Who, where, when?
In mid-August 2025, 16 PhD students from the Nordics met in Oslo to explore the connection between critical infrastructure and climate change. They came from a range of backgrounds such as philosophy, engineering, political science, and natural sciences.
The students listened to lectures from both academic researchers and those working on the ground with critical infrastructure in the Arctic. In groups, they developed and presented their own policy briefs on select types of infrasctruture and hazards to develop solutions and plan for resilience. In addition, the students enjoyed some VR, a movie night in collaboration with NGF – the Norwegian Geophysical Society, and some fruit picking, curtesy of Mother Nature.
2024 Program
In the summer of 2024, 12 PhD students from the Nordics met in Oslo to explore the connection between critical infrastructure and climate change through the lenses of risk management, law, and governance.
In groups with professors from across the region, the students developed policy briefs in the week they spent together. After the summer school, the teams worked to develop research posters which were presented at the Arctic Frontiers 2025: Beyond Borders conference in January 2025.
What to Expect
The PhD summer school focuses on developing scenario analyses, risk and resilience management strategies and climate change adaptation regarding extreme climate change-related hazards and their impacts on critical infrastructure. No prior knowledge on these specific topics is required though some familiarity is beneficial. The summer school is conducted in English.
The summer school will focus on a mix of theory and case studies for the first days and then involve interactive group work with the development and presentation of a policy brief as the culmination of the program.
Lectures will span an array of topics from climate hazards and risks to preparedness to legal and rights perspectives to emergency preparedness and security in the Nordics. Through hands-on approaches, participants will learn to work with scenario analyses, policy briefs, and with interdisciplinary collaboration. Participants will learn from experts in academia and policymaking.
🗓️ The summer school will run from August 11th to 15th, 2025.
- The program begins at 10:00 on a Monday therefore it is recommended to arrive on the Sunday.
- The program ends at noon on a Friday; departures should thus be planned in the afternoon.
📍 The summer school is held in Oslo at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute.
It is open to PhD students or candidates in Norway, Sweden and Finland in all disciplines.
The summer school is free of charge. Costs of travel to and from Oslo, and accommodation costs will be reimbursed.
ECTS credits will not be awarded.
