KarRC RAS is a large centre of science and education in Northwest Russia. Since the Republic of Karelia is situated at the border, the development of international cooperation is one of the priorities for the Centre, as well as an important tool for promoting science in the region. It facilitates the transfer of the most advanced foreign experience and expertise, and helps raise funds for handling problems in many spheres of scientific activities.



KarRC RAS annually participates in the implementation of around 50 international projects. The Centre maintains a vast partnership geography, with over 80 organizations from 21 countries. KarRC RAS is an active participant of the cooperation in the frameworks of the programmes initiated and supported by the European Union, Nordic Council of Ministers, Barents Euro-Arctic Region (BEAR), Council of the Baltic Sea State (CBSS), Arctic Council. The Centre is a member of the University of the Arctic (UArctic) international network. KarRC RAS is an observer for the Board of the European Green Belt Association; it is represented in the trilateral Working Group on the Green Belt of Fennoscandia, as well as the Finnish-Russian Working Group on Nature Conservation. KarRC RAS actively collaborates with the Barents Euro-Arctic Council’s (BEAC) Working Group on Environment.

Finland has traditionally been the key partner in KarRC RAS international cooperation: quantitatively (number of projects, specialist exchanges, joints expeditions, study trips, conferences), the share of cooperation with Finland is around 70 percent.

KarRC RAS Department for International Cooperation coordinates the Centre’s activities in organizing the implementation of research within international projects, networks with foreign organizations and scientists, represents the Centre’s interests at the international level.