The signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Arctic Research Center (ARC-HU) of Hokkaido University and the Arctic Center (AC-UL) of the University of Lapland was held online at 15:00 on May 28, 2021. The two centers have been in contact with each other for some time. For example, in February 2020, Professor Otsuka of the ARC-HU visited the AC-UL and gave a lecture at the “Finnish-Japanese Arctic Studies Seminar 2020: Infrastructure Development and sustainable Use of the Arctic Ocean”. Professor Kirchner of the AC-UL, and Assistant Professor Saunavaara, Professor Tanaka, and Professor Otsuka of the ARC-HU have studied Arctic cruise industry and co-authored a book chapter focusing on the cruise industry under the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, Professor Hossain of the AC-UL is collaborating with Associate Professor Ohnishi of the ARC-HU in the ArCSII project. The signing of this MoU between ARC-HU and AC-UL is intended to further develop the exchange between these two centers. In the future, it is expected that the two centers will not only exchange researchers, but also exchange students and educational programs, hold joint conferences and workshops, and collaborate in forming networks. It is expected that the two centers will collaborate to establish FEGA-Net, a network of Arctic researchers for Future Earth activities.
Director Johanna Ikävalko (left) of AC-UL and Director Yasushi Fukamachi and Dr. Juha Saunavaara (the Master of Ceremony, right) of ARC-HU.
