On 7 July 2025 in Auckland, New Zealand, Swiss Polar Institute (SPI) and Antarctica New Zealand (ANZ) officialised their cooperation in polar science. This MoA aims to facilitate the development of joint research projects in Antarctica. The signing took place in the presence of Prof. Jordy Hendrikx (Chief Executive, ANZ), Prof. Daniel Farinotti (Science and Technology Advisory Board, SPI), New Zealand Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Dr Shane Reti, Swiss State Secretary for Education, Research and Innovation Martina Hirayama, and Ambassador of Switzerland to New Zealand H.E. Viktor Vavricka.
Antarctica plays a key role in regulating the Earth’s climate and provides unique, pristine conditions for scientific fieldwork. Swiss research projects in this vulnerable region cover various fields such as renewable energy, climate history and pollution, medicine, melting ice sheets, space and material sciences. As Swiss science relies on cooperation to access infrastructure in Antarctica, this agreement between SPI and ANZ marks a significant advancement in collaborative research on a bilateral level. It also fosters synergies in view of the upcoming international Antarctic initiatives, such as Antarctica InSync and the International Polar Year 2032.
The MoA aims to facilitate access to research infrastructure, promote and share expertise through joint academic and scientific activities, as well as enable the exchange of personnel, data, and other resources of common interest. Through this joint approach, SPI and ANZ seek to support their scientific communities in navigating the practical, logistical, and ethical complexities of research in Antarctica, with an emphasis on early-career researchers where possible.
About Swiss Polar Institute
At the service of the Swiss polar and high-altitude community
In its capacity as a research institution of national importance, the Swiss Polar Institute supports Swiss polar and high-altitude science at the core of its mission, through funding instruments, international collaboration, training courses and outreach programmes.
About Antarctica New Zealand
Antarctica New Zealand (ANZ) is the government agency responsible for carrying out New Zealand’s activities in Antarctica, supporting world leading science and environmental protection. Their vision is: “Antarctica and the Southern Ocean – valued, protected, understood”. ANZ manages Scott Base, New Zealand’s Antarctic research station, located on Ross Island in the Ross Sea sector of Antarctica.