On October 23, 2025, the Regional Management Centre hosted the opening of the XVI International Scientific Conference “Comprehensive Studies of the Nature of Spitsbergen and the Adjacent Shelf”, dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the entry into force of the Spitsbergen Treaty.
The conference, held since 2001, is the oldest scientific forum in the Russian Federation, bringing together Russian and international researchers from Svalbard. The event was organized by the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, the Consulate General of Russia in Svalbard, the Government of the Murmansk Region, the Arktikugol State Trust, the Kola Science Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Murmansk Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society, and JSC MAGE.
Natalia Poluyanova, Deputy Minister of Arctic Development and Economy of the Murmansk Region, delivered a welcoming speech on behalf of the Murmansk Region Government, noting the importance of the scientific community"s joint efforts in addressing the challenges of studying the environmental and economic aspects of Arctic region development.
Establishing a Russian presence on the Svalbard archipelago is one of the strategic priorities of the Russian Federation"s state policy in the Arctic. Russia is interested in maintaining stability on Svalbard and preserving conditions for extensive scientific activity. Five organizations (MMBI RAS, PGI, FRC KSC RAS, KF FRC EGS RAS, and MUGMS) conducting scientific activities on the Svalbard archipelago are located in the Murmansk Region.
On the sidelines of the conference, key aspects of scientific research on the Svalbard archipelago and adjacent shelf were discussed. Participants discussed plans and scientific programs for future work, as well as issues of international cooperation. The event is part of the Implementation Plan for the Strategy of the Russian Presence on the Svalbard Archipelago until 2030.
