The ASSW is a collaborative effort between:

• International Arctic Sciences Committee IASC
• Arctic Ocean Sciences Board AOSB
• European Polar Board EPB
• Pacific Arctic Group PAG
• Forum of Arctic Research Operators FARO

The
summit of influential organizations engaged in Arctic and polar
research and planning is to provide opportunities for international
coordination, collaboration and cooperation in all areas of Arctic
science and to combine science and management meetings. The ASSW also
offers insight into Arctic research undertaken by the host country.
Previous ASSW meetings have been held in Hanover (USA), Potsdam
(Germany), Tromso (Norway), Cambridge (UK), Iqaluit (Canada), Groningen
(Netherlands), Kiruna (Sweden), Reykjavik (Iceland), and Kunming
(China).

ASSW 2008 falls in the
middle of the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008. In the
framework of IPY an intense international program of polar researches
is carried out, in which Russia takes an active part.