Study in Greenland

Studies of environmental conditions, climate, and their interactions have produced important new information relevant to Norse extinction in Greenland. Most revealing is the detailed evidence of climatic changes that occurred in the northwestern Atlantic beginning in the early 1300s. Changes in atmospheric temperature are recorded in such diverse materials as glacier ice derived from snow falling on the Greenland Ice Cap, fossil vegetation and pollen deposited annually in lake sediments, chemical signatures in isotopic composition of sea sediments, animal and human bones, and even the species of insect pests that accompanied Vikings and their animals as they settled new lands. These indicators clearly suggest that the climate was cooling in the 14th century, and that the Greenlandic environment had been depleted of its "natural capital"--its previously untapped grasslands and animal resources-over 500 years of farming practices in this delicate arctic climate. Top Universities in Greenland Ilisimatusarfik Established in 1987, Ilisimatusarfik (University of Greenland) is a higher education institution located in the medium-sized town of Nuuk (population range of 10,000-49,999 inhabitants). Officially accredited and/or recognized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Church, Greenland, Ilisimatusarfik is a very small (uniRank enrollment range: 500-999 students) coeducational higher education institution. Ilisimatusarfik offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees in several areas of study. See the uniRank degree levels and areas of study matrix below for further details. Ilisimatusarfik also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, as well as administrative services. Education in Greenland Greenland is the world's largest island, 2,175,600 square kilometres in area, of which 1,833,900 sq km is locked into the glacial icecap. The land is characterized by deeply indented fjords and high mountains. The length of the longest fjord is fully 400 kilometres, and the highest mountain rises 3,733 metres. Some of the fjords have active glaciers which produce the largest icebergs in the northern hemisphere. The coastal waters and the non-glaciated land support a variety of fish, sea mammals, birds and mammals. Greenland's present population is believed to have originated with the Inuit of Northern Alaska, who migrated to Greenland approximately 1,000 years ago. The land had previously been populated by various North American cultures and by Vikings from Iceland but, presumably owing to climatic changes, it has been the present Inuit population who have survived. There are also approximately 10,000 Danish residents in the country. The population is now about 56,000 of which 14,000 reside in the capital city, Nuuk. The principal occupations are fishing and the hunting of birds and sea mammals. In South Greenland there is a modest amount of farming concentrating on the raising of sheep supplemented by some fishing. New occupational activities centre around tourism, which is gaining a foothold in some places. The country's official language is Greenlandic, an Inuit language which is related to the Inuit languages of North America but, owing to the influx of Danes, the Danish language predominates in administration, the media and education. Greenland, which became an autonomous province of the Danish Commonwealth in 1979, is governed by a Legislative Assembly with 27 members. The eighteen individual municipalities are administered by locally elected officials. The Legislative Assembly sets the framework within which all local laws are enacted, but foreign policy and the justice system are administered in cooperation with the Danish authorities. As a member of the Danish Commonwealth, Greenland has in addition two Seats in the Danish Parliament. The Current Situation of Education in Greenland With the advent of Home Rule in 1979 there had been appointed a minister for culture and education. At the present time the minister's responsibilities have been expanded to include culture, education and research. A deputy minister manages the daily operation and administration of the directorate, which is divided into two units run by deputy directors, the one looking after the management of vocational education, and the other looking after the public school, high school/college, Ilinniarfissuaq, Ilisimatusarfik, Inerisaavik /Pilersuiffik and research. STUDY ENVIRONMENT Studies of environmental conditions, climate, and their interactions have produced important new information relevant to Norse extinction in Greenland. Most revealing is the detailed evidence of climatic changes that occurred in the northwestern Atlantic beginning in the early 1300s. Changes in atmospheric temperature are recorded in such diverse materials as glacier ice derived from snow falling on the Greenland Ice Cap, fossil vegetation and pollen deposited annually in lake sediments, chemical signatures in isotopic composition of sea sediments, animal and human bones, and even the species of insect pests that accompanied Vikings and their animals as they settled new lands. These indicators clearly suggest that the climate was cooling in the 14th century, and that the Greenlandic environment had been depleted of its "natural capital"--its previously untapped grasslands and animal resources-over 500 years of farming practices in this delicate arctic climate.