The High North Center at Nord University has released the Preliminary program for High North Dialogue 2025, with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre confirmed among the high-level speakers.

– This year’s program captures the transformative dynamics shaping the High North, says Benedikte Kosmo Underland, adviser at the High North Center.

– We’ve structured the sessions to examine how geopolitical shifts, technological advances, and climate imperatives are creating new realities for Arctic business and society.

The conference opens with an Arctic Geopolitics Pubinar on March 25th, followed by two full days of sessions at Radisson Blu in Bodø.

– We’re addressing the full spectrum of issues that will define the Arctic’s future, Underland explains.

Key program highlights include:

  • An in-depth examination of how security politics are reshaping the High North
  • Special focus on Arctic journalism navigating complex global tensions
  • Emerging opportunities in Arctic space activities

Click here to register

Book your hotel here

Note: Special hotel rates available at Radisson Blu Hotel Bodø for bookings made by January 24th. After this date, accommodation will be subject to availability on a first-come, first-served basis.


The full preliminary program follows below:

Tuesday March 25 

18.00 – 19.00 Arctic Geopolitics Pubinar at the local brewery Bådin 

A pub conversation with some of the leading political voices on Arctic geopolitical issues. The conversation will last about 40 minutes in an informal format where the moderator asks the participants to share their thoughts on the current status in the Arctic, Nordic cooperation, the way forward under President Trump, increased interest, how to achieve joint climate efforts, and so on. It will be a fluid conversation. 

Moderator: Andreas Østhagen, Senior Researcher, Fridtjof Nansen Institute/ High North Center for Business and Governance, Nord University Business School

 

Wednesday March 26 

08.00 – 09.00 Side Events  

09.30 – 10.30 Side Events  

11.00 – 11.15 Welcome to the High North Dialogue 2025  

11.15 – 12.30 New Realities: Security Politics are Reshaping the High North  

The entry of Finland and Sweden to NATO has reshaped the geopolitical map of Northern Europe and the European Arctic. The linkages between societal development, a strong and innovative business sector, and a country’s ability to manage security risks are particularly apparent in the High North. Renewed geostrategic interest in Greenland from the US could challenge Western cohesion in the Arctic.  

This panel will discuss how the ongoing security shifts in Europe and globally are impacting the political and societal situation in the High North, i.e. the European Arctic. Moreover, we will discuss how the other parts of the Arctic, i.e. the North American, are grappling with the same challenges. Finally, we will look at how Norway can take a leading role in ensuring stability and relative low tension in the High North, and what this means for the people and business environment there. 

Moderator: Andreas Østhagen, Senior Researcher, Fridtjof Nansen Institute/ High North Center for Business and Governance, Nord University Business School 

 

12.30 – 13.00 High North Young Entrepreneur 

High North Young Entrepreneurs is an international pitch competition of Arctic-related business ideas of young entrepreneurs and start-ups. The three finalists will give a presentation and the conference participants will vote for the best project. The winner will be announced at the Conference dinner. 

Moderator: Bård Borch Michalsen, Associate Professors, High North Center, Nord University Business School 

Speaker: Marius Fagerli, Advisor at Innovation Norway Nordland 

 

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch 

14.00 – 15.00 New Realities: The High North in New Space 

How do developments in space-related activities affect life in the High North? 

Moderator: Anu Fredrikson, Executive Director at Arctic Frontiers 

 

15.30 – 16.30 Navigating Arctic Journalism in a New Reality 

How does the Arctic press navigate the complexities of Russia’s war, hybrid threats, misinformation, and a protectionist USA? 

In this rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape, Arctic media plays a pivotal role in shaping public discourse and influencing policy. As tensions rise, journalists and media outlets face unprecedented challenges in balancing accurate reporting with the need to protect national security and public trust. 

Join us as we delve into how the Arctic press responds to these global crises, how it counters disinformation, and how it addresses the increasingly protectionist stance of the United States. Gain insight into the evolving role of media in the Arctic – where local stories intersect with global power dynamics and where the consequences of misinformation and hybrid threats are felt most acutely. 

Moderator: Trine Jonassen, Editor in Chief, High North News 

 

17.00 – 18.00 Side Events  

19.00 – 19:30 Mingling 

19:30 – 22.00 Conference Dinner at Radisson Blu Hotel 

 

Thursday March 27 

09.00 – 10.00 Ambassador Panel – A new High North 

It has become a tradition that Ambassadors to Norway are invited to High North Dialogue for a joint conversation about the current situation in the High North. 

Moderator: Andreas Raspotnik, Senior Researcher, Fridtjof Nansen Institute/ High North Center for Business and Governance, Nord University Business School 

 

10.30 – 11.00 High North Scenarios 

Students from the Master Course “International governance and business in the High North” have been developing the future scenarios just before High North Dialogue. Join us to follow the best scenarios about our future in the High North to be presented by the winning group of master students. 

Moderator: Elena Dybtsyna, Associate Professor, High North Center for Business and Governance, Nord University Business School 

 

11.00 – 11.30 High North Hero 

The High North Hero Award is an annual award established by the High North Center for Business and Governance to honor a person, organization or company who has contributed to highlighting or developing the High North. 

 

12.00 – 13.00 I had a Green Dream 

What happened to the green dream of the North? Do we still believe in the Green Shift? Can it lead to sustainable economic growth in the region? 

 

14.00 – 14.30 I have a Blue Dream 

Norway is an ocean nation, and this is especially prominent in the north. Great value creation comes from oil, gas, fisheries, aquaculture, shipping and tourism. Are we now at the onset of a new era where offshore wind, seabed mining and large-scale conservation measures emerges? Can we realize these new blue dreams in a sustainable way? 

Moderator:  

Jan-Gunnar Winther, Pro-rector research and development UiT 

 

14.30 – 15.30 New Realities: Dreams for the High North 

As the Arctic region becomes increasingly vital in global conversations, it’s crucial to ask ourselves how we can harness its potential without compromising its fragile environment. What are the opportunities for innovation, collaboration, and resource development that can fuel growth, while ensuring that future generations inherit a region that is both prosperous and sustainable? 

Moderator:  

Jan-Gunnar Winther, Pro-rector research and development UiT 

 

16.00 – 17.00 Side Events 

17.30 – 18.30 Side Events