The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat's yearbook contains information about the Secretariat's activities, annual accounts and cruise reports from the research projects.
The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat is a state agency under the auspices of the Swedish Ministry of Education and Research, and is tasked with coordinating and promoting Swedish research and development activities in the polar regions. We support research via the SWEDARP programme in Antarctica and the SWEDARCTIC programme in the Arctic region, as well as other initiatives that promote Swedish polar research. The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat now launches a call regarding small-scale support. This call is open to researchers and doctoral candidates from all disciplines at Swedish universities, colleges, research institutions and agencies involved in research.
Support is provided to projects that conduct or promote Swedish polar research, and would derive significant added value from the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat's engagement. For example, support could be given for:
The Secretariat does not provide travel grants or other direct financial support. Applications for major field projects and expeditions should be submitted in connection with our regular calls. There is a separate process for applications for conducting research at the Abisko Scientific Research Station.
The projects are evaluated based on their scientific relevance, feasibility and, in the case of fieldwork, the degree to which they need to be conducted in the polar regions specifically. Priority is given to:
The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat also endeavours to support researchers early in their careers, and to promote gender equality. Because this call does not pertain to the financing of entire research projects, the financing plan for the project and support from the researcher's own institution must be specified.
The Secretariat may alter or withdraw the offered support should the circumstances surrounding the project change. All planning of field activities must be carried out bearing in mind that research expeditions in polar environments require generous margins in terms of time and resources, a large measure of flexibility and perseverance, and participants with prior knowledge and physical prowess.
The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat's environmental work includes integrating environmental considerations into expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic regions, and conducting environmental impact assessments for such expeditions.
Applications with attachments must be submitted by e-mail to office@polar.se no later than 12 January 2012. We recommend that your application be written in English so that it can be shared with our international cooperative partners.
Application form for SPRS support (doc 254 kB)
If applicable, enclose logistics questionnaire for marine or terrestrial expedition:
Logistics questionnaire for terrestrial polar research expedition (doc 362 kB)
Logistics questionnaire for marine polar research expedition (doc 380 kB)
Notice of acceptance will be issued on 1 February 2012. The level of support and the Swedish Polar Research Secretariat's role will then be determined in dialogue with the applicant.
Magnus Tannerfeldt will answer any questions regarding this announcement by e-mail at magnus.tannerfeldt@polar.se, or by telephone at: +46 70 228 26 00.
The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat's yearbook contains information about the Secretariat's activities, annual accounts and cruise reports from the research projects.
The Swedish Polar Research Secretariat and Swedish Research Council have established a shared roadmap for support to research projects in polar regions outside Sweden.
