Østergaard who is working on his PhD thesis titled “Free Association in Greenland: A New Mode of Sovereignty” received the opportunity to visit Nuuk, Greenland to conduct research on the forefront of the Greenland political scene.
During his research trip, Østergaard was able to connect with fellow researchers and political stakeholders at meetings about the impact of Brexit on Greenland hosted by the British embassy in Copenhagen and the British honorary consul in Greenland. Østergaard said sitting on the meetings "proved a valuable insight, especially of the thoughts and political maneuvering of key stakeholders in the Greenlandic pro-independence camp... This would not be possible without having the chance to visit the place in person, as a lot of the nuances and finer details in the sovereignty discussions are left out otherwise."
Østergaard said his trip "proved a valuable opportunity to experience the culture and environment in Nuuk, and put into context how some view Greenlandic sovereignty as a thing being far into the future, instead of the immediate near."
UArctic's north2north mobility program provides opportunities to study, teach and carry out research in different parts of the North.