About
UiT The Arctic University of Norway (UiT) is a medium-sized young research university that contributes to knowledge-based development at the regional, national and international level. UiT is the northernmost university of the world, and Norway’s foremost university in Arctic research – at the intersection of the High North’s opportunities and the limitless science. We are in a region with rich natural resources, Arctic proximity, multicultural communities, scattered settlements and heavy export industries; in a world where research and education are increasingly internationalized.
UiT’s location on the edge of the Arctic implies a mission. The Arctic is of increasing global importance. Climate change, the exploitation of Arctic resources and environmental threats are topics of great public concern, and which UiT takes special interest in. At UiT we can explore global issues from a close-up perspective. Life in the High North is shaped by wild nature, contrasting light and weather conditions, geographic distances and multiculturalism. Many of UiT ́s research centres and study programmes reflect the specific character of Arctic Norway.
UiT’s key research focuses on the polar environment, climate research, indigenous people, peace and conflict transformation, telemedicine, medical biology, space physics, fishery science, marine biosprospecting, linguistics and computational chemistry.
The ARCTOS network at the Faculty for Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, is a leader in research on marine arctic ecosystems and an important partner of the Norwegian Polar Institute in Tromsø. The Department of Physics focuses on northern lights and space research. All these institutes are of high international reputation.
The university is part of the FRAM – High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment (Fram Centre) in Tromsø. Every January the international conference Arctic Frontiers invites researchers, politicians and business representatives to discuss Arctic issues across disciplinary borders. The Secretariat of the Arctic Council is located at the Fram Centre. Researchers from the University and Fram Center are involved in several international programmes of the Arctic Council.
17 000 students and 3700 staff study and work at UiT. The main campuses are located in Tromsø, Alta, Narvik and Harstad, with smaller departments in the towns of Bardufoss, Bodø, Hammerfest, Mo i Rana, Kirkenes, and Longyearbyen. Teaching is research-based. UiT ́s six faculties offer, in spite of a dedication to Northern issues, a broad range of study programmes. UiT’s study portfolia covers all classical subject areas from Health Sciences, Social Sciences, Education and Humanities, Science and Technology to Economics, Law, Social Work, Tourism, Sports and Fine Arts.
The academic community in Tromsø is highly international. More than 20% of the academic staff and 10% of the student body are from abroad. The University offers more than 20 English taught master ́s degree programmes, and all faculties offer English taught courses at both bachelor’s and master’s level.
UiT is a founding member of the University of the Arctic, an international network of 160 study and research institutions of the circumpolar region. But the University cooperates with all parts of the world. 200 international agreements secure an active academic exchange of students and staff with partner institutions worldwide.
