On Wednesday 9 September 2026, moored to an ice floe, the Tara Polaris I expedition started its several-month drift deliberately trapped in ice. The scientific expedition is the first of ten expeditions aboard the Tara Polar Station aiming to study the Central Arctic Ocean, a sentinel of global climate changes. […]
Read More
We are pleased to announce that the calls for proposals for the SPI Exploratory Grants and SPI Technogrants are open! The submission deadline is 15 October 2025, 12:00 (noon, Swiss time). The SPI Exploratory Grants support Swiss-based scientists active in polar regions (including remote high-altitude regions such as the Andes and the Himalayas) by allowing them to launch […]
Read More
The Mertz Fellowship – a partnership between the Embassy of Switzerland in Australia, Swissnex, Swiss Polar Institute, and the Antarctic Science Foundation – supports joint projects and scientific networking between Swiss and Australian higher education and research institutions. This programme for early-career researchers focuses on fostering cutting-edge research and strengthening […]
Read More
Tara Polar Station departed Lorient, France, for the Arctic on 19 July. Bringing together more than 30 research institutes from 12 countries, the expedition will support a broad range of international scientific programmes, including the Swiss-led ARKTIS project. After a few technical stops, last one being in Kirkenes, Norway, Tara […]
Read More
Fieldnotes from Svalbard, Norway. February 2026 “Don’t move! Let’s all be quiet for a moment,” said Knut, our field technician. Everyone sat down, trying to find a somewhat comfortable position in our snowmobile suits somewhere between the towering sea ice ridges surrounding us. We – a group of glaciology students […]
Read More
It is not easy to store liquid water in Arctic regions. The cold temperatures require the installation of heaters to prevent it from freezing, permafrost makes burying supply pipelines difficult, and freshwater sources may be scarce. As a result, and perhaps somewhat counterintuitively, freshwater is scarce in many settlements above […]
Read More
PolARTS offers artists from Switzerland in any discipline supported by Pro Helvetia and scientists the opportunity to collaborate on joint projects and to take part in field trips to a polar region. Launched in 2022, the programme runs on a biennial basis, creating space for new collaborative and explorative practices […]
Read More
On 29 May 2026, the University of the Arctic (UArctic) Assembly welcomed the Swiss Polar Institute as a new member. The Assembly approved 28 new members, representing both Arctic and non-Arctic regions, bringing UArctic total membership to 226. We are pleased to be a part of this growing network of […]
Read More
Travelling from Arequipa to the Valle de los Volcanes in southern Peru is an experience in itself. The road passes through flat desert areas, deep canyons and fertile river oases, and finally reaches high-altitude villages. After a nine-hour truck ride, we arrived in Chachas, a small village nestled in the […]
Read More