From 2–8 August 2025, UiT The Arctic University of Norway hosted the second edition of the GLOBSEC Summer School, bringing together ten students from Stellenbosch University (South Africa) and ten UiT students for an intensive, week-long programme on Comparative Analysis of Security Policy.
This year’s theme, “From Security Idea to State Action”, guided students through lectures, workshops, and collaborative projects, culminating in mixed Norway–South Africa teams presenting comparative policy analyses on topics ranging from food security and cyber policy to climate resilience and counter-terrorism. The presentations, serving as the final assessment for UiT students, showcased not only academic rigour but also impressive teamwork across cultural and national boundaries.
Highlights included:
- Engaging lectures from UiT and Stellenbosch faculty on policy analysis methods, case selection, and evaluation frameworks.
- A guest lecture panel featuring experts on cybersecurity, climate security, public health, and disinformation.
- A field visit to Kåfjord, designed and led by Leikny Bakke Lie, connecting classroom learning to real-world security considerations.
- A vibrant exchange of perspectives between students from two hemispheres, underlining the value of international cooperation in societal security.
The summer school also attracted attention beyond the classroom, with coverage on UiT’s news site, UiT’s social media, and in the local newspaper Fremtid i Nord, which interviewed students during the field trip.
This event stands as a testament to what the GLOBSEC project aims to achieve: fostering knowledge exchange, strengthening international academic partnerships, and equipping the next generation of societal security experts with the tools to navigate an increasingly complex global threat landscape.