University of Turku, Municipality of Utsjoki, and Sámi Parliament deepen collaboration
The mutual goal of the University of Turku, the Municipality of Utsjoki, and the Sámi Parliament is to examine the central themes related to the biodiversity and changes occurring in the Arctic region. A concrete example of the collaboration is the educational cooperation currently being prepared between the University of Turku and Utsjoki upper secondary school.
Acting President of the Sámi Parliament Tuomas Aslak Juuso, Rector of the University of Turku Marjo Kaartinen and Municipal Manager of Utsjoki Päivi Kontio signed the cooperation agreement in Pori on Tuesday, 24 June 2025. Photo: University of Turku.
Rector of the University of Turku Marjo Kaartinen, Municipal Manager of Utsjoki Päivi Kontio, and Acting President of the Sámi Parliament Tuomas Aslak Juuso signed the cooperation agreement in Pori on Tuesday, 24 June 2025.
The agreement sets out the mutual commitment of each party to long-term cooperation and development of the partnership through research, education, and projects focused on development and societal impact.
In terms of education, the goal is to create diverse institutional cooperation between Utsjoki upper secondary school and the University of Turku. This new type of cross-institutional educational cooperation aims, among other things, to increase the attractiveness of higher education.
Central research themes will be defined in collaboration and research funding will be sought jointly.
The collaboration, and especially the institutional educational cooperation in the initial phase, is built around the changes and biodiversity of the Arctic region. Human activities, customs and traditions, livelihoods, language, and culture are interlinked with changes in the environment, climate and biodiversity, as well as with challenges posed by changing geopolitics.
The aim is to comprehensively examine the interaction between the changing natural environment, culture and society, and industrial and commercial activity, as well as the role of the Arctic region in global development.
“As is characteristic for the University of Turku, the topic is approached from a multidisciplinary perspective, including natural sciences, culture, and even geopolitics. The University of Turku has a long tradition of longitudinal research into change in the Arctic region, and the Kevo Subarctic Research Institute has a key role in this,” says Rector Marjo Kaartinen.
“In Utsjoki, we consider it extremely important to be able to offer our students new opportunities to deepen their upper secondary school studies. I believe that this type of multidisciplinary collaboration fosters confidence in the future also from the perspective of the municipality and, at its best, enables research and science to be brought within the reach of local residents and other stakeholders, increasing people’s awareness of the changing environment,” says Municipal Manager Päivi Kontio.
“It would be great if we had an interdisciplinary, Arctic centre of indigenous expertise in the future, where we could work together to promote research that serves the Sámi community and its needs. In addition to the themes of climate change, we could support Sámi businesses by producing knowledge that takes into account the diverse needs of Sámi livelihood practices and develop innovations that strengthen vitality and resilience,” says Acting President of the Sámi Parliament Tuomas Aslak Juuso.
For more information, please contact:
Rector Marjo Kaartinen, University of Turku, tel. +358 40 523 4722
Municipal Manager Päivi Kontio, Municipality of Utsjoki, tel. +358 40 744 7630
Acting President Tuomas Aslak Juuso, Sámi Parliament, tel. +358 40 687 3394
