IASC’s core mission is to encourage and facilitate cooperation throughout the Arctic research community. In 2015, IASC therefore released the publication “Integrating Arctic Research – a Roadmap for the Future”, resulting from the 3rd International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP III) bottom-up process that was initiated by IASC in cooperation with many partners and involved over 700 scientists from 27 countries.
The planning for the 4th International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV) to be held in 2025 has started, and its outcomes will profoundly influence IASC strategic planning in the future. The IASC Council, therefore, decided to wait for the results of the ICARP IV process to develop a new strategy for IASC for the years 2027 onward.
The IASC Strategic Plan for the period 2023-2026 sets out IASC’s priorities until 2026. Over the next two years IASC will help to coordinate and support the ICARP IV process. This important and high-profile Arctic research community initiative plays a critical role in identifying the most pressing scientific priorities and outlining a strategy to support key partnerships to address them. IASC will leverage information from the ICARP IV process and the resulting final report to inform the next IASC Strategic Plan. It is anticipated that a new 10-year plan will be developed for 2027, incorporating a review in 2032. IASC is proud to have advocated strongly and successfully with other partners for the creation of a Fifth International Polar Year in 2032-33. The next IPY is a fantastic opportunity to inspire Arctic and global communities, Indigenous Peoples, researchers, funders, and communicators to create new initiatives to understand and answer the most pressing challenges facing the Arctic region and its role in the global system. Together, IASC and partners will ensure that planning for the next IPY is implemented in an inclusive manner, and that the planning phase receives as much attention as the IPY itself to ensure the best possible impact of this coordinated research activity
The IASC Council approved IASC's new Strategic Plan at their meeting at the ASSW 2023 in Vienna, Austria.