Arctic Experiential Studies: Greenland

6 weeks | 6 credits

6 weeks | 6 credits | Summer 2026

The Arctic is at the center of major global challenges, including climate change and increasing geopolitical tensions.

With its strategic location between Europe and North America, and as home to the world’s second-largest ice sheet, Greenland offers a unique vantage point for studying these issues up close.

This summer session is an intensive, hands-on experience that takes you beyond the classroom and into the heart of Greenland. It’s designed for students with a strong sense of purpose, who want to use their study abroad experience to make a difference in the world.

We want you to leave Greenland not only with new knowledge, but with a deep respect for its culture, history, and people.

Session details

Duration

Six-week summer session
(exact dates to be announced after summer 2025)

Location

The session starts and ends in Copenhagen, with most of the course taking place in Greenland.

Housing

Students stay at a Kollegium, local dorms, or a research station in Greenland.

Size

A small cohort of 20 students.

What makes this session unique?

Fully funded

Students accepted into this session will have all expenses covered through the DIS Green Education Fund, an effort to expand our impact in the fight against climate change.

Learn about the Green Education Fund

In the field

A significant portion of the session takes place outside the classroom, allowing you to connect with Greenland’s stunning nature, connect with local communities, and see firsthand how climate change is affecting the region.

Embodied learning

Throughout the session, emphasis will be put on the connection between the mind and body in the learning process through physical movement, sensory experiences, and interaction with the environment.

Bridging perspectives:
A transdisciplinary approach to education

This six-week session consists of two, three-credit courses.

Foundational course
Your entire cohort will take this course, where you will gain a nuanced understanding of Greenland’s past and how the local population continues to navigate the complexities of globalization, cultural preservation, and environmental change.

Subject focus course
For the other course, your cohort will be divided into three distinct academic disciplines. With these disciplines as our academic lenses, you will further explore Greenland and develop a deeper understanding of how both global and local forces shape life in the Arctic.

As you each gain deeper knowledge within your area of focus throughout the session, your cohort will reconvene to synthesize your learnings, producing a wholistic, transdisciplinary understanding of Greenland and the impact of climate change on society.

The three academic focuses for the 2026 session will include:

Psychology

Use experiential and multidisciplinary academic approaches to understand how human beings (dis)connect from our natural environments and identify opportunities for individual and community change.

Environmental Science

Combine Arctic fieldwork and lab research to study climate change firsthand by exploring the Greenland Ice Sheet, conducting ecosystem research, and analyzing samples to understand its long-term impacts.

Geopolitics

Examine the shifting geopolitics of the Arctic by exploring sovereignty disputes, indigenous perspectives, and the strategic interests of global powers amid climate change and resource competition.

Session guiding principles

We believe in learning with Greenland, not just about it.

This session is grounded in the principles of reciprocity, respect, and transdisciplinary collaboration, making sure that Greenlandic voices and experiences inform the learning journey.

“Nothing about us, without us”

A phrase used by Greenlandic people, it guides our approach to this session. Our syllabus is co-created with both local and international academic partners and draws upon indigenous knowledge and Inuit practices.

We are committed to centering Greenlandic expertise, inviting local scholars and community leaders as core contributors, and actively participating in local life through our session. Through meaningful, ongoing conversations, our presence strengthens – rather than extracts from – the relationship between Denmark and Greenland.