PORA and the North-West Institute of Management – a branch of RANEPA – to jointly engage in Arctic research

During the X International Nevsky Forum on June 26, 2026, a cooperation agreement was signed between the North-West Institute of Management – a branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA) – and the PORA Expert Center. The document was signed by Andrey Khlutkov, Director of the Presidential Academy in Saint Petersburg, and Maksim Dankin, CEO of PORA.

The agreement is valid for five years and provides for joint work in the field of Arctic research across a number of areas: the development and implementation of scientific projects, the exchange of scientific information and publications, and the organization of joint conferences, seminars, and expert groups. Special attention will be paid to the preparation of joint scientific strategies and programs, as well as to the development of Arctic topics in the Academy’s educational and research activities.

«The Project Office for the Development of the Arctic already cooperates with RANEPA in a number of areas. And the signing of this agreement provides an opportunity to expand our interaction. It is especially important that our partner is specifically the St. Petersburg campus of the Presidential Academy. St. Petersburg has historically been one of the key centers for the exploration and study of the Arctic, and it is home to unique scientific, educational, and expert competencies – including those at the Center for Arctic Research and Projects of the North-West Institute of Management – a branch of RANEPA. I am confident that combining our capabilities will allow us to implement new research and educational projects, the results of which will be in demand in addressing the challenges of developing the Russian Arctic zone,» emphasized Maksim Dankin, CEO of PORA.

«The signing of the agreement with the Project Office for the Development of the Arctic is a logical step in the development of the numerous Arctic-oriented research efforts at the Presidential Academy in Saint Petersburg. Now we have a partner who will help take our work to a new practical level. Together, we will be able not only to study the Arctic but also to formulate proposals for the real sector of the economy and public administration,» noted Andrey Khlutkov, Director of the Presidential Academy in Saint Petersburg.

The Presidential Academy in Saint Petersburg hosts the Center for Arctic Research and Projects, which provides comprehensive scientific, personnel, and methodological support for projects aimed at developing the Arctic zone. At the end of April 2026, PORA and the CAIP of the North-West Institute of Management of RANEPA held an international scientific conference, «International Legal Problems of Arctic Development: History and Modernity,» which discussed historical and contemporary issues of an international legal nature in the Arctic.

In the fall of 2025, PORA and the Institute of Social Sciences of the Presidential Academy, with the support of the Foundation «History of the Fatherland,» held a series of historical and educational lectures that demonstrated how the Arctic and the North have shaped Russia’s cultural, economic, and civilizational identity over the centuries, and how these ideas influence current policies for the development of the northern territories.

The X Jubilee International Nevsky Forum is taking place on June 25–26, 2026, in Saint Petersburg. The main venue for the event is the Mariinsky Palace (the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg). The forum is traditionally organized by the Presidential Academy in Saint Petersburg.