seismic situation for the development of the Arctic. We should develop theories and methods for monitoring, invent relevant types of equipment, organize stations and etc. NArFU is developing new methods of monitoring, due to the fact that old ones are not that good when it comes to the monitoring of a certain number of chemicals, especially small concentrated ones. IEPN UD RAS deals with the seismic monitoring issues.

The leading geologist of the Spitsbergen geological and searching group of the Fifth marine geological expedition V.V. Shavrin told about the results of their research, represented maps and prints. He also admitted the decrease in financing the research and its negative influence on the amount of researchers. This problem was partly decided by the students who come to practice.

Director of the Institute for Regional research and town planning of the HSE I.N. Ilina was speaking about the differences between different programs and approaches to the development of the Arctic. The strategies of the development luck practice, so they are no more than declarations of intentions. It is necessary to correlate these strategies with the modern methods of analysis, used by the Higher School of Economics in particular.

Section meetings were devoted to urgent problems:

Section 1. Interaction perspectives (problems) of science and universities in the complex research of the Arctic resources.

Section 2. Monitoring of the environment and climate change in the Arctic (climate measure--‐ ments, forecasts, perspectives, industrial development of the Arctic territories and its environmental effect). Section 2a (subsection). Soil and landscape studies in the Arctic (in memory of N.M. Sibirtsev).

• Section 3.    Transfer of scientific knowledge and new technologies of the Arctic development.

• Section 4.    Monitoring and forecasts of the social and economic landscape of the RFAZ.

Round table discussion “Strategic audit of the social and economic development of the Arctic and

Russian national security” took place on the second day of the conference.

Each section prepared suggestions for the Final resolution. Developing the idea of integrating of science and higher education system, participants of the conference suggested creating a scientific and educational consortium aimed at the complex research of the Arctic and training specialists. The State Arctic Committee should form the expert councils on scientific assistance, as the majority of the representatives believe it’s necessary. The opinion to hold this type of conference annually and to cooperate closely was the leading one.

A list of concrete measures on the environmental and climate monitoring in the Arctic have been addressed the Roskosmos and Roshydromet. Soil and landscape research was suggested to be made during the expedition of the NArFU Arctic Floating University. Some suggestions were made on education, creating interdisciplinary master degree programs and providing the multidisciplinary training.

Participants of the section meeting “Transfer of scientific knowledge and new technologies of the Arctic development” supported the idea of Complex scientific program for the Arctic, which could be enforces by the joint activity of scientists and educational institutions (providing both training and research). Some activities aimed at providing the technologies and creating inter--‐ university infrastructure for intellectual analysis in favor of the arctic development.

In order to provide economic growth and keeping the Northern territories inhabited, it seems to be relevant to make some amendments for the federal legislation:

Lower taxation, credits and other support for the business, NGOs and people of the North, including the RFAZ with a special attitude to the extreme living conditions, long distance from the supplying services and customers of the products made in the North and existing northern delivery”.

State support of the use, modernization and construction of the transport, energy, housing and social infrastructure, including the NSR infrastructure and other projects.

Measures for bringing up the living standards and social cohesion of the Northerners.

Some suggestions for the State Committee on the Arctic development were formulated:

a.

Adoption of the fundamental federal law “On the Arctic zone of the Russian

Federation”

• b.    Monitoring and making an Open State list of all Russian islands in the Arctic Ocean; clarifying the responsibilities for departmental use of lands and waters in the Arctic.

• c.    Development of the interregional integration of 4 units of the Russian Federation and 16 municipalities included in RFAZ. Creation of the united information space of the RFAZ, information network “Russian Arctic”, Arctic TV and radio. Development of the cross border cooperation. Interregional cooperation in creation of common tourist brands and projects in the RFAZ and the Russian tour operator.

• d.    Creation of the Arctic project portfolio. Opening the office for Arctic projects under the NGO “Agency of strategic initiatives in promotion of the new projects” and work of such offices in Arkhangelsk (Western, European part of the RFAZ) and Yakutsk (Eastern, Asian part of the RFAZ).

• e.    Working out the possibilities of establishing the Bank of Reconstruction and Development of the Arctic and Arctic State Commercial Bank.

It is possible to say that the conference was devoted to almost all relevant issues for the Russian Arctic: climate change, culture, science, international cooperation, forecasts, projects management and etc. So, the conference could be considered as a significant event for the Arctic studies. Editorial Board of the “Arctic and North” journal hopes that the suggestions sounded on the conference meetings and included in the Final Resolution would be accounted when making various strategies and plans for the development of the Russian Arctic both at the federal and regional level. The text of the Final Resolution is available at the NArFU website: ‐konferentsiya--‐fevral--‐2015--‐_itog _.pdf. The program of the conference is published at: _Arctic/programma--‐ _--‐ Presentations made by G.V. Alexeeev, K.G. Bogolicin, L.N. Gorbatova, V.V. Didik, I.N. Iliina, A.A. Karankevich, E.V. Kudryashova, Y.F. Lukin, A.I. Tatarkin and V.V. Sharin can be found here: Some articles are included in the 19th issue of the “Arctic and North” journal or expected to be published in the 20th issue.