PIURN Plenary Session – July 4th
Chair: Professor Pal Ahluwalia , Vice Chancellor and President of the University of the South Pacific
The panelists:
- Dr Henry Puna , Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum
- Professor Catherine Ris , President of the University of New Caledonia
- Professor Ora Renagi, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Technology of Papua New Guinea
- Professor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba. Vice-Chancellor of the Fiji National University
- Professor Jito Vanualailai, Vice President Education of the University of the South Pacific
- Dr George Carter , Director of the Pacific Institute at the Australian National University
- Dr Hugo Bugoro , Director of Research at the National University of the Solomon Islands
- Ms. Salanieta Kitolelei , Doctoral Student at the University of the South Pacific
This plenary session took place as part of the 5th PIURN Conference, hosted and organized by the USP Cook Islands campus, from July 4 to 6, 2023, on the theme “Exploring our sea of islands”, bringing together 250 delegates from across the region.
This session, organized on the first day of the conference (July 4), marked the 10th anniversary of the PIURN network and allowed for a collective discussion on its future development and benefits for the region.
The session began with the announcement of PIURN’s new name: Pacific Islands Regional Universities Network, as well as the new vision and mission.
Vision: Collectively empower Pacific universities to become key contributors in finding solutions to the challenges facing the region
Mission: Empower the next generation of Pacific leaders, researchers and professionals to better meet the needs and aspirations of Pacific communities, in line with the education, research and technology pillar of the Blue Continent Strategy 2050 of the Pacific.
Dr. Henry Puna delivered the opening address, reminding the audience that in the “2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent, education, research and technology is a strategic pathway that cuts across all seven thematic areas It is designed to encourage scientific research, innovation and creativity while reflecting our traditions and cultural practices. He also highlighted the importance of Pacific students, the need for an inclusive and equitable region in which higher education plays a key role for the future of the next blue Pacific generation.
The opening remarks led to a lively discussion, during which traditional knowledge was highlighted as one of the essential aspects of research in the region. To this end, PIURN has announced plans to build a regional “doctoral training center” for each member university, to strengthen the capacity of academics and universities in the Pacific.
10 years ago, PIURN was founded on the idea that Pacific universities faced common challenges and needed to collaborate to improve university publishing, research projects impacting local communities. Despite the disparity in university sizes, resources and languages, PIURN has managed to strengthen research and teaching capacity in the region.
Speakers highlighted the importance of collaboration to foster university capacity building, including with non-network universities in the region (Australia, Hawaii and New Zealand), to support researchers and students from the Pacific and work together towards a sustainable future for the region.
To demonstrate the importance of regional cooperation, the University of French Polynesia presented the book Small Islands, Big Issues. Pacific Perspectives on the Ecosystem of Knowledge (ed. Peter Brown & Nabila Gaertner-Mazouni) as the result of a research collaboration between PIURN member universities and the articulation of Pacific connections contributing to the production and dissemination of Oceanian knowledge.
Participants were then invited to attend a screening of the documentary Nations of Water , a PIURN-funded project that explores the impacts of climate migration in the Pacific.
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