Photo of ice breakers in Helsinki in winter with an evening sun. Photo credit: Helsinki Partners / Yiping Feng, Ling Ouyang

Information about the Fulbright Finland-U.S. Icebreaker Capacity Building Program

The Fulbright Finland-U.S. Icebreaker Capacity Building Program takes place from November 7 to November 13, 2026.

Information as of September 11.

Please note that these pages are for the Fulbright Finland Foundation grantees only and not to be shared publicly.

The intensive one-week 2026 Fulbright Finland-U.S. Icebreaker Capacity Building Program (Fulbright Finland-U.S. ICECAP) will enable U.S. research institutions working in advanced and emerging technologies related to icebreakers, naval architecture, and other relevant fields of arctic and polar expertise to enter into responsible international collaborations with Finnish counterparts by training staff and university leadership on the state-of-the-art and context of Finnish icebreaker research and technology development, partnership building and intellectual property (IP) protection issues. The program will jointly explore the geopolitical and security frameworks, policy and government in the Arctic, biodiversity and ecosystems, and technological innovations in the Arctic context.

This page has important information regarding the Fulbright Finland-U.S. ICECAP program. Please bookmark this page for your reference. The page is updated on a regular basis. 

The program booklet will be published here in October. 

For questions related to flight arrangements or travel allowances, please contact NCURA. 

Agenda
Pre-Assignments
Participant Biographies
Speaker Biographies (available later)
Follow-up Materials (available after the program)

Hotel Information

Hotel reservations have been made for the participants from November 7 to 13 (6 nights) and will be paid by the Fulbright Finland Foundation. You will be accommodated in Standard Queen rooms. Any possible upgrades or changes to the length of stay are at your own cost. 

Sokos Hotel Presidentti

Address: Eteläinen Rautatiekatu 4, 00100 Helsinki
Reception email: presidentti.helsinki@sokoshotels.fi
Reception telephone: +358 (0) 20 1234 608
Room price includes breakfast, internet connection around the hotel, and gym.
Check-in starts at 3.00 pm and check-out done by 12 pm.

Packing tips

November is typically a colder fall month in Finland with a chance of snow. Please have a look at the weather forecast when packing. We recommend packing different types of layers fitting the colder weather. During the program we will be spending time outside, so please remember to pack warm outdoor clothing. Hats and scarves are recommended as well as warm and water resilient shoes and gloves. You can consider bringing a light set of outdoor pants with you.

Watch a video by YLE Oulu (link goes to YLE Oulu’s Facebook page) about how to dress for different weather conditions.

You will also be introduced to the most Finnish experience during the program - sauna. Please pack a swimsuit with you. Finnish hotels have hairdryers in the rooms so there is no need to bring one from the U.S. Towels are also provided for you. 

Electric sockets are different in Finland, so remember to pack an adapter as well as a converter for electronics that you will need during your stay.

For traveling, we recommend bringing at the maximum one big suitcase that goes to the cargo hold and one carry-on luggage, and a purse/laptop bag. 

Dress code:

  • Day-to-day wear can be business casual.
  • For the Orientation day, casual is fine. 
  • As it is November, wear sturdy shoes that can handle potentially damp and cool environments.  

Please note that these pages are for the Fulbright Finland Foundation grantees only and not to be shared publicly.