Nearly 20 Countries Attending IPY International Student Conference

Yukon College will host the first ever Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies (ACUNS) International Student Conference to be held North of60. It is also the first program to highlight an international focus that includes both polar regions. Two hundred delegates from around the world are registered to attend.The conference will give students and young researchers the opportunity to develop professional experience, exchange ideas and connect with established scholars, government partners, northern community stakeholders, as well as national and international contacts.The 9th ACUNS conference; Communities of Change � Building an IPY Legacy will take place October 2-5th, 2009 and will include representation from Canada, China, Chile, France, Germany, Iceland, Poland, Sweden, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and others.�This conference helps to establish Yukon College as a leader in northern research and provides a tremendous opportunity for Yukon College students to connect with their international counterparts to discuss northern and polar issues,� says Yukon College President, Terry Weninger.Topics will be covered through plenary talks, student presentations, discussion sessions and a dynamic roster of speakers and panelists.Student Organizing Committee Co-Chair, Kevin Turner says, "Our goal is to highlight International Polar Year research, which is focused on physical, biological and social changes in polar regions in response to factors such as climate change and increased development.� �This student conference is significant not only because of its international content, but also because it has been a long-term goal to hold it in the North, by the North and for the North,� says Robert Bailey, ACUNS president.ACUNS is an association of more than 40 universities, northern colleges and centres devoted to supporting and facilitating northern research and education in Canada.