Explore the Arctic and Antarctic in an interdisciplinary environment
The School of Excellence in Arctic and Antarctic Learning, SEAL, addresses the complex challenges of the polar regions with collective expertise across subject boundaries. Joint doctoral courses and projects provide a broad understanding of the natural science, ethical, geopolitical, and societal issues of the polar regions. The research school is begins on August 20, 2026. On this page, you can read more about the structure of the research school, course offerings, and find open doctoral positions.
SEAL course offerings and structure
The research school fosters a strong cohort of early-career researchers working across disciplinary boundaries. Our course portfolio spans glaciology, geology, meteorology, oceanography, climate change, biodiversity, geopolitics, tourism and Indigenous knowledge. It addresses interactions among the ocean, cryosphere, atmosphere, terrestrial systems, and the anthroposphere. The first course begins in August 2026.
Courses are delivered collaboratively by five Swedish higher education institutions with leading polar research profiles.
More information about the partner universitites - About us
Summer and field courses
A central part of the programme is a series of interdisciplinary summer and field courses that provide practical training in polar environments and methods. These include the Transdisciplinary Polar Summer School in the Swedish mountains, held in Bydalen, and the Southern Ocean Summer School, held in Corsica, which focuses on ocean dynamics and ocean–ice interactions. SEAL also offers a number of field-based courses, such as Winter Processes – Physical, Chemical and Biological Processes of Polar Systems, held in Abisko, and The Dynamics of the Greenland Ice Sheet, held in Greenland.
The summer and field courses involve national and international researchers and experts. This contributes to a broad and in-depth understanding of the polar regions and gives doctoral students opportunities to develop long-term international collaborations.
SEAL course portfolio
SEAL’s course portfolio will continue to develop throughout the lifetime of the research school. Additional methods courses and specialised courses relevant to polar research will be made available as the programme progresses. These courses are developed in consultation with stakeholders to ensure that they are aligned with societal needs and priorities.
There are also a number of elective courses that are open to doctoral students from outside the research school. These courses are published on an ongoing basis on this website.
