Gudmund Hernes has been appointed an Honorary Member of the Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research
Photo: BI Norwegian Business School
Gudmund Hernes (83) was appointed an honorary member of the Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research during last week's annual meeting. Hernes boasts an extensive record of service in the Northern regions as both a politician and researcher and remains active today.
The justification for the honorary membership includes Hernes's critical role in the establishment of the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) in 1993, during his tenure as Minister of Church Affairs, Education, and Research. Following the initiation of UNIS, Hernes also engaged in the development of scientific installations on Svalbard and played a crucial role in establishing Svalbard as an international research station focused on climate, environmental, and space research.
Simultaneously, Hernes was concerned with UNIS's role and place within the local community in Longyearbyen. The Svalbard Report from 1989 argued that Longyearbyen needed to develop more sustainable economic foundations beyond coal mining, highlighting education and research as vital supplements. Therefore, it was crucial that UNIS became an integrated part of the town and local cultural life, rather than existing in isolation.
Fifteen years after the creation of UNIS, Hernes initiated the establishment of the Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research, of which he is now an honorary member. He was adamant that the academy should have an international profile but equally clear that it should be based in Longyearbyen. Hernes has been a board member of the academy from its inception.
In addition to his strong political commitment to the Arctic, Hernes, throughout his distinguished career as a researcher and columnist, has addressed numerous issues related to Svalbard and the Northern regions. Recently, his primary focus has been the region's development from a geopolitical perspective.
The Norwegian Scientific Academy for Polar Research, popularly known as the Polar Academy, is the world’s only academy focused primarily on research and education in and about the Polar Regions. The Academy is interdisciplinary and engages in all aspects of international polar research and related education.
The Polar Academy currently has two honorary members. The other is former President of the Norwegian Parliament, Kirsti Kolle Grøndahl, who was appointed an honorary member based on her long-standing political commitment to research and education as an environmentally friendly supplement to coal mining in Longyearbyen. Along with Hernes, she also played a central role in the establishment of UNIS in 1993.