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 […]
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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 […]
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Since SPI’s inception in 2016, a community of scientists, partners, artists and audiences has grown, shaped by shared fieldwork, projects, events, networks and, ultimately, memories. To mark SPI’s 10th Anniversary, we are launching an Open Call for Memories.
We invite you to share your cherished memories of SPI to by 31 August 2026 to contribute to a collective retrospective of the past decade.
MEDIA RELEASE – Bellevue / Sion, 13 May 2026 – Following the tragic partial collapse of the Birch Glacier on the Valais village of Blatten in May 2025, Fondation Lombard Odier and the Swiss Polar Institute joined forces, engaging in a multi-year collaboration with the new “IceTools Initiative”. The project’s […]
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The Swiss Polar Institute is pleased to announce the release of its 2025 Annual Report in a newly revised format highlighting SPI’s achievements, financial overview, and strategic contributions to Swiss polar and high-altitude science over the past year. Readers can explore key initiatives, funded projects, services and events as well […]
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New Zealand and Swiss researchers came together at an online workshop on 23 April to explore opportunities for collaboration in Antarctic, polar and high-altitude research. The workshop followed the signing of a joint Memorandum of Agreement between Antarctica New Zealand and the Swiss Polar Institute in 2025 and brought together […]
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The Swiss Polar Institute (SPI) is pleased to welcome Stéphanie Lacour (EPFL) to its Foundation Board, and Carlo Barbante (Ca’ Foscari), Thomas Frölicher (UNIBE), Margareta Johansson (Swedish Polar Secretariat) and Beatrix Schlarb-Ridley (BAS) to its Science and Technology Advisory Board (STAB). Alongside these appointments, Christoph Hegg (WSL) has been elected […]
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We are pleased to announce that six projects have been selected by an independent panel of experts for the 2026 Polar Access Fund. The successful proposals cover diverse research topics: polar biology and microbiology, environmental technology, glaciology, and climate adaptation. The grants, co-funded by the Swiss Polar Institute and the […]
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The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) released of the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV) Final Outcomes Report and the seven Research Priority Team (RPT) reports presented during the Arctic Science Summit Week 2026 (ASSW 2026) in Aarhus, Denmark, on 26 March 2026. The Fourth International Conference […]
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