Studenter fra hele verden
Dette året deltok 15 studenter i kurset "A Changing Arctic", et tverrfaglig emne på masternivå som har aspekter fra både sosiale, juridiske, geopolitiske og naturfaglige fagdisipliner i undervisningen. Emnet tilbys i undervisningen ved den internasjonale sommerskolen ved Universitetet i Oslo.
Studentene til emnet kommer fra ulike fagområder; juss, industri, kjemi, politikk, oseanografi, geofysikk og samfunnsstudier. De kommer fra flere europeiske land, men også fra Russland, Mexico og Kina. I tillegg til foredrag fra UiO ansatte, ble flere gjesteforelesere invitert fra industri og forskningsinstitusjoner rundt om i Norge, i tillegg til forelesere fra Alaska og København.
Kurset omfatter tverrfaglige forelesninger om Arktis om urfolks rettigheter, styresett, UNCLOS, fiske og økosystemer, klimamodellering, fortid og nåtidens oppdagere, geologi og geofysikk, olje og gass politikk for å nevne noe. Studentene kunne også delta i ekskursjoner til Frammuseet, Fridtjof Nansens Institutt, Naturhistorisk museum og Norsk Teknisk Museum, se bildene i artikkelen.
Nå det andre året emnet holdes, er emnet koordinert av CEEDs Carmen Gaina sammen med kolleger professor Olav Schram Stokke fra Institutt for statsvitenskap, professor Alla Pozdnakova fra Det juridiske fakultet, og med Grace Shephard som administrator.
Arktis i endring – Inntrykk fra to studenter
Som en del av “AwaRE: Arctic Research and Education” stipendordningen gitt av Senter for internasjonalisering av utdanning (SIU) til CEED, fikk to russiske studenter tildelt midler for å delta på årets sommerskole.
Her er noen av inntrykkene de to studentene som fikk stipend Katerina Kotlova og Polina Porotova hadde (sitat gjengis på engelsk):
“In winter 2014/2015 we were walking around our university campus corridors. We are both affiliated with the Northern (Arctic) Federal University [NArFU], which is in town of Arkhangelsk, close to the shores of the White Sea, in the European part of Russia. Polina was studying languages and I was a newly employed editor at the university journal “Arctic and North”. The announcement we saw on the wall, in front of the door of the NArFU International office …“A changing Arctic” course! No doubt it might be interesting” writes Katerina.
“Polina and I have a long term romance with Arctic issues but in different perspectives. Polina was doing a lot of chemistry before her linguistics studies and she still has a strong interest in it and future plans for a scientific career. My interest was more practical one. As an editor, I have to work with a great number of scientific articles on Arctic issues and it is my job to choose articles for the next issue and send them for peer review. It is necessary to understand the theme and to be aware of the latest and most interesting scientific research areas and topics.”
Formidling av Arktis et viktig tema
Formidling av problemstillinger som Arktis står ovenfor til et bredere samfunslag og politikere krever en anerkjennelse av den unike, multi-skala og tverrfaglig karakteren som kjennetegner det Arktiske miljøet, likså å påvirke den generelle opinionen om Arktis.
Som en del av undervisningen og for å undersøke skjæringspunktet mellom vitenskap og samfunn, deltok studentene i oppsøkende trening. Katerina og Polina valgte et av fire kommunikasjonsscenarier og kunne ta med seg sin egen erfaring og den kunnskapen de hadde tilegnet seg i løpet av emnet i praksis.
“Social science has already been familiar for me but it is hardly possible to say the same about the natural science… so going to Oslo I was not sure if my qualification was relevant and I would be able to understand all the lectures and readings. So, I expected to have really hard work, to get a lot of new knowledge about Arctic and was worried about natural sciences for the first time since my high school days! Polina and our Chinese NArFU co-student, Bai, as far as I could understand, had the same kind of feeling.”
"First days in Oslo were nice: good weather, warm summer days, nice smiling people around, lots of talks and activities. Monday. A course start. Hmm…We’ve expected to see a couple of real Arctic people…you know…like those from the stories about polar expedition…with Nordic temperament and serious faces. Likely no. Nothing like that! Just nice people, interesting and open minded. Great!”
Både Katerina og Polina bemerket at det var forskjellig undervisningsopplegg enn det de var vant til i hjemlandet:
“We are used to lectures and seminars or practical classes to be done separately but on the same topic. Here in Norway, classes combine everything. Lots of guest lectures, interdisciplinary approach and free and sometimes rather relaxed atmosphere – that’s what we all like about the course.
Lectures in law made me change the point of view on the UNCLOS and its provisions. Sure, it was not only me! Law is very often associated with something boring that lacks creativity and makes the majority yawn. Not this time! Can’t believe that I’m saying that, but it was inspiring!” they continue.
“Our expectations about politics in the Arctic were rather alarming. First of all, it was like that due to the present international problems that affect the politics in the Arctic region as well. We really appreciate the tolerance, objectivity and good content of the lectures in political science. Now it is time of natural science! It is something that I was worried about and, at the same time, it was something I really need to know and understand. Rather challenging for me and exiting for Polina. Especially when you’re reading the same article for the second time and then get yourself more coffee and start it again. Polina is just smiling and is probably thinking how funny it is to see a social scientist reading on Arctic geology, climate change and chemistry.” skriver Katerina.
Som flere av de andre studentene, hadde Polina vært i Arktis tidligere:
“Last year, I was on Svalbard to study environmental chemistry and Arctic pollution. All I studied about the Arctic was Bachelor’s level courses therefore, I’ve already knew some information about the region. Although studying on Svalbard I got much more knowledge. Now I understand how it is important to see the object of your studies in real life. I was happy to get this opportunity. And when I saw “A Changing Arctic”, it was really no doubts about the course. Description of the course told me that it would be about geography and geology of the Arctic region. I realized that it was really good – I could learn something before so I would be prepared and in addition I could learn much more.” skriver Polina i den sisde delen studieoppholdet.
Lenker for "A Changing Artic":
- Informasjon om International Summer School
- Emne beskrivelse: ISSMN4030 - A Changing Arctic
Denne artikkelen er først publisert i CEEDs blog tidligere i august 2015. Teksten er oversatt til norsk av Gunn Kristin Tjoflot.