The name "BERA" comes from the Old Norse word for "female bear." Located between the airport and the main city of Svalbard, Longyearbyen, the centre is a collaboration between several Polish universities and research institutes, including the University of Silesia and the Polish Academy of Sciences.
It will provide logistical and research support for Polish scientists, complementing their work at the Polish Polar Station Hornsund and other research facilities.
Research at this location has traditionally been conducted from May to October, with all equipment, fuel, research instruments, and supplies being shipped from Poland, then returning after the season.
This was expensive and inefficient. Now, with the new centre, researchers will have cold storage for samples, diving equipment for Arctic conditions, and space for delicate scientific instruments, saving time and money, and reducing carbon emissions.
BERA Centre enhances Poland's Arctic research, following Norway's lead
The BERA Centre aligns with Poland’s Polar Policy and EU research priorities, focusing on Arctic research, environmental monitoring, and international collaboration.
? „To pierwsza w historii infrastruktura poza granicami Polski, której właścicielem jest Uniwersytet Śląski, a także...
Opublikowany przez Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach Środa, 22 stycznia 2025
Since the establishment of the year-round research station at Hornsund in 1957, four more research stations have been created by Polish universities in the Svalbard region.
Prof. Piotr Głowacki, the long-time head of the Polish Polar Station Hornsund, believes that Poland, after Norway, is now a leader in Arctic research, ahead of Italy, the UK, and Germany. He sees the opening of the BERA Centre as solving the long-standing need for logistical and storage support in the region.
Source: IAR/PAP/BERA/Facebook.com/Uniwersytet Śląski
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