The IPY Arctic Gateway at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) at 78°N

An important part of the International Polar Year (IPY) is to provide information about the IPY to researchers, the local community, media, tourists and the general public. In order to serve this purpose, an IPY Educational and Outreach Centre has been established at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) which is located at 78°N. The Gateway is situated in a 70 square meter locality within the Svalbard Science Centre (SSC). It provides access to six computers with internet access as well as printing and faxing facilities. In addition, both poster and screen presentations on IPY projects active on Svalbard can be viewed. Reading material (booklets and brochures) is also available. This presentation gives an overview of the activities of the Gateway during the first months of operation and future work. This includes (1) establishing a physical contact point in the Arctic for relevant inquires from media and other interested, (2) providing a service to field researchers visiting Svalbard during the IPY, (3) supporting local capacity building by informing the local community about research related questions, (4) exploring the possibilities of setting up a program for teachers from primary and secondary schools to engage in field research on Svalbard, (5) helping to faciliate science based tourism in cooperation with local tourist operators, (6) establishing the SSC as the hub for education and research on Svalbard.