Svalbard Research Office
The purpose of the SFK is to exercise clear Norwegian research leadership by following up and implementing a strategy for research and higher education in Svalbard. The office will provide guidance and advice for anyone who wants to conduct research in Svalbard and will facilitate high-quality research, coordinate research to reduce the overall burden on nature and have an overview of research activity.
Start planning your stay in Svalbard well in advance of your arrival and make sure to have all the necessary permits in place before you arrive in Svalbard. All projects must be registered in the Research in Svalbard (RIS) database.
Research in Svalbard requires extensive planning. Challenges to fieldwork include strict environmental regulations, polar bears, crevasses, extreme weather, and poor communications coverage.
Arctic fieldwork presents a different set of challenges than fieldwork in many other places. While some research activities in Svalbard do not require prior consent, other research activities may be subject to the approval of several government bodies.
Field research takes place across the entire Svalbard archipelago. Researchers from many different countries are registered with active projects in the Research in Svalbard (RiS) Database. Most of the research projects originate from one of the four permanently staffed research communities in Svalbard.
The office is run by
