Prepping for Svalbard

Intro

Next semester, I’ll be attending a course called Safety Management in the Arctic, worth 10 credits, offered by the University Center in Svalbard (UNIS). This course runs from August 5th to September 19th, focusing on the challenges and safety protocols necessary for the Arctic environment. I’m looking forward to this course, as the Risk Analysis program hasn’t focused much on safety until now.

Preparation

Housing

Attending this course requires some preparation, first of all housing. From what I read it’s not really doable to arrange housing yourself on Svalbard. Luckily, UNIS offers students modern accommodations, and I got a single room for around 6,500 NOK per month. It’s a bit expensive since I’ll be paying double rent for my place in Stavanger and the new accommodation in Svalbard, but I think the experience will be worth it.

Flights

Flights to the Arctic aren’t cheap either. I used Skyscanner to find the cheapest tickets but ended up booking directly through Norwegian Airlines, as it was cheaper once baggage fees were added. I’ll be flying directly from Oslo, although there are options to transfer through Tromsø. I haven’t booked my return flight yet as I’m waiting to transfer some credit card points, hoping to get a discount with Scandinavian Airlines.

Gun Permit

An essential part of Arctic safety is protection against polar bears. When going beyond the city centre of Longyearbyen, polar bear protection is required. Students at UNIS can borrow a rifle if they have completed safety training and obtained a police certification. I applied for the necessary police certification in the Netherlands, which hopefully will be ready for pickup next month.

Concluding

It will be a costly endeavour, but I’m sure it will be worth it. I will probably be posting more about Svalbard as times come closer. So stay tuned!

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