ArcticSkills has been granted a continuation of its activities till May 31, 2023. However, the results of the ongoing project are promising, and the partners intend to continue their cooperation based on the gained experiences throughout the implementation period. The organization, financing and participation are still open questions. Øystein Hansen, head of the Lead Partner, Kirkenes upper Secondary School, presented his thoughts on the way ahead, long-term cooperation, organization, and activities in the Board meeting in Hammerfest September 1.
Two possible concepts after May 2023
One alternative could be a continuation of ArcticSkills as a project, with project financing and limited time horizon. Alternatively, ArcticSkills can be implemented in the partners’ regular activity, with long term financing. This implies financial obligations and strong will for participating partners.
Øystein Hansen focused most on the first concept, which implies a three year’s project from 2023 – 2026. He estimated a cost of about 300 000 euro per year, financed by project funding and contributions from all participating countries. The present organization would be a trusted platform to build on, leaving, of course, the question of Russian participation for the future development in Russia to decide. He also declared that Kirkenes Upper Secondary School is willing to continue the responsibilities as Lead partner, which include:
- running AS between the competitions
- administrating the student exchange program
- organizing and planning of board meetings and expert meetings
- overview of applications for funding and for reporting
The Board reacted positively to the preliminary thoughts and agreed that it will be necessary to still pursue the goals in the ongoing project. A more detailed proposal will be discussed in by the Board in Rovaniemi December this year.
