University College of the North (UCN) is proud to announce it has been selected as the lead institution for the newly established Thematic Network on Solid Waste Management in the Arctic within the University of the Arctic (UArctic).
The UArctic General Assembly officially voted and approved the network on May 29, 2026, in Tórshavn, The Faroe Islands. The approval followed a comprehensive proposal review and an in-person presentation to assembly members by UCN's Dr. Anderson Assuah, Assistant Professor in the Aboriginal and Northern Studies department, who will lead the international network.
The goal of the thematic network is to foster learning, action, and collaboration regarding solid waste management issues across Arctic communities, organizations, and institutions. A distinctive, core characteristic of this network is its commitment to working directly with communities of all sizes while remaining deeply attentive to Indigenous ways of managing solid waste in the Arctic.
"Communities in the Arctic face enormous challenges in managing the waste they generate, because of unique and complex factors, such as extreme weather conditions, remoteness, and policy mismatches vis-à-vis challenges and realities of communities. This thematic network will work with communities, institutions, and those in the solid waste management value chain to bring about sustainable solutions," said UCN Asst. Professor, Dr. Anderson Assuah.
The network will drive collaborative research, information sharing, teaching, and the exchange of ideas to achieve sustainable waste management. Planned activities include community-engaged research projects, webinars, workshops, panel discussions, seminars, and land-based activities.
The initiative launches with strong global backing, currently counting eleven partners across five Arctic countries. Participating institutions include:
- University College of the North (Canada)
- Lakehead University (Canada)
- University of Iceland
- Aarhus University (Denmark)
- University of Aalborg (Denmark)
- Roskilde University (Denmark)
- Technical University of Denmark
- University of the Faroe Islands
- University of Lapland (Finland)
- Kajaani University of Applied Sciences (Finland)
University College of the North provides learning opportunities to northern communities while respecting diverse Indigenous and northern values.
