Arctic Connections: policy framework evaluation

Case studies

Introduction

Following the previous chapters, considering the achievements and challenges of both the Arctic Connections Policy Framework (ACPF) and Arctic Connections Fund (ACF), this chapter presents case studies of three projects supported by the ACF. These case studies are based on reviews of project reports, survey data analysis and interviews. The projects are:

• The Polar Academy
• Supporting Rural Women
• Teaching Arctic Environments

Each of the projects aligns with the objectives of the Fund and the ACPF in its own way. Whilst there are clear differences in how the projects deliver against these objectives, these projects are fully eligible in terms of the Fund’s criteria. Together demonstrate the effectiveness of funding a diverse range of activities.

The Polar Academy

Project overview

The Polar Academy is a Scottish charity founded in 2013 and based in Bo’ness that leads polar expeditions for young people aged 14-17. Although the project did not directly align related to some of the core ambitions of the ACPF, such as clean energy or sustainable economic development, it strongly aligned with the Framework’s wider aim of fostering mutual learning and cultural exchange between Scotland and Arctic communities. The project focused on youth engagement and rural community wellbeing, contributing to Scotland’s international policy objectives and the UN Sustainable Development Goal^[2] on reducing inequalities.

The Polar Academy has a long-standing relationship with East Greenland, taking around 20 Scottish teenagers to the region every March for Arctic expeditions. These expeditions, which have been running for more than a decade, combine demanding outdoor challenges with scientific fieldwork and have built deep trust and strong friendships with local communities and the charity. This history of collaboration provided a solid foundation for the exchange project and supported its successful delivery. The project aimed to address the challenges facing young people in East Greenland, including high suicide rates, unemployment and social isolation, by offering opportunities for cultural exchange and skills development in Scotland.

Activities delivered

ACF funding covered travel, accommodation, activities and logistical support (e.g., internal transport), for an exchange programme that brought four East Greenlandic teenagers and their Danish youth leader to Scotland. Their activities included canoeing, visits to national landmarks, sporting events and trips to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling, Dundee and Aviemore.

Following the summer exchange, Scottish pupils worked with a university professor to develop scientific studies in collaboration with Oxford and Cambridge Universities. These studies were then carried out during their expedition to East Greenland.

Outputs and outcomes

The exchange gave the four Inuit teenagers a direct experience of life in another country, helping them challenge long-standing mistrust by Inuit of Europeans, shaped by the rapid changes brought to Greenland through historic settlement. Through presentations to their peers, community leaders and the local mayor, the girls also shared their learning with a wider audience at home.

The project increased awareness in Scotland of the social and economic challenges facing East Greenlandic communities, including unemployment, inequalities between Danes and Indigenous people, and high youth suicide rates. The visit also allowed the youths to gain a deeper understanding of Scottish culture and community life, creating meaningful cross-cultural connections and long-lasting relationships between participating communities.

The exchange also produced practical outcomes in East Greenland. It supported the development of training and qualification pathways for young people to become tour guides, mountain guides and first aiders for visiting cruise ships, amongst other occupations. This improved employment prospects in an area with limited opportunities, with six previously unemployed young people now benefiting from new roles.

In addition, the project contributed to Scotland’s National Outcomes^[3] by helping young people realise their potential through confidence building, skills development and new experiences.

Successes and impacts

The exchange strengthened long-term partnerships and inspired plans for a Greenland-based version of the Polar Academy, funded by the Danish Government. A facility has already been established in the community to support this initiative, which will include future expeditions bringing Greenlandic teenagers to Scotland, further supporting cooperation and collaboration with Scottish and Arctic communities, long after the funding from the ACF has ended. This has fostered and increased knowledge exchange and best practice with marginalised communities, with the Polar Academy’s model providing the best practice for the new charity.

Following the visit, the Mayor of East Greenland helped establish a trade link between the girls’ village and a sporran maker in Perth after being on a tour of Scotland. Seal skins, which were previously discarded after hunters took the meat, are now shipped directly to the manufacturer, creating new income for the community. The Danish Government has supported this by establishing a local facility to build skills in seal-skin tanning, supporting sustainable economic development and maritime opportunities by offering previous by-products as commodities.

Scientific research completed during the expedition will contribute to international knowledge exchange and policy discussions. The field research projects co-designed by Scottish pupils engaged through the project, the first of their kind delivered in the region, generated new climate, biological and geological insights that will be shared internationally. Together, these experiences strengthened scientific collaboration, deepened understanding of Arctic challenges and supported the Fund’s objective of fostering globally relevant research and environmental learning.

The project also strengthened links with Greenlandic youth organisations and local authorities, supporting further collaborations, including planned work with Sámi communities in Finland in 2025. The Polar Academy has also been invited to speak at the World Anti-Bullying Forum in Norway, highlighting its contribution to promoting wellbeing and resilience among young people, as well as its long-standing engagement with Greenland communities.

The project has advanced the ACPF’s aims of promoting knowledge exchange, environmental awareness and meaningful connections between Scottish and Arctic communities. For Scottish teenagers, the opportunity to meet and spend time with Inuit people made the impacts of climate change tangible and personal, transforming an abstract issue into a lived reality understood through direct relationships.

The Polar Academy project also contributed to the ACF’s objectives on cultural exchange and Indigenous engagement by supporting the revitalisation of traditional Greenlandic skills. Many young people in the community expressed feelings of shame around practices such as hunting and dog sledding, yet these skills remain an important part of local identity and cultural heritage. Greenlandic teenagers were able to share their knowledge and skills with Scottish participants. This helped them regain pride in their cultural background, strengthened intergenerational connections at home and promoted meaningful two-way learning between Arctic and Scottish communities, directly advancing the Fund’s aims of celebrating cultural heritage, empowering Arctic youth and deepening mutual understanding.

Why the funding made a difference

The funding from the ACF made a clear difference by enabling an exchange that strengthened cultural understanding, youth confidence and long-term collaboration between Scotland and East Greenland. It allowed young people from both regions to learn from one another, broaden their worldviews and build meaningful relationships that would not have been possible without financial support.

The exchange deepened awareness of social, cultural and environmental challenges in the Arctic, supported the revitalisation of traditional Greenlandic skills, and encouraged scientific learning that will contribute to wider international discussion. The project also helped create new opportunities for young people in East Greenland, improved community wellbeing and encouraged future cooperation, including plans for a Greenland-based version of the Polar Academy. Additionally, the funding provided the essential resources needed to deliver a programme that generated lasting benefits for both communities and advanced the wider aims of the ACF.

Issues and challenges

The only challenge the project had was that they found the ability to accurately forecast costs difficult because of the unpredictable nature of travel and hosting for the East Greenlandic teenagers involved in the project.

Lessons learned

The project demonstrated the value of small, people-focused exchanges in building cross-cultural understanding, youth confidence, and long-term relationships between Scotland and Arctic communities. Meaningful impact was achieved through sustained, face-to-face engagement rather than comparatively shorter, high-volume or one-to-many sessions, highlighting the importance of investing in community-centred initiatives that develop skills, wellbeing, and trust.

The project delivery experience also underlined the need for flexible budgeting and proportionate reporting, as unpredictable travel and hosting costs placed additional burdens on the charity’s limited staff. Greater promotion by and recognition from the government would have increased the project’s visibility, maximised its impact and strengthened links between policy and community-led initiatives.

The project effectively demonstrated that long-term engagement is essential. Over a decade of trust between the Polar Academy and East Greenlandic communities was key to the exchange’s success, showing that sustained partnerships are critical for lasting social, cultural and educational outcomes.

Supporting Rural Women

Project overview

The Supporting Rural Women project was delivered by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) in partnership with Uppsala University and Lund University in Sweden. Its purpose was to create a transnational knowledge network focused on empowering women in rural communities during the transition to a low-carbon economy.

This ambition is directly aligned with the ACPF objectives on education, research and innovation, by fostering collaboration between Scottish and Arctic academic institutions, and on rural connections, by addressing shared challenges in remote areas. The project also contributed to climate change, the environment and clean energy, ensuring that gender perspectives were integrated into discussions on sustainable development and just transition.

Activities delivered

The project convened three online network meetings, including an inception meeting and a thematic workshop, which brought together around 40 women from research, policy and practice across Scotland, Sweden, Norway and Canada. These sessions explored gender-specific challenges in rural areas, shared examples of entrepreneurial activity and discussed strategies for supporting women in low-carbon transitions.

A public online event extended the conversation to a wider audience, promoting inclusivity and dialogue in line with the ACPF’s commitment to collaborative engagement. The team also produced a concept note for a longer-term funded initiative, reflecting the Framework’s ambition to encourage sustained partnerships and knowledge exchange.

Outputs and outcomes

The project successfully established a knowledge network of female scholars that continues to operate beyond the funding period. It produced a final report with policy recommendations, a series of case studies and a “Policy Spotlight” briefing published by SRUC’s Rural Policy Centre. This was done in collaboration with Scottish Rural Action and was presented at the Scottish Parliament, also aiding in organising a further workshop on climate change in rural Scotland.

These outputs provide evidence-based insights into rural gender equality and climate resilience, supporting the ACPF’s objectives on education, research innovation and climate change. The project also influenced future research directions, contributing to international funding applications and strengthening institutional ties between Scotland and Arctic partners.

Successes and impacts

Supporting Rural Women increased awareness of the barriers and opportunities facing women in rural communities during the transition to net zero. It highlighted the importance of female entrepreneurship, participatory place-making and community resilience, themes central to the ACPF’s vision for rural regeneration and gender equality. The project informed policy discussions in Scotland, including engagement with an MSP and participation in the Scottish Rural Parliament, and inspired follow-on collaborations with partners in Canada and Norway and SRUC. These achievements demonstrate Scotland’s ability to lead inclusive, community-focused approaches to climate action and sustainable development, fulfilling the ACPF’s ambition to position Scotland as a credible partner in Arctic engagement.

Why the funding made a difference

The grant from the ACF provided the resources needed to structure the project and convene international stakeholders, share expertise and develop policy recommendations, directly advancing the ACPF’s objectives on rural connectivity, gender equality and climate justice. Without this support, the transnational network of rural women and the policy outputs it generated would not have been established at the same scale or with the same international reach, and opportunities for collaboration with partners in Sweden, Norway and Canada would have been significantly reduced. The funding therefore acted as a catalyst for future partnership-building, supporting Scotland’s ambition to maintain strong links with Arctic partners and influence global conversations on just transition.

Any issues and challenges

The project faced challenges due to a leadership transition midway through delivery, which caused delays and required significant adjustments to timelines. While these issues were resolved, they placed pressure on the team and highlighted the need for flexibility in project management. The short funding cycle and delivery period also limited opportunities for deeper engagement and dissemination, constraining the ability to fully realise the ACPF’s ambition of sustained collaboration and long-term impact.

Lessons learned

The project demonstrated the value of small, targeted grants in enabling impactful, community-centred initiatives that advance the ACPF’s objectives. It underscored the importance of flexible timelines and proportionate reporting requirements, particularly for projects involving multiple international partners. Future funding schemes could strengthen outcomes by supporting longer-term engagement and creating structured opportunities for networking among recipients. The experience also highlighted the need for inclusive approaches to climate policy, ensuring that gender perspectives are embedded in strategies for rural sustainability and just transition. These lessons reinforce the ACPF’s emphasis on equality, collaboration and knowledge exchange as essential components of Scotland’s Arctic engagement.

Teaching Arctic Environments

Project overview

The Teaching Arctic Environments project was led by the University of Aberdeen in partnership with the University of Washington. It aimed to use the newly established interdisciplinary research centres at the University of Aberdeen to create accessible, open-access teaching resources that explore Arctic environments through an interdisciplinary lens around climate and the environment, as well as focusing on education culture. They were motivated to apply for funding by the opportunity to work with international partners, and needed the seed funding from the ACF to kick-start their project with them.

The project directly supported the ACPF objective of Education, Research and Innovation by fostering collaboration between Scottish and Arctic academic institutions and promoting innovative approaches to Arctic pedagogy. It also contributed to cultural ties by embedding Indigenous perspectives and material culture into educational resources, strengthening Scotland’s cultural engagement with Arctic communities.

Activities delivered

The project delivered two major workshops and a series of public engagement activities, which looked to share and promote knowledge exchange between several disciplines. The first workshop attended by 12 people was held at the University of Aberdeen, bringing together scholars from art history, archaeology, anthropology, education studies and geography to explore how museum collections could inform Arctic-focused teaching. This activity advanced the ACPF’s aim of encouraging greater collaboration between Scottish and Arctic academic institutions and promoting interdisciplinary research.

The second workshop, attended by 18 people, was hosted by the University of Washington, introduced the concept to North American academics and curators and included public lectures by an Inupiaq filmmaker and an urban Inuk photographer. These events supported the ACPF objective of cultural ties, creating opportunities for dialogue and knowledge exchange between Scotland and Arctic communities. Both workshops also raised Scotland’s profile internationally and strengthened its role in global Arctic discourse.

They then collaborated with the University of Manitoba to launch the Teaching Arctic Environments website^[4], which hosts “Educational Boxes” combining short essays, audio recordings and curated reading lists. These boxes are centred on objects or images to explore environmental histories, geographies and socio-cultural dynamics, embedding themes of climate change and sustainability in line with the ACPF’s commitment to climate change, environment and clean energy. The website continues to grow, with new content added monthly, including a dedicated series on Greenland.

Outcomes and outputs

The project produced a publicly accessible website that serves as a free long-term educational resource for schools, universities and the public. It integrated 3D renderings of Arctic objects from Aberdeen’s Museums and Special Collections and created a sustainable platform for ongoing knowledge exchange. These outputs directly advance the ACPF’s objectives on education, research and innovation by supporting interdisciplinary learning and fostering collaboration across borders.

The project also secured significant follow-on funding, including a NERC UK–Greenland Research Bursary (£12,675) and a University of Manitoba grant ($10,000 CAD), and established partnerships with the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland within the website, which allowed them to further grow the website. These achievements reflect the ACPF’s goal of encouraging Scottish universities to collaborate on Arctic research and strengthen international networks.

Successes and impacts

Teaching Arctic Environments has strengthened Scotland’s academic contribution to Arctic studies and advanced the ACPF’s aims of promoting knowledge exchange and cultural understanding. By making these resources freely available, the project supports teachers, students and the public in engaging critically with Arctic environments on issues such as climate change, extractive economies and Indigenous knowledge systems. This aligns with the ACPF’s commitment to furthering climate justice and promoting inclusive dialogue.

The project has also acted as a catalyst for future collaboration, securing substantial additional funding and creating new partnerships that will extend Scotland’s influence in Arctic education and research. These successes demonstrate Scotland’s ability to lead in innovative, interdisciplinary approaches to Arctic engagement, positioning Scotland as a credible and proactive partner in the region.

Why the funding made a difference

The ACF was pivotal in transforming an idea into a tangible, high-impact resource. Without this support, they would have had to have sought the funding from elsewhere, which would have slowed the project down. Their collaboration with the University of Washington was ambitious, and gave a bit of weight behind the project; had they not received the ACF grant, then they may not have had them as a partner.

The funding provided the foundation for a project that has already attracted further investment and created a platform for long-term collaboration, directly contributing to education, cultural exchange and climate awareness.

Any issues and challenges

While the project progressed smoothly overall, dissemination within Scotland has been slower than anticipated, and efforts were ongoing to connect the resource with schools and universities. The short funding cycle limited opportunities for extended engagement and visibility during the initial phase, which constrained the ability to fully realise the ACPF’s ambition of embedding Arctic knowledge across Scottish education.

Lessons learned

The project demonstrated the value of small, targeted grants in enabling innovative educational initiatives that advance the ACPF’s objectives. It highlighted the importance of flexible funding and longer timelines to maximise impact and sustain collaboration. Future schemes could strengthen outcomes by supporting structured networking among recipients and promoting funded projects more widely. The experience also showed that while digital resources are powerful tools for international collaboration, in-person engagement remains essential for building trust and deep partnerships, reinforcing the ACPF’s emphasis on inclusivity and dialogue.