Document

Exploring Nature and SocietyCooperation in Higher Education and Research between Norway and Russia 2002-2006

2 • EXPLORING NATURE AND SOCIETY

03 Everything Revolves around Knowledge

07 The Programme

Presentation of projects

Editor-in-chief: Hanne Alver KrumEditorial staff: Birgit Jacobsen, Bente Gundersen, Arne Haugen, Ragnhild Solvi Berg

08 From Telemark to Novgorod – The Norman Programmes

10 Psychiatric Health Care in Northwest Russia and Northern Norway – The Barents Project in Psychiatry–

12 Life at the Edge – Benthic Fauna at the Barents Sea Ice Edge in a Changing Climate (BASICC)

14 Reconstructing the Ice-Age History of the Russian Arctic

16 Sustainable Exploitation of Hydrocarbons in the Barents Sea

18 Market Regimes in the Resource Management of Northwest Russia

19 Sampling Russian Arctic Rivers – The MAREAS Project

20 A Bridge to Business - Research and Education in a Northwestern University Alliance (BRUA)

22 The Legal Challenges of Russia’s New Economy

24 Collaborating in Social Work – The Pomor III Project

26 Analysing the Structure of Pollutants

27 Project overview

Contents

Cover photo: Arkhangelsk region, Kenozero National Park photo by: Mikhail KudryavtsevLayout: Konvoi asPrinted by: Bryne OffsetCirculation: 500ISBN 978-82-997480-3-2

Published by the Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Higher Education (SIU) and The Research Council of Norway, March 2007

Connie Stultz - translation (pages 3-6)Søren Munch - text revision of project presentations

The project coordinators have contributed with texts describing their projects

EXPLORING NATURE AND SOCIETY • 3

Everything Revolves around Knowledge

“Research and education is the focal point of the collaboration between Norway and Russia. All other coo-perative efforts revolve around it,” says Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre.

Støre is the architect behind the Nor-wegian Government’s High North stra-tegy, one of the centre-left government’s fi rst and most important focus areas. The Norwegian Government has identifi ed

Norway’s relationship with Russia as one of its most important policy areas, and ambitions are high. “Our vision must be to establish a relationship between Norway and Russia like the one we have with Sweden and Denmark. I am aware, of course, of the cultural differences, but we must have a vision,” said Støre to this author one year ago. To say that Støre had his feet fi rmly planted on the ground would not be quite accurate since the conversation took place 10 000 feet over the Baltic Sea. But the cabin pres-

sure was normal, and nothing otherwise indicated that the then relatively new Minister of Foreign Affairs had lost his senses.

History and opportunitiesStøre was enthusiastic following his marathon visit to Russia which had taken him to Murmansk, St. Petersburg and Moscow. And in our conversation on the way home to Oslo, he emphasised the opportunities – Russia as the land of opportunity. Støre is not the fi rst to do

BY MORTEN STRAND

Foreign ministers Jonas Gahr Støre and Sergey Lavrov in good mood in the Russian Government's guesthouse in Moscow, February 2006. Photo © Sergey Gratchev.


so. As long as Norway and Russia have existed, the two countries have had con-tact with each other. In the beginning the contact also took place at the highest levels. A thousand years ago pretenders to the throne came from Norway to Rus-sia as political refugees, child slaves and fortune seekers. They returned home as men richer in terms of wealth, experi-ence and in at least one case – we are told – love.

When Harald Hardrada, the future king of Norway, left Kiev and headed back to his homeland, he brought with him the Russian princess Elisaveta and a cargo of gold and other valuables. In about 1046 he returned to Norway after over 20 years of service to his father-in-law, Yaroslav the Wise, and the ruling sovereigns of the Byzantine Empire. And if we believe the sagas, his ships were loaded with so much gold and other valuables that the water reached up to the gunwales.

Today there is another, but equally rich, cargo afl oat, so to speak. The Nor-wegian Cooperation Programme with Russia (2002-2006) has facilitated and funded a broad professional collabora-tion between Norwegian and Russian actors. Dynamic research communities have found each other. Exciting research fi ndings have been made. New educa-tional programmes and opportunities for young people have been established. But perhaps most importantly, the col-laboration has promoted changes on a human scale, changes in thoughts and perceptions.

Changing timesA thousand years later, economics, experience or knowledge, and interper-sonal relationships still lie at the core of cooperation between Norway and Russia. But another element is becom-ing more prominent. We live in a time of change. This is clearly manifested in the collaboration on research and education between Norway and Russia. The research fi ndings show that change

is impacting society and nature, the economy and the environment. And with change comes the need for knowledge. In 2006 the Russian economy grew by 6.7 percent. This growth has made Rus-sia a stronger player on the world stage. Russia is about to become a European catalyst for economic growth.

And even though the political system is becoming more centralised and the media are subject to greater control by the cen-tral authorities, the courts and judicial system as a whole are developing their new role as the third branch of govern-ment. The system functions better and is less corrupt that it was just fi ve or ten years ago. This has been documented in research conducted by Dr. Louis Skyner of the University of Oslo, Centre for Euro-pean Law, in cooperation with the Rus-sian Centre for Environmental Research, Institute for Law and Public Policy in Moscow.

Changes have also been documented in a research project conducted by AKVA-PLAN-Niva.

“We are studying the impact of the ice sheet on the biological diversity of the ocean fl oor. There is a very short food chain in this area in which the food drops straight down to the seabed and is taken up in the food chain. We have found that areas which are periodically covered with ice have a rich diversity of plant and animal life on the ocean fl oor with high biological activity,” explains Sabine Cochrane of AKVAPLAN-Niva in Tromsø. The project has mapped 47 stations in a 400,000 km2 area that is affected by both Atlantic and Arctic water masses. “When the ice sheet retreats, we would expect

to see consequences for the biological diversity of the ocean fl oor, as well as for the food chain in general,” explains Cochrane. In other words, we are talking about changes – some very fast, others a bit too slow.

We reap what we sowNorway spent a total of over NOK 30 mil-lion on projects related to higher educa-tion and research under the Cooperation Pro gramme. “I view our cooperative ef forts in research and higher education as sowing seeds for the future. We reap what we sow. At any one time we have 700 to 800 Russian students in Norway. You fi nd former Russian students who have studied in Norway in key positions in Nor wegian companies, or you run into them as interpreters, important contact persons on the Russian side, and employ-ees of the Norwegian embassy in Mos-cow or the consulates in St. Petersburg or Mur mansk. And students currently studying in Norway will assume similar positions in the near future,” says Støre. He strongly believes in direct contact between people. And he feels certain that we get back more than we give. The 19th-century poet Fyodor Tyutchev contended that Russia was a different kind of place. Louis Skyner of the Centre for European Law can show that this holds true for the judicial system in Russia.

Lack of legitimacyThe starting point after the collapse of the Soviet Union could not have been more diffi cult. The concept of private property virtually did not exist. The average per-son had practically no contact with the judicial system. “The law was something that came and took you if you were a

(...) the collaboration has promoted changes on a human scale, changes in thoughts and perceptions.

”

I view our cooperative ef-forts in research and higher education as sowing seeds for the future. We reap what we sow.

”


criminal or challenged the authorities. It had almost no legitimacy,” says Louis Skyner. He explains that the law plays a more important role today than it did ten years ago. But we are far from a sys-tem in which the courts are viewed as a legitimate instrument of confl ict resolu-tion for most people. “Big business, the government and informal networks play an important role in the administration of justice in Russia. And in prestigious cases it is diffi cult for a court not to fol-low political instructions, such as in the Khodor kovsky case,” says Skyner. He believes that one of the problems is that legis lation is still declamatory and full of contradictions. But Skyner also points out, “It is wrong to say that the law is only a tool of the power elite. But there are many loopholes in the legislation, and institutions and people with power are of course more adept at exploiting these loopholes.” He also notes that there is a substantial difference in the way justice is administered in the large cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg compared to small towns, where it is much easier to “buy” a court decision. It is true that corruption continues to be widespread, Skyner adds.

Modern day raid on Novgorod Telemark University College has made a modern day raid on Novgorod and estab-lished a collaboration agreement with Novgorod State University. Novgorod is the city where the saga kings such as Olaf Tryggvason, Olaf the Holy, and Harald Hardrada left their mark. It is also the city in Russia that has an age-old tradition of a kind of representative people’s council. However, Telemark Uni-versity College’s Norman Programme in Novgorod looks forward, not backward, in time, and the abbreviation stands for “North Management Programme”. “The

Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre meeting students

and teachers at the Moscow State University, MGU, in February 2006.

Photo © Sergey Grachev


Norman Programme is a huge success and the most important academic boost our university has received from the outside,” says Alla Zavodina. She is a professor of applied economics and has participated in the Norman Programme since 2000. Zavodina explains that there are both German and Swedish programmes at the university, and that both of these have gained important experience from the Norman Programme, which has become a blueprint of sorts for the university’s cooperative programmes. Hans Martin Rugstad heads the Department of Eco-nomics and Computer Science at Tele-mark University College in Bø, Norway.

He has participated in the collaboration with Novgorod State University since its inception in 1992. The study programme in economics and business administra-tion, which Telemark University College has developed with Novgorod State Uni-versity, now offers a complete bachelor degree. Rugstad says that 20 to 30 stu-dents from Novgorod have studied in Norway, and one of them has completed a doctoral degree and now works at a Norwegian University College in Agder, in Norway.

Good opportunities“On the whole the Russians who have participated in our programmes have been outstanding students. They are highly motivated and attractive to employers after they complete their

studies. The language of instruction is now English, and many students have gotten jobs in export-import companies,” says Rugstad. He also explains that the candidates from the study programmes are important for the development of local trade and industry. “The Norman Programme is the best educational pro-gramme in Novgorod,” says Zavodina. And again, the collaboration is not only academic in nature, but social as well. While Zavodina has been paddling on the Telemark Canal, Rugstad has experi-enced the natural beauty in and around Novgorod. Once again - business, learn-ing and interpersonal relationships.

The Cooperation Programme has resulted in joint knowledge development in fi elds of great importance for both Russia and Norway. Perhaps even more importantly, the cooperation projects have strength-ened the relations between two neigh-bouring countries sharing many of the same challenges and opportunities in the North of Europe.

The Norman Programme is a huge success and the most important academic boost our university has received from the outside, says Alla Zavodina.

”

Exploring the Arctic sea. Photo © Chris Emblow/Sabine Cochrane

NORMAN-graduates visiting Hydro company. Photo © NORMAN project


The Programme

BackgroundThe Norwegian Cooperation Programme in higher education and research with Russia 2002-2006 was established in February of 2002. The programme was based on an agreement between the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Norwegian Research Council and the Norwegian Council for Higher Educa-tion. It succeeded a similar cooperation programme, established in 1997, between Norway and Northwest Russia, the Baltic States and Poland.

Objectives and aims of the programmeThe main purpose of the programme has been to contribute to democratic and economic development in Russia. The programme has been accomplished through direct cooperation between research insti-tutes, universities and colleges in Norway and Russia. Geographically, the programme focused on Northwest Russia, but there is also one institution from Moscow in the list of participators.

In the selections of projects, the following subject fi elds were prioritised:• Environmental protection, environmental and

marine technology• Medicine and health• Social science, including economics• Legal science and democracy-building measures• Humanities and language

In order to secure the academic quality and relevance of the projects, a programme board representing higher education and research institutions in Norway was given the responsibility for selecting projects. Twelve projects were selected among approximately 50 applications in 2002.

The research projects have to a large degree examined subjects related to natural resources and environ-ment, but health and legal issues are also present. In the fi eld of education, economy and business admin-istration has been at the heart of the cooperation. The fact that Russia signed the Bologna process in Sep-tember 2003 had great implications for the potential of international cooperation. In connection to this, the Cooperation Programme arranged a seminar in St. Petersburg on “International business administra-tion education and the Bologna process”. In addition, the Cooperation Programme has funded a separate scholarship programme for the mobility of research-ers and students between Russia and Norway.

In the years from 2002-2006, the Programme Board has allocated approximately NOK 40 000 000 for project cooperation and mobility.

The Norwegian Cooperation Programme with Russia 2002–2006 supported twelve long-term collaboration projects in higher education and research between universities, university colleges and research institutes in Russia and Norway.


Shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, in 1992, Telemark University College initiated an educational programme in the fi eld of business administration, in cooperation with Novgorod State University. Since then approximately 160 Russian students have graduated from the Norman Programmes. “To be a Norman” is the most well-known academic expression in the city of Veliky Novgorod.

From Telemark to NovgorodThe Norman Programmes

In the hall of fame: Project Coordinators Valery Zelenin and Frode Lieungh. Photo © NORMAN project


Mutual benefi tsThe fi rst Norman students were members of the acade-mic staff at Novgorod State University. The objectives were to create a modern department for business studies in Novgorod and to introduce professors to European lecturing techniques. This fi rst Norman programme, Norman I, was a success. Modern textbooks, computers, copy machines and communication equipment were purchased. With great enthusiasm the Russian profes-sors implemented new knowledge and tools in their education while the lecturers from Telemark achieved a better understanding of a society in transition.

Norman II (1996–99) was fi nanced by the Norwegian Cooperation Programme for Central and Eastern Europe and directed towards students at Novgorod State University. The programme was adapted to the Russian pedagogic situation. Russian and Norwe-gian lecturers supplemented each other. Businesses in the Novgorod region displayed great interest for Western-oriented managers and the candidates had no diffi culty fi nding jobs afterwards. The Norman Programme grew in popularity.

When the Norman III Programme (1999–2006) was announced, approximately 300 students applied. Only 30 were admitted. Norman III was designed as a separate programme at Novgorod State University, as the university had plans to create a School of Business and a Centre of Excellence in the areas of economics and business administration. Norwegian and Russian professors lectured in parallel. The best students from each year received scholarships from the Norwegian Quota Scheme to pass the MBA qualifi cations at dif-ferent Norwegian business programmes. Two of these students even achieved a PhD degree in Norway. The majority of the graduates received joint Novgorod and Telemark undergraduate diplomas and was employed by local companies in Novgorod.

Tailor-made programmesThe Norman IV Programme, the Euro-Norman (2002–2006), was based on the Bologna curriculum

principles and the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) standards. Since the Russian Federation had not yet signed the Bologna Declaration (2002), the 40 Novgorod students in the programme passed a Norwegian tailor-made ECTS programme and were granted Norwegian diplomas. All lecturing took place in Novgorod with both Russian professors and professors from Telemark University College. The popularity of the programme and its usefulness in relation to the Russian business environment resul-ted in most of the students having job offers even before graduation. Out of 40 students 36 passed the undergraduate examinations of the 160 ECTS, with excellent average marks.

One central objective of Norman IV was to integrate the ECTS-programme into the standard curriculum of Business Studies as found at Novgorod State University. This met with various obstacles. The university system was not yet ready to implement these principles.

All programmes used English as the teaching lan-guage and all textbooks and exams were in English. Both the Norwegians and the Russians benefi ted from this. The Norwegian professors had to adapt and prepare all their lecturing materials and manuals in English.

At the end of the programmes a study trip for the students was organized. Here the Russian students were introduced to some Norwegian businesses and had to present their bachelor diploma works.

The Norman programme was a huge success. The main reason is the enthusiasm and the seriousness of project coordinator Vice President Valery N. Zele-nin. As Head of the international offi ce at Novgorod State University, he dedicated most of his work to the Norman Programme. Sadly he died of a heart-attack just before the closing of the Norman IV Programme. The key to the success of the programmes lies in the establishment of good relationships, the mutual trust and cultural understanding between the project managers, and the dedication of the participating professors in making the project a sustainable coo-peration endeavour.

'To be a Norman' is the most well-known academic expression in the city of Veliky Novgorod.”

(…) the Russian professors imple-mented new knowledge and tools in their education while the lec-turers from Tele mark achieved a better under standing of a society in transition.

”

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE: Business AdministrationCOOPERATING INSTITU-TIONS: Novgorod State University, Telemark University CollegePROJECT COORDINATORS: Vice President Valery N. Zelenin, Assistant Pro-fessor Frode LieunghTOTAL PROGRAMME FUNDING: NOK 3 495 000


ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE: Psychiatry, psychologyCOOPERATING INSTITU-TIONS: The Department of Clinical Psychiatry, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tromsø, Northern State Medical University, ArkhangelskPROJECT COORDINATOR: Associate Professor Reidun OlstadTOTAL PROGRAMME FUNDING: NOK 3 745 000

Psychiatric Health Care in Northwest Russia and Northern NorwayThe Barents Project in Psychiatry

Over the past 10-15 years increased contact between Northwest Russia and Northern Norway has revealed interesting differences between the mental health care services of the two countries, in terms of organisation, pro-cedures used and treat ments given to people with mental disorders.

Furthermore, we had indications that the under-standing of diseases and the utilisation of the diag-nostic system were different, despite the fact that we offi cially use the same diagnostic system. Describing these differences in a systematic way, using interna-tionally validated instruments developed for cross-cultural research, would provide new knowledge on how cultural factors, different professional traditions and history infl uence the structure and function of the mental health care and social support systems. This new knowledge could be instrumental in the further development of the mental health care and social support systems in the two countries.

Different structure, different proceduresThe primary goal of the project was therefore to systematically compare the structure and function of the psychiatric health care system in Arkhan-gelsk County and the counties of Northern Norway. Furthermore, the project set out to describe differen-ces and similarities between the two countries with regard to the structure of the psychiatric health care system, the content of this psychiatric care (procedu-res and treatment programs), the diagnostic practise and the relationship between the mental health care system and the social insurance system. In terms of structure and capacity, primary health care is poorly developed in Arkhangelsk County; the mental health care system is still dominated by large hospitals, and the system is less decentralised and differentiated

than in Northern Norway. The total number of beds and acute beds per capita is comparable between the two regions, but there are more security beds per capita in Arkhangelsk County and more non-acute beds in Northern Norway. The number of psychia-trists per capita employed in the mental health care system is almost twice as high in Northern Norway as in Arkhangelsk County, and the number of psycholo-gists is almost ten times higher in Northern Norway than in Arkhangelsk County.

As for the content of the services – the general (soma-tic) health care assessment and treatment of patients is highly developed in Arkhangelsk County and the daily life activities of the hospitalised patients are taken over by the professionals to a higher degree compared to the situation in Northern Norway. In Northern Norway treatment coordination, psychop-harmacological treatment and rehabilitation activities are more developed than in Arkhangelsk County.

SchizophreniaThe study of diagnostic practises showed that, even if we offi cially use the same diagnostic system, there were several differences between the two regions in the application of this diagnostic system. The Russi-ans tended to use the diagnosis of schizophrenia more often than the Norwegians, while the Norwegians tended to put more emphasis on affective symptoms in the case stories. The diagnosis of schizophrenia was subject to gender differences in both countries. Men were more likely to be diagnosed with schizo-phrenia, given that the symptoms were identical in women. Furthermore, there are considerably more

The Russians tended to use the diagnosis of schizophrenia more often than the Norwegians”


patients with mild mental disorders who are granted disability pensions (DP) in Norway than in Russia. Temporary DP may be given to Russian patients after a disease history of one year, whereas in Norway a three-year period of rehabilitation and treatment is mandatory before a temporary DP is granted. In Russia the decision-making process is characterized by experts making collective decisions. In Norway, individual doctors and social insurance offi cers have much more independent positions. General practitio-ners play a prominent role in the Norwegian system. The level of the pension granted is much lower in Russia than in Norway.

Making results The project has resulted in three scientifi c articles published in an international peer review journal. A manuscript covering differences and similarities in the relationship between the mental health care system and the social insurance system has been submitted for publication. The project is supposed to result in a PhD in medicine for research fellow Grigory Rezvy during the spring of 2007.

In addition to the scientifi c articles, a total of fi ve project-related seminars and conferences were held on the Russian side, during which the results and implications of the project were discussed. Towards the end of the project two large conferences were held in the town of Kotlas and in Arkhangelsk city, in order to communicate the results of the project to clinicians on the Russian side. The results of the project have also been presented at ten conferences in Norway and at four international conferences. A research seminar with special focus on research ethics and qualitative research was held in August 2006. The project has given valuable contributions to the education of doctors and psychologists in Russia and to the further development of the mental health care system in Russia.

The number of psychiatrists per capita employed in the mental health care system is almost twice as high in Northern Norway as in Arkhangelsk County.

”

Monastry in morning mood. Photo © Randi Olstad


Life at the EdgeBenthic Fauna at the Barents Sea Ice Edge in a Changing Climate (BASICC)

Sea ice is a major factor infl uencing the ecology of the Barents Sea. However, most of the Barents Sea shelf area has very variable conditions in terms of both water movements and ice conditions.

Reduction in ice cover and thickness in the Arctic in response to climate change have already been taking place for several decades and are projected to con-tinue. How will changes in ice conditions affect the Arctic ecosystem in general and the Barents Sea in particular? Preliminary evidence suggested that the benthos, i.e. the communities of organisms living at the sea fl oor, have consistently greater biomass at the ice edge than in adjacent and otherwise similar areas in predominantly open water or the quasi-perma-nently ice covered areas. This collaborative project therefore set out to investigate how the benthic fauna in the Barents Sea is affected by the ice edge.

International research projectFor the past three years, we have been investigating the relationship between the abundance, richness and biomass of benthic organisms and sea ice cover. We further examine the possible cascade effects that may be expected in the future. The project, fi nanced through the programme and with additional sup-port from Hydro Norway, has involved scientists

from Norway (Akvaplan-niva, University of Tromsø and NIVA), Russia (Zoological Institute, Murmansk Marine Biological Institute) and USA (University of South Carolina, Bates College, Maine). Further, the project is integral to the MarBEF responsive mode project ArctEco (see www.marbef.org).

We sampled 47 stations, within an area of around 400 000 km2 covering areas infl uenced by both Atlantic and Arctic water masses, with various mixing zones in between. Further, there is a range of water depths and sediment types across the area, and a wide range of benthic organisms might therefore be expected. We recorded around 663 taxa (species or genera), represented by just under 60 000 individuals.

Benthic fauna – sampling resultsAll the main taxonomic groups generally were well represented at most stations. However, faunal abun-dance was highest levels in the area of intermittent ice cover (the middle zone of our station network),

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE: Ecology, zoogeography, zoological ecologyCOOPERATING INSTITU-TIONS: Norway: Akvaplan-niva, Polar Environmental Centre, University of Tromsø, Norwegian Polar Institute, Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA) Russia: Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Science, St. Petersburg, Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, Russia, USA: University of South Carolina, USA, Bates College, Maine.PROJECT COORDINATOR: Researcher Sabine Cochrane TOTAL PROGRAMME FUNDING: NOK 3 250 000

In this era where there is increasing interest in petroleum exploi tation in the Barents Sea (…) the implications of biological mixing are of prime concern.

”


with an average of more than 130 taxa per station represented by 1760 individuals (maximum around 180 and 2600, respectively). Faunal abundance was notably lowest in the predominantly ice-covered area (the northernmost stations), with an average of 90 taxa per station represented by less than 600 individuals. The total biomass varied greatly among stations, depending on the animals present, but values ranged from less than 10g per m2 in the pre-dominantly ice-covered area up to 780g in the area of intermittent ice cover.

There was a notable increase in the numbers of ani-mals that actively mix the sediments in the area of intermittent ice cover, in the middle part of our samp-ling network. This was supported by laboratory ana-lyses of sediment mixing using a 234Th tracer. Also organic carbon fl ux to the sediments (mg/cm2 yr), calculated by 210Pb was greatest in this area. There were no consistent trends in the feeding modes of the benthic fauna across the area at large, but some of the heavily ice-infl uenced stations did show a higher representation of taxa that move around relative to sessile organisms. In this era where there is increas-ing interest in petroleum exploitation in the Barents Sea, and concerns about long-distance transport of contaminants and threats to the food web, the impli-cations of biological mixing are of prime concern.

Conclusions – consequences for the benthic faunaIn conclusion, our study supports the hypothesis that the benthic fauna is affected by ice-cover. We show a rich benthic fauna, in terms of abundance and biomass, to occur in conditions of intermittent ice-cover. In heavily ice-infl uenced areas, the fauna was lower in abundance and generally also in bio-

mass. Biological mixing (bioturbation) and vertical transport of carbon within the sea fl oor sediments also are enhanced.

All scenarios of climatic change have cascade effects involving the ecosystem as a whole, including ulti-mately commercial fi sheries and other human inte-rests. Further warming will induce warm Atlantic water to penetrate farther north, causing retreat of the ice edge and thinning of ice cover. By extrapolation of the results of this project, we may infer that the area of expected ‘peak’ in faunal abundance, biomass and biological sediment mixing may be expected also to move farther north. Therefore, the area currently supporting the richest and/or most abundant benthic fauna may become less so, and of a more ‘regular’ Atlantic character.

Life on board and on the sea fl oor. Photos © Chris Emblow/ Sabine Cochrane

Discovering the benthic fauna within 400 000 km2. Photo © Chris Emblow/ Sabine Cochrane


The studies covered a vast area of the Russian Arc-tic, including the Pechora drainage basin, the north-ern Ural Mountains and the West Siberian Lowland. The studies involved geology, glaciology, geography, archaeology, biology and climate modelling. Some of the main fi ndings are outlined below.

New reconstructions of the Eurasian Ice SheetsA key fi nding was that, unlike the Scandinavian Ice Sheet and presumably most other glaciers in the world, the southern and eastern fl ank of the Barents-Kara Ice Sheet attained its maximum position during the early stages (90 and 60 000 years ago) of the last Ice Age. At that time the ice sheet expanded far onto the continent and formed major ice-dammed lakes in the lowland areas between the ice front and the water divide. Modelling experiments indicate that the exis-tence of such lakes represents a hitherto unrecogni-zed positive feedback mechanism, i.e. the ice sheet growth causes the formation of an ice-dammed lake, and, as a chain reaction, that lake causes the ice sheet to grow even more. A surprising discovery was that the Russian mainland east of the White Sea was not glaciated during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) at which time the Scandinavian Ice Sheet reached its

maximum size. Furthermore, our investigations sug-gest that the glaciers in the Polar Urals during the Last Glacial Maximum were only slightly larger than the present small glaciers.

Ice Age humans in the ArcticNearly 40 000 year-old traces of human settlement were discovered at Mamontovaya Kurya, a Pala-eolithic site in the European part of the Russian Arctic. Here we uncovered stone artifacts, animal bones and a mammoth tusk with human made marks from strata covered by thick Quaternary deposits. This is the oldest documented evidence of human presence at this high latitude and it opens up for new perspectives on the early colonization of the continent. The fi ndings imply that either the Neanderthals expanded much farther to the north than what was previously thought or that modern humans were present in the Arctic only a few thou-sand years after their fi rst appearance in Europe. The excavations at the site Byzovaya, which is located approximately 300 kilometres further to the south, revealed diagnostic artifacts showing that anatomical modern humans were present in this part of northern Russia not later than 32 000 years ago. The bones and artifacts of most investigated sites are covered by thick layers of wind-blown sand, possibly refl ecting a pronounced cooling that eventually resulted in the formation of the youngest generation of the Eurasian Ice Sheet.

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE: Geology, glaciology, geography, archaeolo-gy, biology and climate modellingCOOPERATING INSTI TU-TIONS: The University of Bergen/ Bjerknes Centre for Climate Re searchThe Institute of Remote Sensing Methods for Geology, St. PetersburgSt. Petersburg UniversityKomi Scientifi c Centre of the Russian Academy of Science, Syktyvkar National Geological Institute, St. PetersburgPROJECT COORDINATOR: Professor John Inge SvendsenPROJECT PROGRAMMEFUNDING: NOK 3 340 000

Reconstructing the Ice-Age History of the Russian Arctic

(…)modern humans were present in this part of northern Russia not later than 32 000 years ago.”

The project Paleo Environment and Climate History of the Russian Arctic (PECHORA I & II) has studied the Ice Age development in the Barents-Kara sea region and the earliest human settlement in northern Russia.

Exploring the Ice Age development brings new knowledge of the Neanderthals. Map showing the Last Glacial Maximum ice sheet and European Palaeolithic sites.


Further researchThis project has shown that the Russian territory offers unique possibilities to study the long term cli-mate evolution, the glaciation history and the early human colonization of northern Eurasia, including the Arctic. In contrast to Svalbard, Scandinavia and much of Northern Europe, where the youngest ice sheets erased most of the pre-existing records from earlier periods of the Quaternary, Northern Russia contains much more complete geological and archaeological archives that are essential for deciphering the history of the entire Barents/Kara Sea region as well as adjacent areas. As a con-tribution to the Inter-

This is the oldest documented evidence of human presence at this high latitude (…)”

national Polar Year 2007–2008, the research team that was established under the PECHORA project will continue to do collaborative work in the Rus-sian Arctic. A main target will be to core lake fl oor sediments in the Polar Urals, which according to our hypothesis may contain uninterrupted records of the climate evolution during the last Ice Age and perhaps even beyond.

Northern Eurasian ice sheet extent at 90 000 years ago with ice-dammed lakes and rerouting of drainage. The Quaternary glacia-tion limit is also shown.


The project joined the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim and the University Centre in Svalbard, UNIS and St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University in Russia.

Student exchangeIn the Arctic climate, there is particular concern about keeping a clean environment and ensuring the safety of people working there. It is important to reduce the risk of an incident by developing technology with a minimal probability of damage to personnel, the environment and assets. In this context it is equally important to increase the awareness of students, future Arctic engineers, scientists and engineering managers about the importance of protecting the fragile Arctic environment. These issues have been crucial in the student exchange programme with Russia. This exchange has turned out to be quite pro-ductive both for the educational institutions involved and for the industry in Norway and Russia. Several of the students involved have been hired by enginee-ring companies and international oil companies like Statoil and ExxonMobil.

PhD studies – Sea ice ridgesTwo Russian doctoral students have stayed at UNIS and carried out research on ice mechanics (small-scale

Sustainable Exploitation of Hydrocarbons in the Barents Sea

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE: Arctic technology and environmental tech-nologyCOOPERATING INSTI TU-TIONS: St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University, Russia; the University Centre in Svalbard, Norway and the Norwegian Uni-versity of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim.PROJECT COORDINATOR: Professor Sveinung LøsetTOTAL PROGRAMME FUNDING: NOK 2 780 000

Through education and research, the project “Arctic Marine and Environment Technology for Sustainable Exploitation of Hydrocarbons in the Barents Sea” has sought to develop technology that makes sustainable hydrocarbons exploitation in the Barents Sea possible.

Russian students on a fi eld course in the Van Mijenfjord, Spitsbergen. Photo © Sveinung Løset


mechanical properties of sea ice ridges): Pavel Liferov and Svetlana Shafrova. Shafrova has worked on ana-lyzing two sets of data on properties of fi rst-year sea ice ridges; the fi rst dataset contained measurements of spatial distribution of ice strength - and contact areas in fi rst-year ice ridges. The second dataset was from small-scale tests of the strength of freezebonds in-between ice blocks in the lower parts of the keel in ice ridges. In the fi rst paper, results about the con-tact area in-between the ice blocks in ice ridges and the spatial distribution of small-scale strength were reported and analyzed for the fi rst time. A ratio of the contact area divided by the block thickness was introduced and suggested to correlate with the bet-ter known block thickness to block length ratio. The spatial distribution of strength was compared with similar data from level ice. The strength of the freeze-bonds in-between the ice blocks in the lower parts of keels in ice ridges was found to be signifi cantly less than the strength of the ice blocks themselves, and a clear correlation between the strength and the ingo-ing parameters such as ice temperature and physical properties was shown. These results are useful when estimating the actions of ice on offshore and coastal structures. The Shtokman gasfi eld development high-lights the need for such data in the design of the vari-ous concepts that have been proposed for the site.

Research projectsA joint Norwegian-Russian research project about ice ridge pipeline interaction started the winter of 2001 and continued throughout the entire research project’s period. Unique experiments have been exe-cuted on ice ridge seabed interaction and develop numerical models to simulate this phenomenon. A second joint Norwegian-Russian research project deals with experimental and numerical aspects of level ice-structure interaction. Unique research has been conducted through a series of measurements where simultaneously the force, the towing speed and the internal ice stresses in an ice fl oe is mea-sured while it is being towed against a pillar. The results will be used to validate the numerical model of Shkhinek et al. (2001) and it has lead to a doc-toral thesis.

Numbered ice-blocks for testing. Photo © Knut Høyland

This exchange has turned out to be quite productive both for the edu-cational institutions involved and for the industry in Norway and Russia.

”


Market Regimes in the Resource Management of Northwest RussiaThis project investigated how market regimes have been implemented in the resource-based industries of Northwest Russia since 1990. Modern resource management involves selling the harvesting rights of natural resources through different markets in order to maxi-mise profi ts, or the “resource rent,” from these resources.

The project studied the implementation of market regimes in the management of forestry, cod fi shing in the Barents Sea and salmon fi shing in the rivers of the Kola Peninsula. All these resources are formally owned by the Russian state. Some of the questions addressed were: • How are prices on harvesting rights deter-

mined?• What are the social and territorial effects of

distributing the rights through markets?• How do these markets affect the sustainability

of the harvesting?• Are there any indications that private owner-

ship rights to the resources have become a reality?

Imperfect marketsThe most important fi nding of the project was that the market regimes of resource management do not work “by the book.” The private players who acquire the harvesting rights receive most of their income from outside these markets, i.e. they profi t from resources that are not sold through these markets regimes, and they are able to harvest more than merely what the rights they have bought entitle them to. Consequently, the prices of harvesting rights are much higher than they should be if one were to create an environmentally and economi-cally sound resource trade, the reason being that the institutions handling the distribution of these rights (i.e. the resource management) is not working well enough.

According to scientifi c communities in Russia and other countries, the new markets for harvesting rights in Russia have developed harvesting practises

that are not sustainable. Nevertheless, both the Rus-sian and the European resource protection systems have lacked enforcement capacity, in effect allo-wing illegitimate fi shing and forestry. In forestry, the role of local management units in protection, mediation, harvesting and production was proble-matic. Short-term and loosely based harvesting contracts encouraged quick profi ts rather than long term investments, e.g. in forestry infrastructure. In the salmon rivers, global enterprises were able to exploit a new market for recreational fi shing with high licence prices, while local fi shermen could not afford the market conditions and turned to illegal fi shing.

The way aheadUp until now, the state-driven market strategies and the overexploitation and short-term investments of private enterprises have not been sustainable. On the positive side, the profi ts of the state have increased, which has enabled the state to change from being a poor property owner to becoming a rich landlord in only a few years. Now it looks as though the new rich landlord is about to reduce the infl uence of the markets as the auctions of fi shing rights have been substituted by a fee set by the state. However, according to the new Forest Code, the regions will be taking over the leading role in the forestry management system. In the preparations of the new Forest Code, long-term private leasing con-tracts and privatisation were discussed. Time will tell if the state is willing to give more priority to its role as a protective institution than to its role as a property owner.

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE: Social sciencesCOOPERATING INSTI TU-TIONS: The Institute of Econom ic Problems (IEP), Kola Science Cen-tre, Russian Academy of Science, Apatity, Norut NIBR Finnmark, Alta.PROJECT COORDINATOR: Director Sveinung Eikeland, Norut NIBR FinnmarkTOTAL PROGRAMME FUNDING: NOK 3 000 000

(…) the prices of harvesting rights are much higher than they should be if one were to create an environ mentally and eco-nomic ally sound resource trade.

”


At a time when data are especially needed in order to understand the impacts of climate change, collection efforts in the Russian Arctic have been severely reduced.The Ob and Yenisey are among the largest rivers that fl ow into the Arctic, supplying huge quantities essen-tial nutrients, contaminants, dissolved organic matter and other reactive elements to the adjacent marginal seas. The project “Material fl uxes from the Russian Rivers Ob and Yenisey: Interactions with climate and effects on Arctic Seas (MAREAS)” sought to jointly investigate the spatial extent to which the Ob and Yeni-sey material discharges infl uence the adjacent coastal ecosystems and its impact on the Arctic Ocean.

Norwegian-Russian fi eld cruisesTwo Norwegian-Russian fi eld cruises were conducted in 2003 and 2005, during which stations were occu-pied along transects extending from the Ob and Yeni-sey rivers, through the estuaries and into the adjacent open sea. Variations of water transparency and algal biomass in offshore direction were also assessed from satellite ocean color images.

The studies reveal high levels of nutrients but low levels of chlorophyll in both estuaries. The high concentrations of dissolved organic matter yielded extremely low attenuation coeffi cients for both visi-ble and ultraviolet light. This leads to light limitation and very low productivity in the estuaries, but also provides an effi cient screening of potential harmful UV-radiation over vast areas of the Arctic Ocean. Through the present study we estimate that the direct supplies of dissolved organic matter to the ocean from these rivers is in the order of seven-nine million tons of organic carbon per year. This matches our MODIS satellite Earth observation data for the assessment of DOC concentration in the estuaries. The riverine fl ux affects not only the central but also peripheral regions of the Kara Sea, including the vicinity of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago and the northern and north-wes-tern neigh bour hood of the Yamal Peninsular. Dissol-ved organic matter accounts for more than 90 percent of the total organic carbon supply (particulate and dissolved) with the majority of the input occurring

during the time period of spring fl ooding (May-July).

The fate of dissolved organic matter governs the spec-tral properties and overall light attenuation in recipi-ent marine waters while the balances between nutri-ent availability and light attenuation in the estuaries govern the productivity in these systems. Further off shore major currents divert freshwater inputs east-wards and northwards along the Siberian coast and the Polar Sea, and the fl ux and fate of elements from the rivers are thus of vital importance for the ecosystem productivity not only in the Kara Sea, but also for large upstream areas in the Polar basin. The extent to which the nutrients and dissolved organic matter infl uence marine areas outside the estuaries, depends on nutrient uptake and production in the estuaries themselves as well as the bacterial utilisation, photo-oxidation and sedimentation of dissolved organic matter. Supplies of persistent organic pollutants to the Kara Sea from the Yenisey and Ob Rivers include organo-chlorine pestici-des, poly-aromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated biphenols. With the exception of DDT, concentrations of pesticides in these rivers remain relatively low com-pared to other circum-arctic rivers. The Ob and Yeni-sey Rivers are also sources of signifi cant amounts of poly-aromatic hydrocarbons, the result of ship traffi c and on-going petroleum exploration activities within their catchment areas.

Increased freshwater runoff During the past two decades, a large increase of fres-hwater runoff has been documented in major Siberian rivers. This could further increase the overall impact of riverine outputs to the Kara Sea and the Polar basin. Global temperature increases will also most likely cause decreased snow cover, decreased albedo, increased heat absorption and permafrost thawing. These changes are expected to cause increased oxida-tion of tundra peat-lands and soils, but also increased export of organic carbon to surrounding shelf seas.

Sampling Russian Arctic Rivers The MAREAS Project

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE: Interdisciplinary mat-hematics and natural sciences COOPERATING INSTI TU-TIONS: Akvaplan-niva, NERSC, NIVA, the University of Oslo, the Norwegian University of Science and Tech-nology in Trondheim, Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry (GEOKHI)PROJECT COORDINATOR: Professor Dag O. HessenTOTAL PROGRAMME FUNDING: NOK 6 000 000

The studies reveal high levels of nutrients but low levels of chlorophyll in both estuaries.”


A Bridge to BusinessResearch and Education in a North western University Alliance (BRUA)

The idea of the BRUA project (literally meaning “the bridge” in Norwegian) was to build a northwestern university alliance in business-related research and education between BUC and its Russian partner uni-versities: Arkhangelsk State Technical University (ASTU), Baltic State Technical University (BSTU) in St. Petersburg and Murmansk State Technical Uni-versity (MSTU).

Transition challengesThe transition of Russian society made Russian uni-versities more dependent on the market for educa-tional services. On the one hand, closer cooperation with enterprises and public sector organisations was needed to secure fi nancial inputs to the universities. There was also a growing demand for commercial retraining and competence improvement program-mes in the fi eld of business administration. On the other hand, Russia needed young teachers and rese-archers capable of carrying out internationally orien-ted research and teaching at business administration programmes. To address these challenges, the North-Western University Alliance was formed.

The PhD programmeIn 2002 an International PhD Programme in Business Studies was developed in cooperation with Russian universities, offering a doctoral education based on the principles of the Bologna Declaration. The PhD students are formally tied to a Russian home univer-sity while they follow the PhD programme in Bodø, meet supervisors and write their thesis. The research work is also supervised by an international commit-

tee. Ten Russian PhD students were admitted to the International PhD programme. Their studies cover a wide range of subjects, e.g. management related to the university and state sector, energy enterprises, envi-ronmental management issues and entrepreneurship and venture capital in Russian and international set-tings. Two students are expected to defend their PhD theses in 2007.

The MBA programme: combining Russian and international contextsA two-year Master of Business Administration pro-gramme was also developed in the Alliance to meet the need for increasing business administration com-petence from managers in Russian enterprises. Each year MBA students from Russian universities gather in Bodø to follow the course “Business Practice in Norway”. They learn about the Scandinavian per-spective on management as well as cross-cultural communication. The fi rst MBA students were enrolled in 2001. Since spring 2003 around 80 students have defended Master theses in English and received both Russian and international MBA diplomas. Following the records from the alumni club, the employment status of the graduates has improved after receiving

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE: Business AdministrationCOOPERATING INSTI TU-TIONS: Bodø Uni versity College, Arkhangelsk State Technical Uni-versity, Baltic State Technical University, St. Petersburg, and Mur-mansk State Technical University.PROJECT COORDINATORS: Associate Professor Anatoli BourmistrovProfessor Georgina Nev-zorovaTOTAL PROGRAMME FUNDING: NOK 5 681 000

For more than 15 years Bodø University College (BUC) has developed bilateral cooperation with the universities of Northwest Russia in the fi eld of business education and research as part of its internationalisation strategy.

In all the education programmes in which the BRUA universities are cooperating, more than 2000 students have graduated in the field of business administration.

”


MBA education. In all the education programmes in which the BRUA universities are cooperating, more than 2000 students have graduated in the fi eld of business administration.

Increasing mutual research in managementIncreasing research cooperation was an important part of the cooperation. Since 2001 a substantial amount of research has been produced: Master and PhD theses, articles in journals, books, peer reviews, working papers, conference papers and presenta-tions at seminars and workshops which describe and analyze business activities in Russia. The number of publications is more than 350. Many of these papers were published in a co-authorship between Norwegian and Russian professors. These publications develop knowledge of how Russian economy and markets are functioning, and how to operate international busi-ness activities in the Russian society.

Spin-off effects: extending the AllianceThe aim of the Alliance was also to extend the network by including other educational institutions, enterprises and public institutions inside as well as outside Russia. In 2003 BUC established the Center for International Business Studies (CIBS). Hence, Russian universities could increase their internationalisation activities, for instance by joining international mana-gement associations and participating in EU-related research projects.

Since 2003 the Alliance has also been focusing on energy management and development of energy

resources. The Alliance has therefore accepted a new member, the Moscow University of Foreign Affairs (MGIMO University). By involving MGIMO in the Alliance, it was possible to explore new possibilities in education programmes, particularly by creating a joint-degree Master of Science in Energy Manage-ment programme and the Russian-Norwegian MBA Programme “International business in the oil and gas industry” for management of the Russian oil enter-prise “Rosneft”.

The futureThe results of the fi ve-year cooperation and its future directions were presented and discussed at the inter-national conference "Higher Education and Research: Visions and Challenges in Perspectives of the High North," which was held in September 2006 in St. Petersburg. The conference resulted in the publica-tion of a book. The Norwegian Minister of Educa-tion and Research, Øystein Djupedal, attended. He emphasized that the cooperation established through the university Alliance has a long-term perspective, which is to gain experiences and develop the under-standing between the two countries. Therefore, the Alliance was active in setting up a representative committee which may infl uence the future develop-ment of national as well as international education and research in the fi eld of business administration in the Northwest region. Based on the experiences of BRUA, the High North Centre of Business Cooperation will be established in 2007 with focus on developing knowledge that is important for business cooperation in the High North.

Russian MBA students in Bodø, participating in the course “Business Practice in Norway”, August 2005. Photo © Svein-Arnt Eriksen.


In the project called “the Development and Conso-lidation of Market Enabling Legislation in the Con-text of Russian Judicial Reform” the overall focus has been to consider whether the modernisation of economic legislation, administrative procedure, and the reform of judicial procedure, are effectively securing the development of the rights proclaimed in the Constitution and Civil Code of the Russian Federation over a decade ago. As the project pro-gressed, and the characteristics of the ‘transition economy’ became apparent, our research focused on the contradiction between the aims and provi-sions of new legislation and the retention of existing patterns of administrative authority. Furthermore, it identifi ed the consequences of this contradiction, i.e. the absence of systematisation both in legisla-tion and the practice of state institutions charged with implementing it, and the failure to establish a consistent relationship between public authority and the subjects of civil law. The substance of law becomes the subject of continual change, the effec-tive application of the law by the judiciary plagued by both the instability of the law and the contradic-tions arising in its interpretation, and its consequent weakness in comparison with executive authority. Put simply, risk abounds but it is not allocated effectively in a way that would optimally benefi t all economic actors. New markets, new lawsIn the fi rst stage of the project attention was focu-sed on the attempt to ‘legislate’ the framework of a new market model, the study encompassing both the development of legal rights, mechanisms and regula-tory institutions, i.e. land legislation, anti-monopoly legislation, housing reform, and the development of small and medium sized enterprises. In the second

phase our research focused on the purpose of law in a transitional economy in terms of widening and con-solidating the process of reform, i.e. the establishment of transferable rights and a system of mortgage cre-dit, the move away from a system of administrative regulation to the civil law regulation of use rights, and the establishment of contractual relations in the sphere of labour law. In addition, the nature of the developing relationship between public authority and economic actors was analysed in the context of the development of procedural law and judicial practice, i.e. the notion of the bona fi de tax payer. Through-out the relevant developments in European law and judicial practice have been analysed to illustrate the similarities and differences in approach in resolving the challenges faced with the development of trans-national economies and fi nancial markets.

Overcoming “legal dualism”Our research has revealed how law is perceived and used both as a regulatory ‘administrative’ instru-ment and as a declaration of ‘democratic’ intent. The very nature of this contradictory relationship explains the actual course the de-monopolisation and de-regulation of ‘State’ property has in reality taken. Our conclusion has been that it also explains the phenomenon of ‘legal dualism.’ Two legal sys-tems co-exist, one of which is contained in the enacted positive law, and the other determined by the level of legal awareness of the public at large and their reserved attitude towards the institutions of private law.

This dualism was also identifi ed as explaining the actual use and performance of the courts in estab-lishing ‘State’ liability and providing compensation. A consistent judicial interpretation of the law has

The Legal Challenges of Russia’s New Economy

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE: Law, economicsCOOPERATING INSTI TU-TIONS: The Faculty of Law, University of Oslo, Russian Centre for En-vironmental Research, Institute for Law and Public Policy in MoscowPROJECT COORDINATOR: Researcher Louis SkynerTOTAL PROGRAMME FUN-DING: NOK 6 000 000

Cooperation between researchers, governments, civil servants and lawyers has contributed to the development of new legislation in Russia.


only partially evolved despite the implementation of procedural codes, primarily because of the failure to develop a system of administrative courts and cle-arly defi ne the disputes that they have jurisdiction to resolve. Although the government has declared its ambition of administrative reform, i.e. the eradica-tion of the duplication of functions and powers of executive agencies, and the separation of the func-tion of state supervision from that of the management of state property, our research has illustrated how in practice its ambitions have not been implemented. It concludes that only with the purposeful implementa-tion of such a reform will the cycle of transition be broken in which the reinforcement of administrative methods of regulation and the expansion of execu-tive power is perceived as the only resort to overcome this dualism, a tendency that more often than not serves to exacerbate rather than resolve the problem at hand.

Environmental protectionThe aim of the fi nal stage of the project has been to establish an exchange of information and analysis in an area of great common interest, the regulation of natural resource use and environmental protec-tion. The research has highlighted the similarities and differences between the two countries in their approach towards environmental management: the

incorporation, or failure to incorporate, key ‘prin-ciples’ from international conventions into national legislation, and; the development of various procedu-res and instruments to give effect to these principles in practice. The function of the environmental impact assessment was analysed in comparative perspective to illustrate the difference in approach between the two countries in terms of identifying and dealing effectively with risk. The results of our work were the subject-matter of a seminar staged in the Russian Parliament in Moscow in December 2006 where pre-sentations were given by the Norwegian Ministries of Environment and Petroleum and their Russian counterparts.

As is illustrated in the preceding paragraph the research produced in our project has been of both an academic and applied nature. Indeed, many of the project participants have been drawn not only from academic institutions but from the legal pro-fession in its various guises: representatives of the Russian and Norwegian judiciary; civil servants and members of the Russian government, and; practising lawyers from Russia, Norway, the UK, and Germany specialising in the areas of law examined. Their work within the project has subsequently been used in the development of new legislation in Russia, i.e. the legislative framework for mortgage fi nancing in 2004 and the legislative framework for concession agre-ements in 2005. In addition, it has been incorporated within larger bi-lateral projects between Norway and Russia, i.e. on the development of a common appro-ach to environmental management in the Barents Sea region, and multi-lateral technical assistance pro-jects, i.e. the EU TACIS project on the harmonisation of energy policies.

Although the government has de clared its ambition of ad-ministra tive re form (…) our research has illu strated how in practice its am bitions have not been imple mented.

”


The Pomor III Project (2003–2006) continued and developed cooperation on a wide range of educational topics and established professional networks in rese-arch and practical social work. It also strengthened cooperation with institutions and voluntary orga-nizations in Russia and people from Scandinavian countries through seminars, courses and conferen-ces. The project was funded by the Cooperation Pro-gramme with Russia and by the Barents Secretariat. Three of the main targets of the project were:• Educational cooperation and creation of a joint

course in comparative social policy. • Prevention in the fi eld of social work. • Building professional networks in the Barents

Region and the University of the Arctic.

Student and staff exchangeDuring the project period more than 60 students from Russia and Norway crossed the border to carry out practice studies and fi eldwork. We also developed a joint bachelor program for practice studies. This pro-gram has proved to be very popular and the students compete to enter the program at both institutions. Both Russian and Norwegian postgraduate students of social work have received funding from the project for their fi eldwork. Colleagues from both educational institu-tions have given guest lectures in social work. In 2005 and 2006 we ran seminars for colleagues on the topic of critical thinking and refl ection in social work.

Joint courses in social policyThe Pomor III Project concentrated on curriculum and study-programmes in English at both institutions. In

2005 we decided to develop a ten ECTS points joint course in comparative social policy within the fram-ework of the Bologna Process. In this course, students deal with questions relating to governance and social politics in Russia and Scandinavia. To put these topics in a broader perspective, the course focuses on Euro-pean developments and the effect of globalisation on social politics. In November 2006 we held the fi rst seminar in Arkhangelsk with students and lecturers from both institutions. In this course we explored the concept of social policy in relation to other fi elds of politics and we discussed social politics in a glo-bal frame. The next seminar, which is to be held in February 2007, will focus more on social politics in Russia and Norway, and on the connection between policymaking and development of services. Finally we will also discuss social politics from a user’s point of view. All the time the comparative perspective – also when it comes to research – links the program together. The course ends in May 2007. A written assignment will be evaluated by a team consisting of two teachers from both universities.

Prevention in social workSocial work is a new profession in Arkhangelsk, and the working seminars can give the social workers legiti-macy within organizations, e.g. prisons and institutions for children, juveniles and women. We also tried to strengthen the profession of “the social worker” by cros-sing departmental staff groups in seminars and inclu-ding cooperation with non-governmental organisations like “Rassvet” and “Duska”. We informed coordinators of international projects in Arkhangelsk about our pro-

Collaborating in Social WorkThe Pomor III Project

ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE: Social sciencesCOOPERATING INSTI TU-TIONS: Bodø Uni versity College, Norwe-gian Pomor University Centre Arkhangelsk, Faculty of Social Work, Pomor State University, Arkhangelsk.CO-PARTNERS: The Mediation Board in Trondheim The Tyrili Foundation The Norwegian Ministry of Justice and KRUSPROJECT COORDINATORS: Dean Larisa MalikDirector Marina KalininaAssistant professor Ståle SårheimWEB-SITE: www.uarctic.org/completeArticles.aspx?m=281TOTAL PROGRAMME FUNDING: NOK 2 800 000

Pomor III was the third collaborative project on prevention in childcare, drug and alcohol abuse and criminality. It involved the Faculty of Social Sciences at Bodø University College, the Faculty of Social Work and the Norwegian Pomor University Centre in Arkhangelsk, Pomor State University, Arkhangelsk.


jects and working seminars, where we had participants from Murmansk and Karelia. Sharing good experiences has been an underlying principle of the project.

Certifi ed trainingThe Pomor projects have cooperated with the creator of the Swedish criminal prevention program “Brottsbry-tet” since 2002. In 2002 the manuals for the program were translated from Swedish to Russian. In 2004 12 participants from Arkhangelsk and Murmansk recei-ved their diplomas as instructors in “Brottsbrytet”. The head of the Mediation Board in Trondheim, Iren Sør-fjordmo, has been involved in the Pomor cooperation since 2000. Eighteen participants from Arkhangelsk received their certifi cates as mediators in 2005. They have been trained and educated in mediation and restorative justice at three seminars. The Norwegian Ministry of Justice and the Correctional Service of Norway Staff Academy, KRUS, have cooperated with the Pomor projects. One of the results of the cooperation was working seminars on the programme for women in problematic life situations, WIN. Marna Størkersen, head of the Østfold Clinic of Drug and Alcohol Abuse and Torunn Højdahl, senior adviser at KRUS, develo-ped the WIN program together. Sixteen participants from Arkhangelsk and other parts of Russia received their diploma as instructors in Arkhangelsk in 2006. The participants work at clinics for drug and alcohol abusers, shelters for abused women and in prisons.

Professional networksThe fi rst international conference of the project cal-led “Prevention strategies in Social work” took place

in Arkhangelsk in 2004. 80 people from Russia and Norway attended the conference, which sought to promote an understanding of the role of preven-tion work and dissemination of knowledge amongst practical workers, university staff and researchers in Norway and Russia. The Pomor III Project and the Norwegian research institute FAFO (Institute of Labour and Social Research) also organised an international research seminar on family and social policy in Arkhangelsk. The closing conference of the project was held in Bodø in 2006 under the title “International Cooperation in Social Work and Social policy.” The conference had more than 50 contribu-tions at plenary and parallel sessions. Participants from seven countries attended. A direct result of the cooperation project was the creation of a thematic network in social work within the framework of the University of the Arctic. Bodø University College is the host institution of the network.

Pathway on Dvina. Photo © Ståle Sårheim

Students and lecturers from the joint course in comparative social policy, Arkhangelsk 2006. Photo © Tatiana Nosova.


Analysing the Structure of Pollutants

The cooperation project “Semi-preparative sepa-ration and characterisation of selected enantiomers derived from the technical Toxaphene mixture” focused on the combination of trace analytical and chemical synthesis as scientifi c tools for the iden-tifi cation, isolation and production of enantiomeric pure chlorobornane isomers. Chlorobornane or poly-chloroterpenic mixtures (e.g., Toxaphene, Melipax, etc.) have been used as insecticidal agents for seve-ral decades until they were banned for agricultural usage in the western world (including Russia) during the 1980’s. Chlorobornanes are derived from exhaus-tive chlorination processes of natural products like α-pinene and terpenes. Most of the products are chiral and thus present as stereoisomers (enantio-mers) in the technical mixture and the environment upon application. Single enantiomers are known to express unlike toxic effects in biological processes. Well characterised enantiopure standard materials are thus mandatory for comprehensive and reliable ecotoxicological evaluations. Therefore, one of the major goals of the project was to produce a set of well defi ned enantiopure standards for a selection of chlorobornanes through combination of chemical synthesis and analysis.

The project was, thus, based upon three important scien-tifi c pillars within (environmental) chemical research: Profound knowledge in chemical synthesis (Prof. Dr. V. Niki forov, SPSU), Structure elucidation (Prof. Dr. A. O. Smal ås, UIT) and trace analytical methods (Dr. R. Kallen born, NILU). These three research topics have been profes sionally combined. This strategy lead to new highly pro mising results. A wealth of new well charac-terised standard materials for subsequent environ mental enantioselective analysis of chlorobornanes and related environmental studies is now available and will be used for future cooperation projects. In addition, similar strategies are expected to lead to comparable results for other chiral environmentally relevant chemicals.

ACADEMIC FIELD: Toxi-cology, ecotoxicology, chemical research, environmental risk evaluationCOOPERATING INSTI TU-TIONS: Norwegian Institute for Air Re-search, University of Tromsø, St. Petersburg State UniversityPROJECT COORDINATOR: Senior Researcher Roland Kallenborn, NILUTOTAL PROGRAMME FUNDING: NOK 1 260 000

Meetings between researchers in Russia and Norway have been an important part of the project. Photo © Walter Vetter

The study of chemical components in insectici-dal agents has lead to the development of new technology for environmental risk evaluation.

New approachesIt should be noted that investigation into the very nature of the racemization process in formation of polychloroterpenic mixtures brought valuable infor-mation on the properties of non-classical carbocati-ons. In the future this may have an impact on novel approaches in mechanistic studies and on the general theories of chemical reactivity.

As part of the project cooperation, the Russian part-ners (Vladimir Nikiforov) and two guest scientists (PhD students) from the St. Petersburg State Univer-sity spent 11 person-months as guest researchers in Tromsø by invitation of the Tromsø University and the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU).

The major implications of the project have already been presented at several international conferences and concluded in a fi nal open workshop in St. Peters-burg, organised by the Russian partner from the St. Petersburg State University. International key experts were invited to present their view on the role of Chi-rality in environmental chemistry. A concluding discussion revealed the immense potential of this new technology for environmental risk evaluation. The results of the project have received high attention from the international research community so far.


Project overviewNORWEGIAN INSTITUTION(S)

Telemark University College

University of Tromsø

AKVAPLAN-Niva, Polar En viron mental Centre, University of Trom sø, Nor wegian Polar Insti tute, Nor wegian Insti tute for Water Re search (NIVA) University of Bergen, Bjerknes Centre for climate Research, (UNIFOB) The University Centre in Svalbard and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)

Norut NIBR Finnmark

University of Oslo Institute of Biology

Bodø Regional University, Bodø Graduate School of Business

University of Oslo, Faculty of Law

Bodø University College

NILU - Tromsø NILU

University of Tromsø

PROJECT TITLE

Norman IV

The Barents Project in Psychiatry Life at the Edge – Benthic Fauna at the Barents Sea Ice Edge in a Changing Climate (BASICC)

Paleo Environment and Climate History of the Russian Arctic - PECHORA II

Arctic Marine and Environment Technology for Sustainable Exploitation of Hydrocarbons in the Barents Sea

The Battle for the Resource Rent. The imple-men tation of market regimes for allocation of harvesting rights in North West Russian state forests

Material Fluxes form the Russian Rivers Ob and Yenisey: Inter-Actions with Climate and Effects

Business Research and Education in a North-western University Alliance (BRUA)

New Developments in Russian Judicial Reform: Administrative Courts, Procedural Rules and the Consolidation of Private Rights The Pomor III Project

Semi-preparative Separation and Characteri-sation of Selected Enantiomers Derived from the Technical Toxaphene Mixture

Norwegian for Russian Students (advanced) from Pomor State University

Scholarship programme

FUNDING (NOK)

3 495 000

2 050 000

3 250 000

3 340 000

1 570 000

3 165 850

3 225 000

5 681 000

3 350 000

2 800 000

1 200 000

400 000

33 526 850

5 000 000

RUSSIAN INSTITUTION(S)

Novgorod State University

Northern State Medical University

Russia: Zoological Institute, Russian Aca de my of Science, St. Petersburg, Mur-mansk Marine Biological Institute, Russia, USA: University of South Carolina, USA, Bates College, Marine. The Institute of Remote Sensing Methods for Geology (NIIKAM), St. Petersburg University St. Petersburg State Polytechnical University

The Institute of Economic Problems (IEP), Kola Science Centre and Russian Academy of Science, Apatity

Murmansk Marine Biological Institute

Arkhangelsk State Technical University (ASTU), Baltic State Technical University (BSTU), St. Petersburg, and Murmansk State Technical University (MSTU) The Center of Environmental Legal Studies at the Institute of State and Law, Moscow

Norwegian Pomor University Centre, Arkhangelsk and Faculty of Social Work, Pomor State University

The Chemical Institute and the St. Peters-burg State University

Pomor State University

Total allocation NOK

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