News for Polar Researchers in Sweden

Three Arctic expeditions in summer 2026

The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat will carry out three Arctic expeditions during summer 2026, spanning research on the Arctic Ocean, Earth's early ecosystems and future digital infrastructure.

Canada–Sweden Arctic Ocean 2026 (10 August–20 September) aboard I/B Oden will combine seabed mapping in the Arctic Ocean under the UNCLOS programme with an international research school for doctoral students and early-career researchers.

Bear Island 2026 (30 July–21 August) will investigate fossils and sedimentary rocks dating back approximately 360 million years to improve understanding of how early ecosystems responded to major environmental change.

Polar Connect 2026 (24 July–10 August) will explore potential cable routes across the Arctic Ocean as part of the long-term Polar Connect initiative to strengthen digital connectivity between Europe, North America and East Asia.

Read more about the expeditions:

• Canada–Sweden Arctic Ocean 2026
• Bear Island 2026
• Polar Connect 2026

On course for the Arctic – Hanna to inspire the next generation of polar researchers

Hanna Farnelid, Linnaeus University, leads the research school during Canada–Sweden Arctic Ocean 2026. The programme gives early-career researchers the opportunity to combine theory, fieldwork and international collaboration in the central Arctic Ocean.

– Working aboard Oden in the central Arctic gives us the opportunity to increase our understanding of a region that is changing rapidly and is crucial for understanding the cascading effects of climate change, says Hanna Farnelid.

Bear Island – a unique place for understanding Earth’s early ecosystems

Researchers will travel to Bear Island (Bjørnøya) in summer 2026 to investigate fossils and sedimentary rocks from a period when life on land underwent major changes. The expedition is led by the Swedish Museum of Natural History with operational support from the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat.

– The geological successions are exceptional. There is no vegetation on Bear Island, making them clearly visible and relatively accessible once you get there, says Vivi Vajda, Professor and Head of Palaeobiology at the Swedish Museum of Natural History.

R/V Broms on its way to Kristineberg – strengthening marine research and education

As part of the development of Kristineberg Marine Research Station, the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat has invested in a new research vessel with support from the G E Broms Foundation. 

R/V Broms is significantly larger than its predecessor, R/V Alice, providing an enhanced platform for research and education. The vessel features a large working deck, crane, loading ramp and a moon pool. Over the coming months, it will be equipped with scientific instruments, funded by the Sjöberg Foundation, including a CTD system for water sampling and a multibeam echosounder for seabed mapping. It will also serve as a test platform for new technologies such as underwater robotic systems.

New Arctic Strategy highlights polar research as a strategic resource

The government has presented a new strategy for a peaceful, secure and sustainable Arctic. The strategy highlights polar research as a strategic resource for Sweden, recognising its importance for knowledge generation, international cooperation and Sweden's strategic presence in the Arctic.

The new strategy comes at a time when the Arctic is gaining increasing importance due to climate change, geopolitical developments and Sweden's membership in NATO.

Swedish Polar Research Secretariat at Almedalen 2026

The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat took part in the Almedalen 2026, hosting and participating in discussions on the future of Swedish polar research and the urgent need for a new Swedish polar research icebreaker.

The seminars highlighted the importance of maintaining Sweden's world-leading position in polar research while strengthening the country's strategic presence in the Arctic. Researchers, representatives from government, defence, industry and politics agreed that a successor to Oden is essential to secure future research, international collaboration and Arctic operational capability.

Arctic thematic call within the Polar Research Process

The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat invites researchers at Swedish universities and research institutes to submit proposals for research themes within the national research programme SWEDARCTIC. The call will help shape future expedition planning for 2028–2030. The deadline for submissions is 30 September 2026.

ICOS Winter School 2027

Applications are now open for the 9th ICOS Summer School, this time a Winter School, taking place 18–28 January 2027 in Hyytiälä, Finland. The programme is open to MSc students, PhD candidates, postdoctoral researchers and research station staff. Deadline: 31 July 2026.

SCAR photo call

SCAR is inviting submissions of photographs celebrating two decades of Antarctic biodiversity research. Images of wildlife, fieldwork and the SCAR community are welcome. Deadline: 31 July 2026.

Forum for Arctic and Antarctic Research 2026

Save the date! The Forum for Arctic and Antarctic Research will take place 30 November–1 December 2026 at the University of Gothenburg. This year's theme is Building on a Swedish Foundation for the 5th International Polar Year, bringing together the Swedish polar research community to discuss future collaboration and priorities.

ASSW 2027

The Arctic Science Summit Week (ASSW) 2027 will be held in Hakodate, Japan, on 11–20 April 2027. Calls for Community Meetings, Workshops and ISAR-9 Special Sessions are now open.

SCAR Open Science Conference 2026

Registration has reopened for the SCAR Open Science Conference 2026, taking place in August in Oslo, Norway. A limited number of places remain available.

ICOS Science Conference 2026

Registration is open for the ICOS Science Conference 2026, taking place 15–17 September in Lund and online. The conference brings together researchers working on greenhouse gases, climate observations and Earth system science.

Polar Connect Sensing Workshop

Join the Polar Connect Sensing Workshop on 25 August 2026 at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg. The workshop will explore scientific requirements, fibre sensing technologies and future opportunities for Arctic observing along the Polar Connect route.

Antarctica InSync webinar

Registration is open for the Antarctica InSync Implementation Webinar, offered on 30 June and 1 July 2026. The webinar will present the implementation process and support coordinated international Antarctic observations.

The same webinar will be offered twice to accommodate different time zones.

30 June, 07:00–09:00 UTC: https://events.hifis.net/event/4094/ 
1 July, 15:00–17:00 UTC: https://events.hifis.net/event/4099/ 

First IPY-5 Sweden Planning Workshop

Save the date! The first Swedish planning workshop for the 5th International Polar Year (2032–33) will take place on 29 September 2026 as a hybrid event. The workshop will begin discussions on Sweden's scientific priorities and ambitions for IPY-5.

Further information will be announced soon.

Contact: ulf.jonsell@polar.se

The 28th ERVO Meeting

The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat participated in the 28th European Research Vessel Operators (ERVO) Meeting in Trieste, Italy, together with colleagues from the Swedish Research Vessel Network (SON). The meeting focused on fleet developments, new technologies and future collaboration between European research vessel operators.

New water data from Abisko

As part of the EU infrastructure project POLARIN and its Virtual Access programme, Abisko Scientific Research Station has expanded the availability of long-term freshwater monitoring data collected through SITES Water. The newly published data improve access to environmental observations from the Arctic.

Newly available datasets include:

• Almbergasjön
• Miellejohka