The idea of the TN is to unite the efforts of the academic personnel from universities and research institutions as well as representatives from public sector institutions and businesses in the High North who share an interest in the concept of smart societies. To promote the TN outside the Arctic region, the project intends to include an international group of researchers in the field of Smart governance, technology, management, innovations and public administration to contribute to the development of the TN.
In the long run, the TN is to develop, promote and disseminate knowledge in potentially thematic areas that are relevant to Smart Cities and Societies in the High North, e.g. Human and Investment Attractiveness, Clusters of Innovations, Participatory Governance, Financial, Social and Environmental Sustainability, Performance Management, Energy and IT Technologies, Risk Management, Digital Literacy and/or the Role of Indigenous peoples.
That the thematic network is not only formally established but also receives circumpolar attention from both academics and practitioners. Because the Thematic Network will aim to develop, promote and disseminate knowledge related to Smart Societies in the High North.
Because the Thematic Network will aim to develop, promote and disseminate knowledge related to Smart Societies in the High North, we will establish a foundation for TN activities by
- Learning from existing experience by talking to academics and practitioners who are involved in such projects internationally and in the circumpolar area, establish a dialogue arena.
- Evaluating of the demand for new educational programs, courses and/or short workshops (by making surveys and roundtable discussion/focus group interviews with practitioners/users in each country).
- Analyzing the potential sources of funding for joint research, education and development projects both internationally and in each partner country related to Smart Societies in the High North.
- Work with a TN strategy statement highlighting what should be the focus areas/priorities of the TN on a short and long term – both in terms of development, research and educational programs. We will also
- Promote academic interest to the topic of Smart Cities and Smart Societies in the High North by open seminars and webinars in order to recruit a wide number of relevant institutional participants.
- Exploring opportunities to establish specific stakeholder dialogue arenas e.g. in relation to the High North Dialogue annual conference in Bodø.
UArctic partners with Scite to provide bibliometric dashboards for our Thematic Networks.
More information and past activities can be found here.
Nadezda Nazarova, Vice-Lead of the UArctic Thematic Network on Smart Societies in the High North (SmartNorth)
