Following meetings with local UArctic members in Yakutia and the signing of a new agreement with the Ministry of Science and Education of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia), the Board agreed to address how UArctic can better respond to professional skills development. UArctic will undertake a mapping of the various educational systems for vocational training across the region, and an inventory of current members. Skills development is necessary for UArctic’s role in supporting regional development in the North.

Much of the Board’s time during the meeting was focussed on UArctic’s strategy towards private fundraising, including a review of the organization’s legal status and communications strategy as parts of the foundation for effective fundraising. This included teleconferences during the meeting with externals advisors in New York and Hong Kong.

In addition to their own meetings, Board members had the opportunity to meet with many of the local member institutions and representatives of UArctic Thematic Networks in Yakutia, who form one of the largest and most active regional groupings in the network. These members North-Eastern Federal University, as well as Arctic State Institute of Culture and Art, Yakutsk State Agricultural Academy, Arctic College of the Peoples of the NorthChurapcha State Institute of Physical Education and Sports, and Eastern-Siberian Institute of Economics and Management.

The meeting concluded with a certificate of recognition being presented to long-serving Board chair Brian Rogers. Claudia Fedorova was also recognized for her many years of championing UArctic at NEFU and across the Republic of Sakha and Russia Federation. UArctic’s Board of Governors thanks NEFU and the other local UArctic members in Yakutia for their warm hospitality, hosting and continued partnerships. Overall Russian members are the largest national representation of UArctic members, with 50 institutions in the network. These partnerships are key to UArctic’s commitment to circumpolar cooperation in education and research.