Research on international law and political cooperation in the Arctic, and research on politics and resource management in the Russian North, have deep roots at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute.

Norwegian policies and Norwegian-Russian relations in the High North are a major focus of current FNI research, with emphasis on environment, energy, fisheries, marine transport, health, security and jurisdictional issues.

FNI research on Russia also includes studies of federal Russian policies, especially on environment, climate, energy and fisheries, as well as developments in other parts of Russia and other post-Soviet states.

In addition to this, FNI continues to follow Arctic-related processes and cooperation both at circumpolar and regional levels. More recently, the Arctic interests of Asian nations have been an important study area.