Circumpolar Northern Field School

Yukon University will be leading a Study Tour opportunity through the UArctic north2north mobility program in collaboration with Aurora College, Nunavut Arctic College and Memorial University’s Labrador Campus.

YukonU is pleased to invite students from the above mentioned northern Canadian institutions to apply for an opportunity to spend just over a week in November 2024 (November 8 - 17**) on an escorted study tour to Sápmi in northern Europe. The group of students from across the Canadian north will be learning about the social, economic and environmental conditions in northern Europe.

Depending on your institution, this field school is available for three credits (at YukonU credit will be given for NOST 229); this would involve pre-trip readings, seminars and some small written assignments. Students will visit several communities including, Sámi (Indigenous) communities and Sámi institutions. Throughout the course, students will also be exposed to Indigenous ways of knowing from a uniquely Sámi perspective. 

This exciting opportunity is funded by Global Affairs Canada through the UArctic north2north funding in Canada. Participating students will be asked to contribute *$1,000 (plus tuition for anyone taking the course for credit) to contribute a small part of the costs of the trip. Other trip costs (airfare, ground transportation, accommodation, food and entry fees) will be covered through the funding.

*Support to cover the $1,000 may be available to those with financial barriers.

The Sámi Parliament in Kárášjohka
The Sámi Parliament in Kárášjohka 

 

Eligibility
  • Students will have completed at least one year of post-secondary studies prior to their exchange and must be considered in good academic standing by their home institution. 
  • This opportunity is open to students from Yukon University, Aurora College, Nunavut Arctic College and Memorial University Labrador Campus. For students not from Yukon University, transfer credits can likely be arranged with your institution.
  • Students from Canada’s north, those who self-identify as Indigenous, and those with limited experience traveling internationally are prioritized for this funding.  

Application information

A link to apply will be posted here in August. 

Sample itinerary
November 8-17, 2024 (tentative)
Day 1Travel to Helsinki, Finland
Day 2Travel to Rovaniemi, Finland - visit Arctic Circle
Day 3Visit Arctic Centre, University of Lapland
Day 4Drive to Inari, Finland. Visit Sámi Education Institute.
Day 5Drive to Karasjok, Norway. Visit Sámi Parliament.
Day 6Drive to Kautokeino, Norway. Visit Sámi University of Applied Science.
Day 7Visit International Centre for Reindeer Herding.
Day 8Drive to Rovaniemi and depart for Helsinki.
Day 9Fly back to Canada.

** Additional days may need to be added for flights from Canada to Finland.

N2N student
Jamie Joe-Hudson, YukonU IGD student on north2north exchange at University of Lapland.

View testimonials from north2north exchanges. 

Map
Driving route sample