Northern Norway Engineering Conference 2026

Northern Norway Engineering Conference 2026

Panoramic view of Tromsø harbour, photo: Getty Images

How can we develop and strengthen Northern Norway together? The North Norwegian Engineering Conference highlights opportunities and challenges related to expertise, business development and community building in the north.

Panoramic view of Tromsø harbour, photo: Getty Images

Signup

Northern Norway Engineering Conference 2026

At this year's conference, we are based on everything that is already happening in Northern Norway – and the choices that will affect the development going forward.

The Northern Norway Engineering Conference is not only a professional arena – it is also a meeting place for reflection and discussion. Here, engineers, technologists, union representatives and decision-makers gather to share experiences, build networks and discuss what it takes to make Northern Norway an even more attractive place to live and work. 

You will hear about developments in areas such as space travel, technology, innovation and health services – and concrete examples of businesses that are succeeding. Topics such as the increased presence of the Armed Forces, developments in Svalbard and challenges in working life provide several perspectives on how Northern Norway is affected – both locally and globally.

Through contributions from political leadership, business and public actors, you get a clear picture of framework conditions, opportunities and priorities going forward.

At the same time, the more demanding questions are raised: What will it take to retain expertise in the north? How do we create attractive jobs and good local communities?

After the conference, we hope to have answered the question - why should you choose to stay in the north?

Program

Registration
Welcome to the Northern Norway Engineering Conference
Head of Department NITO
Northern Norway in the driver's seat – what makes the region unique in the future?
TBA
Political leadership under the microscope – what does it mean for the North?
Growth, risks and opportunities in the High North
Hanne Karoline Kræmer - KBNN, CEO of Sparebanken Nord-Norge
Observation, emergency preparedness and global services
Trude Nilsen, General Manager Earth Observation Tromsø AS
From idea to international success
Asbjørn Lilletun, CEO Norinnova
Lunch
The paradoxes of Norwegian working life
Fredrik Fornes, Speaker, working life influencer, TEDx speaker, serial entrepreneur and best-selling author
Couch conversation: From disagreement to development – this is how we build the region
NHO Nordland KBNN Finnmark County Municipality
The Armed Forces in the North – presence, importance and ripple effects
TBA
Svalbard is changing – what now for Norway's northernmost community?
Terje Aunevik, Chairman of the Longyearbyen Community Council
Health technology from the north – solutions with national significance
Tom Robert Elvebu, Deputy CEO Northern Norway Regional Health Authority ICT
LNS - a Northern Norwegian success
Frode Nilsen, CEO of LNS
TBA
Conclusion and summary
The way forward - what have we learned, and what do we do now?
Conference dinner

September 3rd

Practical information

  • Accommodation is reserved for visitors, in accordance with the rules and regulations. NITO's travel policy.
  • The North Norwegian Engineering Conference is open to members in Region North and other union representatives who participate in the collective workshop for the state and spectrum.
  • For union representatives, NITO covers travel, subsistence, accommodation and any lost earnings when you also participate on 3 September.
  • Other members are welcome to participate, but may arrange accommodation and transport themselves.
  • We have a great demand for the conference and want all the seats to be used. For this reason, we invoice NOK. NOK 500 if you do not show up without having reported your absence within the notification deadline.

Renate Bakkehaug

Senior Advisor

Janne-Iren Nerdal

Senior Advisor