In March, the University of the South Pacific (USP) hosted the 2020 PIURN Board Meeting. The University of Papua New Guinea, the University of Goroka, Solomon Islands National University, Fiji National University and the University of Fiji joined the meeting at USP. The University of New Caledonia (UNC), National University of Samoa and the University of French Polynesia (UPF) were present through video conference as some Pacific Islands Countries and Territories established travel restrictions because of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Members of the Board decided to meet to reflect on the regional collaboration of their universities and on the strategy for the future of PIURN in order to reinforce the scientific cooperation among the members and in the Pacific.
This Board meeting highlighted the outcomes of the network collaboration. The researchers from USP, UNC and University of Goroka had the opportunity to present their collaborative projects which were received enthusiastically by the participants.
The FALAH ‘Family Farming, Lifestyle and Health’ project, which has been granted 1.3 million euros from the European Commission Horizon 2020 Marie Curie program, was introduced to the members. This project aims to establish a scientific network within the Pacific region, gathering expertise from PhD students, professors, and researchers on the themes of food security, health, environment. The FALAH project will be launched in October 2020 (official launching was April 2020 but it was postponed due to the Pandemic).
One of the main subject on the agenda was the organization of the 2020 PIURN 4th Conference, to be hosted by Solomon Islands National University. The participants decided, given the uncertainty of the evolution of the Covid-19 Pandemic, to postpone the conference in June 2021.
The Board finished with the unanimous vote of the members in favor of the integration of the newly established National University of Vanuatu within the PIURN network.
