High North Dialogue 2023 – Spaces of Opportunities
The High North Dialogue is a platform for dialogue about the sustainable future in the Arctic.
In 2023 the conference was held April 18 – 21. This year’s topic was “Business in the Arctic – Spaces of Opportunities”, emphasizing the opportunities connected to Politics, Business, Outer Space and Ocean Space.
- On April 18 we had a full day of interesting Side Events. Locations were Stormen Library, Radisson Blu and Kraft center
- The main conference, with keynotes, panels, dinner and award ceremonies was on April 19 and 20. The location for this was Radisson Blu
- On April 21 we had the youth event, Barents Generation. Location: Beddingen House of Culture
Wednesday April 19th
10.00 – 11.00: Registration, coffee and mingling
11.00 – 11.15: Welcome to High North Dialogue 2023
- Hanne Solheim Hansen, Rector, Nord University
- Frode Mellemvik, Director and Professor, High North Center for Business and Governance, Nord University Business School
11.15 – 13.00: Spaces of Opportunities in Politics
Keynote Speaker: Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister in Norway
The political conditions in the High North have changed. Security policy concerns are on the agenda and cooperation with Russia is not possible in a number of areas. At the same time, Nordic cooperation has wind in its sails. Finnish and Swedish NATO membership changes the security landscape in the Nordic region. Norway takes over the chairship of the Arctic Council in May, followed by Denmark in 2025.
- What can the Arctic countries do to ensure that the goal of low tension in the High North stays relevant?
- How can Nordic cooperation provide some of the solutions to Arctic challenges in turbulent times?
Panel:
- Gro Holm, Journalist and correspondent in Moscow for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK)
- Jari Vilén, Chair of Barents Euro-Arctic Council, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finland
- Maja Kristine Jåma, Member of the Governing Council of the Sámi Parliament
- Ida Pinnerød, Chair of Arctic Mayors Forum and Mayor in Bodø
- Jackson Blackwell, Managing Director, Arctic Encounter; Senior Associate, Kallander & Associate
- Finnur Ricart Andrason, Icelandic UN Youth Delegate on Climate Change and Board member of the Icelandic Young Environmentalist Association
Moderators:
- Arne O Holm, Editor in Chief of High North News
- Andreas Østhagen, Senrio Researcher, High North Center at Nord University Business School and Fridtjof Nansen Institute
14.00 – 15.30: Spaces of Opportunities in Business
Keynote Speaker: Tara Sweeney, Principal and CEO of Tack 71 Strategies
Business activities in the Arctic are diversified when it comes to size and business sectors. A lot of the business activities are, however, connected to value creation from natural resources, and demanding big investments, well developed infrastructure, and handling of tensions and different interests to secure coexistence.
Business activities in the Arctic are often located in vulnerable nature characterized by harsh climate, demanding extra high attention to secure sustainability and reduce the risks of accidents and damage. The development of business in the Arctic may of some be regarded as a threat to the climate, and of others as one of the solutions for the climate crises.
- What are the most promising possibilities when it comes to business in the Arctic in the future?
- How do we secure the realization of this potential?
- What could hinder the realization of sustainable business activities in the Arctic?
Panel:
- Tara Sweeney, Principal and CEO of Tack 71 Strategies
- Mads Qvist Frederiksen, Director, Arctic Economic Council
- Knut Vidar Larssen, Vice president Operations, Barents sea, Equinor
- Guro Brandshaug, Director of Development, Varanger Kraft
- Jan Arve Haugan , COO , Freyr Battery Norway
- Theresa Baikie, Impact and Benefit Agreement Coordinator at Nunatsiavut Government
- Shaohui Zong, Student MSc Global Management, High North Center, Nord University
Moderator:
- Liv Monica Stubholt, Partner, Law Firm Selmer AS
15.30 – 16.00: 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
Thursday April 20th
08.00 – 09.00: Registration, coffee and mingling
09.00 – 10.00: Opportunities in Outer Space
Keynote: Marte Indregard, Chief Commercial Offiser in Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT)
Rapid advances in space technology are creating new opportunities for a wide array of interests in the High North. Different stakeholders including business, industry, governance, communications, environmental monitoring, defense, emergency response, and science – all stand to benefit from these advances. High-resolution, high-frequency satellite images, for example, improve domain awareness of Arctic shipping, search-and-rescue operations, and impacts of climate change.
- What are some exciting new, emerging opportunities for space technology in the High North?
- How can Arctic stakeholders access and harness the benefits of space technology?
- What are some misconceptions, downsides, or risks of our growing reliance on space technology?
Panel:
- Marte Indregard, Chief Commercial Offiser in Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT)
- Michael Byers, Professor and Canada Research Chair in Global Politics and International Law
- Simon Flack, Space Industry Coordinator, Innovation Norway
- Regina Kozyra, Business Manager in the EMEA Government Team at Planet
- Jøran Grande, Project Manager, Andøya Space Education
Moderator:
- Laurence Smith, Professor, Brown University
10.00 – 10.30: Break
10.30 – 11.30: Opportunities in Ocean Space
Keynote: Kristian Teleki, Global Director, Ocean Program World Resource Institute
Human needs for food, energy, transportation, recreation, and other services from the ocean are increasing rapidly. As a result, the ocean economy is growing at an unprecedented rate. Existing ocean industries are expanding, and with innovation and technology – new ones are appearing.
Today, sectoral interests and conflicts between short term economic gains or immediate needs – versus long term prosperity and a healthy ocean are increasingly apparent, creating dilemmas for governance. This situation is further complicated by compounding pressures such as climate change, pollution, and widespread loss of biodiversity. In light of this, opportunities for and challenges to achieving sustainable development of our ocean and seas have reached the top of the international agenda.
- How can the Ocean be part of the solution of today’s many challenges?
- How do we achieve a sustainable Ocean economy that leaves no one behind?
Panel:
- Vidar Ulriksen, State secretary, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries
- Kristian Teleki, Global Director, Ocean Program World Resource Institute
- Bente Pretlove, Program Director DNV and Member Decade Advisory Board. UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
- Asgeir Sørensen, Professor & Director AMOS at NTNU
- Lotte Lindbjør, Regional Manager Northern Norway, UN Global Compact Norway
Moderator:
- Jan-Gunnar Winther, CEO, Norwegian Centre for the Ocean and the Arctic
11.30 – 12.00 Break
12.00 – 13.00 Spaces of Opportunities in Education
In the Arctic we are experiencing that many young people are moving out of the region for studies and work. We do not experience that many young people from outsides move to the universities and education institutions in the Arctic.
Business in the Arctic needs people, not at least well-qualified and well-educated young people. In this panel we will discuss the roles of universities and education institutions when it comes to secure relevant education and competence for businesses and societies in the Arctic, as well as to make the Arctic an attractive region for education and students.
- Are there any specific spaces of opportunities for universities in the Arctic compared with universities anywhere, eventually what are these spaces?
- What could universities do to have more students from outside the region? Should universities in the Arctic have more cooperation with universities outside the Arctic region?
- Are there anything in the Arctic that could make universities in the Arctic be more entrepreneurial and internationally than an average university globally?
Panel:
- Hanne Solheim Hansen, Rector, Nord University
- Dag Rune Olsen, Rector, UiT The Arctic University of Norway
- Kirsi Latola , UArctic
- Diane Hirshberg, Director & Professor, Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage & Vice-President Academic, UArctic
- Dr. Wang Le, Assistant Director, Centre for European Studies, School of Advanced International and Area Studies, East China Normal University
- Sakib Jawhar, Student MSc Global Management, High North Center, Nord University
Moderator:
- Gry Agnete Alsos, Dean, Nord University Business School
13.00 – 14.00: Lunch
14.00 – 14.30: 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, Nord University Business School and High North Center for Business and Governance
Award ceremony:
- Marius Fagerli , Innovation Norway Nordland
14.30 – 15.15: Ambassadors panel
It has become a tradition that the Arctic Ambassadors to Norway are invited to High North Dialogue for a joint conversation. This year, one important topic is the future of the Arctic Council and Arctic security policy is also on the agenda when the ambassadors meet.
Another topic is whether a strong commitment to green industry in the coming decades will be successful. How do we prioritise the use of green energy in the Arctic? And should we prioritise this? Is it first come, first served to use the energy? How does the US Inflation Reduction Act influence the business opportunities in the High North and the Arctic, and how should EU and the other Arctic States act towards this policy?
Panel:
- Eivind Vad Petersson, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway
- Deidre Kent, Canadian Ambassador to Norway
- Högni Kristjánsson, Icelandic Ambassador to Norway
- Teemu Tanner, Finish Ambassador to Norway
- Nicolas de La Grandville, EU Ambassador to Norway
- Marc Nathanson, US Ambassador to Norway
Moderator:
- Arne O Holm, Editor in Chief of High North News
15.15 – 15.45: 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.
Presenter: Anu Fredrikson, Executive Director, Arctic Frontiers
15.45 – 16.00: End of High North Dialogue 2023
16.00 – 16:30: Coffee and mingling
