Announcement for the Summer School on "66°N: Paleoclimate and Geochemical Cycles" At Harbin Institute of Technology, China

Introduction

The Arctic is the most sensitive “amplifier” of global climate change, with its warming rate approximately twice the global average. The sharp decline in sea ice, thawing of permafrost, and transformation of ecosystems are accelerating. To understand these dramatic changes, we must look to the past—reading paleoclimate records from ice cores, sediments, and permafrost—in order to predict the future trajectory of the Arctic.

The Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) Summer School has invited professors from top universities in Norway, Canada, Russia, the United Kingdom, and other countries to serve as lead instructors. Active at the forefront of polar research, they bring extensive experience from international scientific expeditions. All instruction is conducted in English, and through thematic lectures, group seminars, academic presentations, and other formats, the program promotes deep cross-cultural and interdisciplinary exchange. Students who complete the program will systematically acquire multidisciplinary knowledge of Arctic paleoclimate, ecological environments, and geochemical cycles, and gain direct exposure to cutting-edge international research.

HIT Summer School sincerely invites graduate students from around the world to join the “66°N” exploration journey and together decode the past and future of the polar regions.

This International Arctic Summer School, Harbin Institute of Technology (IASS-HIT)  is on the topic of “66°N: Paleoclimate and Geochemical Cycles”.  

The language used in the summer school is English.

Who can participate? 

This summer school invites graduate students (Master’s and Ph.D. candidates) who love and care the Arctic and intend to achieve relevant scientific knowledge of the Arctic.

The following eligibility criteria apply:

1. You are graduate students in related fields (Environmental Science, Climatology, Chemistry, Ecology, Geology, Atmospheric Science, Geography, etc.)
2. The student is motivated to enhance understanding and friendship among the Arctic and Chinese students;
3. The student must have sufficient knowledge of English, both oral and written, for academic studies.

The graduate students who are interested in attending the IASS-HIT-2026 can apply by providing a short CV (about 100 words including email address and telephone number), a brief letter of interest, and description of what you hope to gain and contribute to the Summer School, and send to Zhang Zifeng (zifeng_zhang@aliyun.com). Application deadline: June 30, 2026.

Student fellowships 

Accommodations for out-of-town and international students during the summer school will be covered, and all students are exempt from tuition fees.

• Students are responsible for the following expenses:
  Personal travel insurance covering medical expenses, flight accidents etc.
  
• Costs incurring from taking land transportation within one’s own country
  
• Costs for activities that is not part of the official program
  
• Costs for additional stay in China before or after the official program period, 13 July (check-in)-26 July (check-out), 2026
  
• Any additional costs resulting from altering the flight schedule provided by organizer to include other destinations other than the student’s home country 
  
• Other personal expenses such as costs for issuing passport and documentations needed for participating in the Summer School
  

Organizers: 
Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), China
The University of the Arctic
Norwegian University of Life Sciences

For more information, see the full announcement.