EU moves to strengthen Umeå-based polar research coordination – new Arctic strategy gives EPCO a central role

Umeå University campus.

ImageMattias Pettersson

“Addressing the Arctic’s interconnected challenges requires expertise across disciplines and national borders. The EU’s new Arctic strategy emphasises coordination as a way to connect that knowledge with decisions about the region’s future, an area where Umeå University has taken an active role,” says Keith Larson, Director of the Arctic Centre.

EU moves to strengthen the European Polar Coordination Office

The new EU Arctic strategy sets out plans to reinforce and expand the European Polar Coordination Office (EPCO), making it a central hub for the European polar research community and policymakers.

EPCO is part of the European Polar Board (EPB) Secretariat, hosted at Umeå University’s Arctic Centre since January 2025. The Arctic Centre secured the hosting arrangement in collaboration with Luleå University of Technology, the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat, and the Arctic Six alliance.

The strengthened EPCO office is intended to connect research, observations and policy, improve access to research infrastructure and support coordination across the European polar research community.

By bringing EPB and EPCO to Umeå, the Arctic Centre and its partners established a direct link between the university and European polar research coordination. The EU’s plans to strengthen EPCO give this hosting role added significance as the EU seeks closer connections between polar science and policymaking.

The Swedish Centre for the Arctic and Antarctic opens opportunities for Umeå University

The European emphasis on coordination has a national counterpart. Sweden’s Arctic strategy, presented in May 2026, explicitly highlights the Swedish Centre for the Arctic and Antarctic (SCAA), initiated in 2024 by Umeå University’s Arctic Centre in collaboration with Luleå University of Technology’s Centre for the Arctic and Antarctic, and the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat.

Swedish polar research needs a stronger collective voice in discussions about policy, funding and long-term priorities.

The SCAA aims to bring universities and other research organisations across Sweden into a national consortium for polar research coordination. By developing shared priorities and speaking collectively, the initiative seeks to give the research community greater influence in policy discussions and dialogue with research funders. The collaboration is expanding, while its formal organisation is still being developed.

“Swedish polar research needs a stronger collective voice in discussions about policy, funding and long-term priorities. Through the Arctic Centre, Umeå University has helped initiate a national effort to build that voice. As more institutions join, we can represent the breadth of Swedish polar research with greater weight and help shape the conditions for its future,” says Keith Larson.

Arctic Six and UArctic strengthen Umeå University’s influence on Arctic research priorities

The EU strategy identifies the Arctic Six and UArctic among the organisations it intends to work with to support sustainable development and local governance capacity in the Arctic.

Umeå University plays a leading role in Arctic Six and holds key leadership responsibilities within UArctic.

The Arctic Six also provides an important collective voice in European policy discussions. Its Policy Working Group engages with EU institutions, and the alliance submitted recommendations for the Arctic policy update. For Umeå University, this is a channel to bring research expertise and institutional priorities into discussions about future policy and research conditions.

Christina Storm Mienna, föreståndare för Várdduo - Centrum för samisk forskning

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Keith Larson leads the Arctic Six Research Working Group and serves as UArctic Associate Vice-President for Polar Research Analytics. Christina Storm Mienna, Director of Várdduo – Centre for Sámi Research, serves as Secretary of the UArctic Assembly, contributing to the network’s governance and strategic direction.

This leadership also extends to research collaboration. Umeå University hosts two new provisional UArctic Thematic Networks approved in 2026: Arctic AI, led by Frank Dignum, and Arctic Food Transitions, led by Armando Perez-Cueto.

For researchers seeking to establish new UArctic networks, the Arctic Centre offers knowledge of the network and support in developing proposals where relevant and possible.

“Building an international presence and earning the trust to take on leading roles requires sustained engagement over many years. At the Arctic Centre, we work actively to bring the knowledge, contacts and opportunities gained through that engagement back to Umeå University, helping researchers across faculties develop collaborations and joint initiatives. We also bring their expertise and priorities into international discussions, giving the university a stronger voice in shaping Arctic research and policy,” says Keith Larson.