1SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA | 2021 AUGUST 17-28
ACT! ArCTic Sustainability
summer university in policy and management innovations for transboundary problems
The ACT! summer university will be a vibrant mixture of interactive sessions, lectures and engagement with top experts and practitioners on Arctic sustainability. It offers hands-on project and research experience on the science, technology, management and policy of the Arctic environment, as well as the transferability of these learnings to the context of Russia. As the Arctic capital of Russia and a global center with a wealth of research facilities, business units and policy platforms, St. Petersburg is a prime location for advanced Arctic education.

The three introductory days of the school will give an overview of Arctic sustainability challenges, including issues related to the state of the biophysical system, management action and geopolitics. In the next days, participants will specialize on one of the pre-selected thematic blocs: (1) marine spatial planning, (2) environmental innovation for urban arctic, (3) management and politics of livelihoods split by political borders, and (4) corporate social and environmental responsibility. Each thematic bloc will feature taught sessions (lectures and selective skill training workshops, such as spatial analysis and planning tools, a crash courses on Arctic climatology, and permafrost science, sociological and political analysis methods, science to policy processes, etc.), excursions, gamified activities, group assignments and discussions. By the end of the School, based on supervised field work in St. Petersburg-based research, non-governmental organisations and companies active in the Arctic, all the participants (individually or in groups) will be expected to develop and present proposals for a practical solution to a real-life problem, or detailed paper proposals reflecting on their project experience and learning outcomes of the ACT! School. Participants and faculty are encouraged to re-develop the final reports into academic papers or project applications. Successful students will be awarded an ACT! Certificate of Completion at the end of the course and transferred 3 ECTS.

The ACT! summer school will be a valuable learning experience for everyone, but having a great time is also a summer essential, especially during this vibrant period of St. Petersburg. All 30 participants will be students or young experts, therefore we would like everyone to have a memorable time with us in Russia!
SUMMER SCHOOL FACULTY
University of Bremen, Germany
Saint Petersburg State University, Russia
University of Salzburg, Austria
Saint Petersburg State University, Russia
Central European University, Hungary
Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), Russia
Siberian Federal University, Russia
Saint Petersburg State University, Russia
Pskov State University, Russia
Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonia
Eduard Podgaisky
Russain State Hydrometeorological University, Russia
Estonian University of LIfe Sciences, Estonia
Saint Petersburg State University, Russia
Erda RTE, the Netherlands
Aleksanteri Institute, University of Helsinki, Finland
George Washington University, USA

V.B. Sochava Institute of Geography of the Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia
M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State Univeristy, Russia
ANDREY LAPPO
Scientific and Research Institute of Maritime Spatial Planning "Ermak Northwest", Russia
LARISA DANILOVA
Scientific and Research Institute of Maritime Spatial Planning "Ermak Northwest", Russia
Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Pre-School
July 15 - August 16, 2021
- pre-course reading and case study materials (made available through a dedicated e-learning site from July 15, 2021)
- development and collection of course participants profiles with short visions for the course (to be compiled to the course participant directory)
- an introductory webinar for pre-course preparatory assignment
In-School
August 17-28, 2021
(1) SCOPING PHASE (August 16-19)
- August 16: Arrival to St.-Petersburg, registration, meet & greet
- August 17-18: Introduction to the School, faculty and participants; overviews of Arctic sustainability challenges and the state of art in relevant fields of science, policy and management
- August 19: Urban Arctic academia-stakeholder workshop

(2) RESEARCH AND TRAINING PHASE (August 20-25)
- August 20-21: selective blocks intensive training and research design
- August 22-25: field, lab and desktop research

(3) REPORTING, GRADUATION, DEPARTURES (August 26-29):
- August 26-27: group work on reports and consultations
- August 28: reporting and graduation
- August 29: departures
Post-School
September 1-30, 2021
- the group leaders send the final version of group reports (paper or solution proposals) to be included to the edited on-line volume and case study database
THEMATIC BLOCS AND FIELD TRIPS
#1, marine spatial planning
The key issue to be explored is how marine spatial planning can be used as a tool for managing sustainable use of Arctic seas.

The central question of group assignments: how marine spatial planning can be integrated to management practices in the Russian Arctic and its sustainability, what innovative aspects can be transferred from the European Union and the EEA area, and what are the barriers (biophysical, infrastructural, institutional) need to be considered.

Faculty in charge: Holger Auel and Eduard Podgaisky
#2, environmental innovation for urban arctic
This course bloc will explore urbanisation challenges in the Arctic, processes in the biophysical system, and applicable policy, technology management innovation.

The central question of group assignments: what are sustainable options for urban settlements in the Arctic, and what is feasible in the Russian Arctic, in particular in the context of cooperation between twinned cities in Russia and Finland & Norway.

The faculty in charge: Nikolai Bobylev and Jürgen Breuste
#3, management and politics of livelihoods split by political borders
This will primarily deal with the livelihoods of the Sámi people and other divided groups with traditions of using ecosystems, which are split by strictly enforced political borders nowadays.

The central question of group assignments: How can we tackle the issues of isolation and socio-economic marginalisation emerging across the Russia / Finland and Norway border, and what are the options for overcoming political restrictions, administrative barriers and institutional legacies and inertia.

The faculty in charge: Maria Lagutina and Veli-Pekka Tynkynen
#4, corporate social and ecological responsibility in the Arctic
This bloc will explore how corporate social and ecological responsibility tools work to improve social and environmental performance of corporations working in the Arctic.

The central question of group assignments: what works and what does not work with corporations (primarily Russian ones) working in the Russian Arctic in terms of good international practices? What is the space for improvement and how could it be explored?

The faculty in charge: Alexander Sergunin and Igor Khodachek
Venue
Saint Petersburg State University
Institute of Earth Sciences


10-Ya Liniya Vasil'yevskogo Ostrova, 33-35
Saint-Petersburg
Russia
APPLICATION PROCESS
The application procedure is run through an on-line application system.

The application deadlines:
May 1, 2021 - the application deadline for those who applies for any form of financial assistance and/or needs visa in order to enter Russia
June 1, 2021 - the deadline for all other categories of participants

German nationals and students studying in Germany are eligible to DAAD scholarships that need to be requested directly from DAAD. For your information: see the link
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
Accommodation and meals shall be covered by participants; we are working on affordable solutions
for the school; local transport will be arranged and covered by the university.
The tuition fee for applicants from OECD countries is EUR 650 (this does not include meals and accommodation) and waived for the rest of the world. Based on individual merits and personal situation we will consider full or partial fee waivers for the participants from OECD countries as well.
FUNDING PROGRAMS
Pskov State University,
St.-Petersburg State University,
Estonian Life Science University
Russian State Hydrometeorological University,
Siberian Federal University,
University of Bremen,
University of Salzburg,
Estonian Life Science University
Pskov State University,
St.-Petersburg State University
CONTACT US
E-mail: grassmonnet@gmail.com

Olga Likhacheva, Pskov State University
Tatiana Vasileva, Pskov State University
Nikolai Bobylev, Saint Petersburg State University
Viktar Kireyeu, Saint Petersburg State University
Eduard Podgaisky, Russian State Hydrometeorological University
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