The Læra Institute holds regular workshops to support UArctic member faculty teaching Circumpolar Studies. These workshops focus on teaching about the Circumpolar world, rather than on researching it. Our workshops give UArctic member faculty the opportunity to share pedagogical best practice — educational innovation, teaching materials and techniques, and experience of different teaching styles and contexts, from traditional teaching in the classroom to alternative methods of experiential or on-the-land teaching. Our workshops also give faculty the chance to consider Circumpolar Studies in the round — its subject matter, methods and meaning.
Future workshops are annouced here, and in our news. Past Læra Institute faculty workshops have included (follow links for wrap-up notes):
Laera Institute Curriculum Conversations on Circumpolar Studies
The Laera Institute for Circumpolar Studies hosted a series of online workshops in January and February 2026 aimed at reviewing and strengthening UArctic’s online core curriculum in Circumpolar Studies. These Curriculum Conversations provided UArctic members with a collaborative space to assess existing courses, identify gaps, and contribute to the future development of circumpolar education across the network.
The workshop series focused on the three core areas of the Circumpolar Studies curriculum, including Lands and Environments, People and Cultures, and Contemporary Issues of the Circumpolar North. Each session was designed to review the two courses within each core area, with participants invited to discuss areas of challenge, gaps in content, and opportunities for improvement. By engaging educators, researchers, and partners in these discussions, the workshops supported a shared approach to curriculum development that reflected evolving priorities across the Circumpolar North.
A final workshop brought participants together to synthesize feedback from the earlier sessions and map out recommendations for new themes and approaches. The insights gathered throughout the series contributed to a report that served as a roadmap for the redevelopment of the Circumpolar Studies core curriculum, ensuring that future course offerings would remain relevant, responsive, and aligned with the needs of Northern learners and communities.
These workshops presented an important opportunity to directly shape the direction of circumpolar education by sharing institutional and community perspectives. Strengthening curriculum through collective review helped ensure that course materials better reflected regional realities, supported meaningful learning outcomes, and ultimately contributed to stronger connections between education, research, and community priorities across the Arctic.
Workshop 1: Lands and Environments of the Circumpolar World Curriculum Discussion
This online workshop assessed two courses that comprised the Lands and Environments core curriculum. The focus was on identifying key areas of challenge and gaps in curricular materials.
Date and time: January 14, 2026, at 12:30 pm Eastern Time
Link:
https://trentu.zoom.us/j/99099952426?pwd=udb24jL47YaCvsYN0OezZmekF00Wbh.1
Workshop 2: People and Cultures of the Circumpolar World Curriculum Discussion
This workshop assessed the two courses that comprised the People and Cultures core curriculum. The focus was on identifying key areas of challenge and gaps in curricular materials.
Date and time: January 28, 2026, at 12:30 pm Eastern Time
Link:
https://trentu.zoom.us/j/99099952426?pwd=udb24jL47YaCvsYN0OezZmekF00Wbh.1
Workshop 3: Contemporary Issues of the Circumpolar North Curriculum Discussion
This workshop assessed two courses that comprised the Contemporary Issues core curriculum. The focus was on identifying key areas of challenge and gaps in curricular materials.
Date and time: February 11, 2026, at 12:30 pm Eastern Time
Link:
https://trentu.zoom.us/j/99099952426?pwd=udb24jL47YaCvsYN0OezZmekF00Wbh.1
Workshop 4: Mapping Out the New Curriculum
This workshop worked to define and make recommendations concerning new themes and approaches to curriculum. The focus was on synthesizing the results of the workshop consultations and identifying key areas of challenge and gaps in curricular materials.
Date and time: February 25, 2026, at 12:30 pm Eastern Time
Link:
https://trentu.zoom.us/j/99099952426?pwd=udb24jL47YaCvsYN0OezZmekF00Wbh.1
All discussions contributed to a report that served as a roadmap for core Circumpolar Studies curriculum redevelopment. The report was posted to the Laera Institute for Circumpolar Studies website.
Previous workshops have included:
- 12 March 2021 — Circumpolar Studies is... (online)
- 23 May 2023 — Circumpolar Studies curriculum development (UArctic Assembly, Laval University, Québéc, Canada)
- 29 May 2024 — Exemplar courses and next steps (Arctic Congress 2024, Bodø, Norway)
