Under the revised 2009 Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research Government budget there will be 800 000 Norwegian kroner (800 000 NOK) allocated to increase activities with the University of the Arctic. The decision was a follow up on behalf of the Norwegian governmental strategy for increased activity in northern areas.

The Norwegian National Agency will receive 400 000 NOK. This will support the teacher and student exchange programs North2North and NorthTREX which are both administered through the Norwegian National Agency. North2North will receive a minor sum which will go towards support for Student Exchange Programs for Norwegian students only. Russian students who are also part of the North2North mobility program will continue to receive access to scholarships. NorthTREX a teacher exchange program through the UArctic will for the first time receive its first external funding.

The rest of the 800 000 NOK will be given to strengthen the academic cooperation between the indigenous people in the Arctic (150 000 NOK) and the development of a Russian-Norwegian joint master in northern studies program (250 000 NOK).

These excellent opportunities for Norwegian academic staff throughout UArctic institutions will be announced later this week by the Norwegian National Agency.