NVP-summer school participants outside the Isdammen.The interdisciplinary PhD and Post-Doc summer school The Arctic Ocean and the marginal ice zone (MIZ) - interdisciplinary research, management practices, and policy developments is hosted by the Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research (NVP) in Longyearbyen, Svalbard during 31^st July to 6^th August 2017. 

The consequences of climate change are particularly evident in the Arctic. In recent years, we have witnessed significant changes and reductions in Arctic sea ice distribution and volume. Seized as an opportunity, plans are being made for expansion of economic activities such as shipping, tourism, fisheries, petroleum extraction, and deep-sea mining. Changes in sea ice cover and distribution will have consequences for national and international management regimes.

This new situation represents challenges for scientists, managers and policy makers, and for the private sector. More and better communication between different stakeholders is required, and the best way forward needs to be further developed for sound management and sustainable use of the Arctic oceans’ vast renewable and non-renewable resources.

This international summer school in Longyearbyen, Svalbard 2017 have a multi- and cross-disciplinary thematic approach to meet challenges and opportunities related to governance of the Arctic Ocean’s focusing on the marginal ice zone (MIZ).

All the week of activities represents a 55 hours course – lectures, student group work and interactive sessions in preparations of a peer review an interdisciplinary scientific article made by the student participants.

23 lecture presentations were given by 13 lecturers, including Stein Sandven and Lasse H. Pettersson from the Nansen Center. The lectures were divided in seven thematic sessions related to the Artic Ocean and the Marginal Ice Zone (MIZ) covering:

• Framing the course and study methodology
• Individual students presentations (10´ in each)
• Introduction to the Marginal Ice Zone
• Environmental and climate monitoring and forecasting
• Management and policy challenges in an international policy context
• Management and policy challenges: Local, national and international management contexts
• Student reporting, presentation, assessment and conclusions.

Interactive student session at Isdammen.The 23 participating students from 12 countries were divided in four working groups initially addressing the Values; Vulnerability; Exploitation; and Management and regulations of the MIZ. The groups were merged and combined in order to foster cross- and inter-disciplinary interactions. The students completed a joint report founding the basis for their further preparations of a peer review an interdisciplinary scientific article to be completed jointly after the summer school under supervision from the summer school coordinators.

The summer school is hosted by the Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research (NVP), in cooperation with the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), the Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center (NERSC), The Nansen Scientific Society, UiT – the Arctic University of Norway, the Nord University, the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI), Akvaplan-niva, and the Russian Geographical Society (RGS).

Summer school coordinators:

• Professor Willy Østreng; the Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar research (NVP)
• Lasse H. Pettersson; Director for International Cooperation, the Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center (NERSC)
• Jorge Kristiansen; Office Manager, the Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar research (NVP)

 The summer school program attaced hereto.