The International Antarctic Institute (IAI) is a worldwide consortium of universities and agencies that provide university level education in Antarctic studies, and that also engage in polar research. It currently involves 13 diverse institutions in 10 countries – Australia, Chile, China, France, Germany, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Norway, the United Kingdom.

The main goal of the IAI is to facilitate student and faculty exchange programs and allow students to earn credits toward their university degrees by taking courses or participating in field studies through any of the member universities.

This provides member institutions access to an unparalleled range of Antarctic education and research programs and resources.

Mission

The IAI mission is to promote international cooperation engendered by the Antarctic Treaty System, by providing exceptional educational and cultural experiences for our students. This can only be accomplished by international sharing of resources, knowledge and expertise.

More than 60% of the Earth’s fresh water is locked up in the massive ice sheets of Antarctica. Oceanographic and atmospheric processes in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica play an essential role in the regulation of global climate. The Southern Ocean also hosts a vast and complex marine ecosystem that supports an international fishery. The continent itself is a place of superlatives – the highest, coldest, windiest place on Earth.

The signing of the Antarctic Treaty recognized the value of this unique region. The treaty set Antarctica aside as a place for peace and international scientific collaboration. The succeeding decades have shown that this cooperation and sharing of knowledge are essential for the continued protection of this invaluable resource.

The major objective of the IAI is to produce expertly trained scientists and social scientists with international experience and skills in research and its application. The IAI will deliver the knowledge and information needed by our future scientists and policy-makers to address sustainable resource management, climate impacts and other global environmental and social issues associated with Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.

Goals

Develop and provide students with international opportunities in Antarctic education that will enable them to become expertly trained scientists and social scientists with international experience and skills in research and its application.

Deliver the knowledge and information needed by the next generation of researchers and policy makers to address sustainable resource management, climate impacts and other global environmental and social issues associated with Antarctica and the Southern Ocean.

Facilitate the engagement of the international scientific community in Antarctic and Southern Ocean education.