University Centre in Svalbard

The University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS ) is a university center, which is virtually a branch of the universities in Oslo, Bergen, Tromsø and the Natural Sciences and Engineering University of Norway. Main tasks are to university research and training in Arctic science and technology fields and the establishment of Spitsbergen as research site for Arctic studies.

The UNIS is located in Longyearbyen. The teaching began in 1993 in the fields of Arctic Geology and Geophysics Arctic. In 1994, the Department of Arctic Biology and Technology 1996, the Arctic was added. Students come primarily from Norway, Germany, Russia and the rest of the EU. The building also the Svalbard Museum is on the history and wildlife of Spitsbergen.

This is the center of the Svalbard Science Centre (SSC ), an international cooperation of researchers from various research institutes that are active on Spitsbergen. The UNIS operates numerous outstations, such as the Aurora station in Adventdalen.

UNIS works with numerous private institutions together and hosts and operates research equipment other research institutions, such as a ground station of TUBSAT satellite fleet.

To enable the field research and field studies of the academic staff and the students in the high Arctic expedition under the same conditions, the UNIS maintains its own fleet of vehicles with Bv206, watercraft and the University's armory. For the correct use of the equipment and wilderness skills the UNIS leads at the beginning of the academic year by a separate course for wilderness skills. Successful completion of the AS -101 Arctic Survival and Safety Course is a prerequisite for further participation in field trips.

Housed the students are former miners barracks in the district Nybyen. Many of the students use a mountain bike for the ride to the university buildings.