On 24 June, EU Arctic Ambassador and Special Envoy Claude Véron-Réville, together with Finnish Arctic Ambassador Mr. Petteri Vuorimäki, visited the University of Helsinki. The visit was hosted by Vice Rector Hanna Snellman.

The University of Helsinki has its own Arctic strategy, and during the meeting, Professors Veli-Pekka Tynkkynen and David Thomas presented  relevant research of the university’s Arctic research initiatives. Docent Hanna Lappalainen also introduced the Pan-Eurasian Experiment (PEEX) program and  “Arena for the gap analysis of the existing Arctic Science Co-Operations” (AASCO) project, 2023-2025.

The visit provided an opportunity to review the outcomes of the AASCO Arctic Cooperation Summit, which was recently held in Monaco in February. AASCO, an initiative led by the University of Helsinki, focuses on advancing research into land-atmosphere interactions in the Arctic. A key result of the summit, the AASCO White Paper, outlines the most pressing research needs for the near future in the Arctic region. These findings carry important messages for research funders, including the European Commission. Read more on AASCO White Paper:

The EU Arctic Communication from 2021, which outlines EU’s strategic framework and priorities for the Arctic region EU’s updated Arctic policy, published on October 13, 2021