UArctic Webinar – Small and Northern Colleges: Community Impact, Capacity, and Regional Resilience

This webinar brings together an exceptional group of panelists who are deeply engaged in this work across academic, community, and policy contexts: Moderator: Stephen Heal - Senior Affiliated Researcher, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Director of Innovation, Frontier Economics, Member UArctic President's Circle Sheila Downer ­– Vice-President Northern Community Engagement, UArctic Doug Lauvstad – President and Vice-Chancellor, University College of the North Jamal Shirley - Director of Innovation and Research and Science Advisor, Nunavut Research Institute, Nunavut Arctic College Samuel Valkeapää - Assistant Professor and Prorektor, Sámi University of Applied Sciences The session highlights how these institutions support local education, workforce development, Indigenous-led education, language revitalization, culturally grounded learning, and applied research. It will also examine how partnerships with communities, governments, and regional organizations help strengthen local capacity, support community resilience, and advance long-term development across the circumpolar North.