1997
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Arctic Council asks Circumpolar Universities Association (CUA) for a feasibility study on an Arctic university.
1998
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CUA working group submits Final Report to the Arctic Council.
- Arctic Council Iqaluit Declaration announces the "establishment of the University of the Arctic, a university without walls..."
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Interim Council of the University of the Arctic formed; first meeting in Fairbanks, Alaska.
1999
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UArctic Circumpolar Coordination Office (later the UArctic International Secretariat) established in Rovaniemi, Finland.
2000
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Release of UArctic Integrated Plan, detailing program implementation of Bachelor of Circumpolar Studies, Arctic Learning Environment, and Circumpolar Mobility Program (later named north2north).
2001
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Official launch of the University of the Arctic, in Rovaniemi, Finland.
2002
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First students take Circumpolar Studies courses.
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First students participate in pilot exchanges in north2north program.
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Lars Kullerud appointed first UArctic Director (later President).
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UArctic is granted official observer status at the Arctic Council.
2003
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UArctic Undergraduate Office established at University of Saskatchewan, Canada to coordinate Circumpolar Studies program and delivery.
2004
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UArctic north2north Mobility Office established at Finnmark University College, Norway (now part of UiT - The Arctic University of Norway).
2005
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UArctic publishes the Strategic Plan 2005-2010, endorsing Thematic Networks as core program activities.
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Thematic Coordination Office established at Thule Institute, University of Oulu, Finland.
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Planning begins for UArctic’s participation in the International Polar Year.
2006
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UArctic Russian Information Center established at Sakha State University, Yakutsk, Russia (now North-Eastern Federal University).
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First degree graduates of Circumpolar Studies program.
2007
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First UArctic Rectors' Forum held at Dartmouth College, USA.
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UArctic participation in International Polar Year 2007-2008.
2008
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Establishment of UArctic Catalog Office, to develop what is now the UArctic Studies Catalogue (education.uarctic.org).
2009
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Publication of UArctic Strategic Plan 2009-2014.
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GoNorth program established to support joint marketing, promotion and student recruitment efforts of UArctic member higher education institutions.
2010
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Jan Henry Keskitalo appointed as UArctic’s first Vice-President Indigenous.
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UArctic Research Office established at the Northern (Arctic) Federal University in Arkhangelsk, Russia.
2011
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UArctic celebrates 10th anniversary at Council meeting in Lapland, Finland.
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First non-Arctic members join UArctic.
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IASC, IASSA, and UArctic sign agreement on research cooperation in the Arctic
2012
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UArctic conducts External Review of its organization and activities, preceding the development of its next Strategic Plan.
2013
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UArctic publishes its Strategic Plan 2020, reinforcing UArctic as a network organization that supports cooperative activities of its members in order to better serve the Circumpolar North.
2014
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Relaunch of the UArctic website, including a new student-focussed portal and UArctic Study Catalogue.
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New management structure, with President and Vice-Presidents Academic, Organization, Research, Interregional Cooperation, Indigenous, and Finance.
- Student Ambassador program launched.
2015
- Kingdom of Denmark (Denmark, Greenland, Faroe Islands) joins the north2north student mobility program.
2016
- First ever UArctic Congress held in St. Petersburg, bringing together Council, Board, Rectors' Forum and a scientific conference.
- Launch of the Research Infrastructure Catalogue.
- UArctic appoints first Vice-President Mobility.
2017
- UArctic becomes UNESCO partner organization.
- Marks 20 years since the idea of the University of the Arctic was first proposed to the Arctic Council.
2018
- Second UArctic Congress held in Oulu and Helsinki, Finland
2019
- UArctic Association ry established and registered as non-profit in Finland.