UArctic Congress 2026 begins in Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
From May 26 to 29, Tórshavn serves as a stage for Arctic-focused conversations and knowledge exchanges as nearly 1,400 researchers, Indigenous representatives, policymakers, academics, students, experts and institutional leaders convene for the UArctic Congress 2026 and the Ocean Connectivity Conference.
Organized biennially in the country that is chairing the Arctic Council, the UArctic Congress combines a scientific conference on Arctic topics with key UArctic members' meetings. The Congress aims to foster contacts and enhance networking and take the Arctic agenda forward by creating and strengthening collaborations that produce new findings and solutions for the future of the Arctic region.
The UArctic Congress 2026 is hosted by the University of the Faroe Islands, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Fisheries and the Faroe Marine Research Institute.
“The University of the Faroe Islands looks forward to welcoming more than 1,000 researchers and other international stakeholders with an interest in the Arctic. The UArctic Congress will be by far the largest scientific conference ever held in the Faroe Islands, and we are delighted to host it," said Martin Tvede Zachariasen, Rector of the University of the Faroe Islands.
The 2026 Congress themes are aligned with the priorities of the Kingdom of Denmark’s Chairship of the Arctic Council: sustainable economic development and international cooperation, oceans, climate change in the Arctic, biodiversity, and Indigenous Peoples and northern communities. These key themes are highlighted in the program through thematic plenaries, and around 200 parallel sessions and 200 posters by the participants bring knowledge and perspectives on more specific subtopics for each theme.
“We are proud to have received such interest that contributes to the diverse program we have, thanks to our participants’ enthusiastic response to the session and abstract calls. This year the program includes the Ocean Connectivity Conference which contributes to an even broader program and to strong relevance for the Arctic society. This is the largest Congress we have arranged, and it is an excellent showcase of Arctic collaboration,” comments Gunnar Stefansson, Chair of the Congress Program Committee and UArctic Vice-President Research.
The Ocean Connectivity Conference brings the oceans theme into focus. Organized under the Kingdom of Denmark’s Chairship of the Arctic Council and embedded within the Congress, the conference aims to advance understanding of how Arctic marine systems are being reshaped by environmental change and increased human activity, and how governance can respond to support resilient ecosystems and communities.
“Impacts felt on a planetary scale remind us that it is timely to strengthen our understanding of Ocean Connectivity but also cooperation. In this partnership between the Chairship of the Arctic Council and the UArctic Congress – rooted in the Arctic Council itself – we have the opportunity to make greater impact and strengthen the foundation for informed decisions for the common good and the health of our oceans and the people of the Arctic,” remarks Margretha Jacobsen, Vice-Chair of the Senior Arctic Officials, from the Kingdom of Denmark Chairship of the Arctic Council.
The Congress is also an important meeting platform for UArctic’s 200+ member institutions. UArctic meetings taking place during the week include the leadership meeting for UArctic Thematic Networks and Institutes, the Rectors’ Forum for the institutional leads of UArctic’s higher education members, and the UArctic Assembly, the annual members’ meeting for the network’s decision-making and development. The UArctic Thematic Networks and Institutes, Chairs and Fellows are also actively contributing to the Congress program.
Learn more: www.uarcticcongress.fo
Congress partners and sponsors:
