The International Antarctic Institute (IAI) has entered a new phase of revitalization with the official launch of its Secretariat hosted by Ocean University of China (OUC). The launch ceremony took place on 24 February 2026 during a pre-event to the 3rd Polar Symposium in Monaco, co-organized by University of the Arctic (UArctic), the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), and the Oceanographic Institute, Prince Albert I of Monaco Foundation.
This milestone marks a critical step in reactivating the IAI from one of the key educational legacies of the Fourth International Polar Year (IPY-4) to a dynamic platform for global Antarctic academic collaboration. At the launch ceremony, Professor Wang Houjie, Vice President of OUC, officially announced the activation of the IAI Secretariat. He affirmed: “Ocean University of China will provide strong support in terms of personnel, funding, and infrastructure to ensure the Secretariat operates efficiently and professionally.” He further outlined three immediate priorities: activating polar education networks, catalyzing frontier scientific cooperation, and strengthening cultural and academic exchange.
Professor Daniela Liggett of the University of Canterbury, representing the former IAI Secretariat host, reflected on IAI’s origins and evolution. Professor Jiuxin Shi of OUC, the newly appointed Director of the IAI Secretariat, presented the current roadmap for institutional development. The event brought together representatives from over 20 countries, including IAI partner institutions and other polar research organizations, who welcomed this renewed momentum.
Discussions during the pre-event highlighted a shared understanding that achieving the ambitious objectives of the upcoming Fifth International Polar Year (IPY-5, 2032–2033) requires an urgent and coordinated long-term mechanism for Antarctic education and capacity building.In response, participants endorsed the establishment of a SCAR Action Group to develop an Antarctic academic cooperationnetwork, including and building on a revitalized IAI, and positioning it as a SCAR-aligned, transdisciplinary platform to coordinate Antarctic higher education, training, and researcher mobility. The initiative aims to transform the IAI from a loose consortium of universities into a robust, interdisciplinary, and globally inclusive network, explicitly designed to serve as a lasting educational and capacity-building legacy of IPY-5. The relaunch of the IAI Secretariat thus represents not only a revival of a key IPY-4 legacy but also a foundational contribution to the collaborative future of Antarctic science under IPY-5.
Vice President Wang announced the official launch of IAI Secretariate.
Vice President Wang and representatives of IAI partner institutions gathered for the IAI Secretariate official launch ceremony.
Photo courtesy of Heidi Vaarala.
Esteemed Arctic and Antarctic researchers gathered for the pre-event discussions.
Photo courtesy of Heidi Vaarala.
Fireside chat at the pre-event.
