Progress reports:
Achievements at a glance
The Pacific Islands Universities Research Network (PIURN) has installed, over the last years, positive dynamics in the region and has proven to be a reliable partner in terms of research cooperation and regional integration.
Since the inception of the network, the University of New Caledonia (UNC) and the University of the South Pacific (USP) have been co-chairing the network, their role is to help increase regional cooperation and integration in terms of research and training. At least once a year, members of PIURN Board meet to reflect on the network’s strategy, the recent outcomes, the collaborative projects and the future of PIURN.
The third PIURN Conference took place in October 2018, in Tahiti (French Polynesia) – https://piurn2018.sciencesconf.org/. This major event brought together 130 participants. Including young researchers and students, from 15 universities and 11 Pacific countries and territories. The discussions evolved around the theme “Traditional knowledge, Academic Knowledge and current universities’ research dynamics in the Pacific Region”.
The 3rd conference marked an opportunity for PIURN to established two new institutional collaborations: one project with the Vanuatu Ministry of Education and Training to support the creation a trilingual national university: English, French and Bislama. The network also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Pacific islands Development Forum (PIDF). – https://piurn.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/MOU-WITH-PIDF-EN-signed-parties.pdf.
In 2020, the National University of Vanuatu was established, with dedicated legal support of UNC academics, and formally asked to integrate the PIURN network. PIURN members accepted unanimously, making the National University of Vanuatu the 14th member of the network. This expansion shows how PIURN is being identified as a strategic instrument in the region in terms of research, training and regional cooperation.
PIURN dramatically deepened science collaborations between members through scientific and collaborative projects. In 2019, 10 research projects were still ongoing, tackling diverse subjects such as climate migration, studying pollutants in the Pacific Islands’ coral reefs, analyzing the socio-spatial dynamics of informal settlements, measuring the air pollution in the Pacific islands cities, etc. All the projects are aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, demonstrating the commitment of the network to build a better future for the Pacific.
Thanks to these projects, PIURN directly supports staff and student exchange, through internship or the creation of a tailor-made courses in a partner university.
List of PIURN Projects:
– Air Pollution in the Pacific Island Cities: PM2.5 Measurements, elemental composition and Bio-Monitoring. Project led by USP, in partnership with University of New Caledonia, Fiji National University, University of Massuchetts
– Evaluating the effectiveness of national adaptation programme of action on climate change in five pacific least development countries – case of Solomon Islands. Project led by USP, in partnership with Solomon Islands National University
– Towards National Drinking Water Standards in Vanuatu: Applied Research and Capacity Building. Project led by USP, in partnership with Papua New Guinea University of Technology, University of New South Wales, University of Auckland
– Pacific Nickelators : Advancing nickel hyperaccumulator plants discovery and utilization for mining site rehabilitation accross Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia and Australia led by the University of New Caledonia. Partners : the University of Papua New Guinea, the University of Queensland, l’Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, l’Institut Agronomique Néo Calédonien
– Pacific Nickelators 2 led by the University of New Caledonia, with the University of the South Pacific, the University of Queensland, l’Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, l’Institut Agronomique Néo Calédonien
– Creation of an academic network on climate migration led by the University of New Caledonia. Partner: the University of the South Pacific.
– SOSPADIS: Socio Spatial Dynamics of Informal Settlements in Fiji and in Vanuatu. Project led by the University of New Caledonia. Partners: the University of the South Pacific, Massey University, Ecosophy
– Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture, Food and Health in the Pacific Islands led by the University of the New Caledonia. Partners: Divine Word University, Solomon Islands National University, The Papua New Guinea University of Technology, Ministry of Education and Training (Vanuatu)
– Addressing threats to traditional food security and diet quality in the rural Pacific, led by the University of the South Pacific. Partners : Institut Agronomique Calédonien, University of Goroka, the University of New Caledonia.
– POLPAC: Organic and metallic pollutants within trophic compartments of Pacific islands’ coral reefs, led by the University of New Caledonia and partnering with the University of the South Pacific.
Another major achievement is the University of New Caledonia been granted 1.3 million euros from the European Commission Horizon 2020 Marie Curie program for establishing the FALAH ‘Family Farming, Lifestyle and Health’ scientific network, together with PIURN members such as USP, Solomon Islands National University, and Vanuatu institutions. This multidisciplinary project, aligned with the SGDs, will explore the impact of climate change on food security and practice and their impact on the Pacific population’s health. Three PIURN members’ universities (UNC, USP, and Solomon Islands National University) are closely integrated to the project. Indeed, the FALAH project is the result of previous PIURN research missions and publications for which USP, UNC, University of Goroka and Solomon Islands University participated. UNV is expected to naturally join the FALAH project. One of the major goals of FALAH is to create a strong network of research team in the Pacific, composed of PhD students, researchers, professors with a real expertise on food security, environment, and health. The project aims to promote family farming in order to improve the health of the Pacific communities and secure food security within the challenging context of climate change and rapid social and economic transformations in the Pacific – https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/873185.
In parallel, PIURN has proven to be a catalyst for generating ambitious and innovative projects for the Pacific Region. Significant Pacific Fund seed funding is now secured to establish a regional Innovative training network (ITN SUDPAC) on environment and sustainable development. The objective is to support the design of a regional Master and to foster connections between the various PhD schools in the region, with the view to directly serve the SDG agenda, with a focus on the Pacific Islands Countries and Territories’ specific challenges and objectives. The ITN SUDPAC targets to research and create concrete responses to the challenges faced by the Pacific Population and encourage the exchange of students and researchers within the Pacific.
With the two French Pacific Universities (University of New Caledonia and University of French Polynesia), as well as the regional University of the South Pacific, this ITN will first strengthen the regional integration through a joint Master’s offer on the theme Climate Change and Environment, including working on sustainable tourism, the development of Oceanian territories, health and energy management... This Master will be the result of the fusion of three existing Masters, which are already valued and recognized in the Pacific. The mid-term goal is for the joint Master to evolve in a common Pacific diploma of the three universities, increasing the career possibility for the students within the region and internationally.
As a partner, PIURN will assist the network in structuring the regional cooperation for training and research.
As the Pacific address new challenges with the Pacific SPAPE (Sport, Physical Activity and Physical Education) Action Plan, PIURN is committed to strengthen research on Sport as the network was actively involved in the stakeholders consultation, at USP in November 2019 and in Vanuatu (December 2019) for building. Physical activity and sport are important for the development of an inclusive and sustainable Pacific society.
The Pacific is a strategic region, especially when it comes to climate change. Numerous projects aim to understand and fight climate change as the Pacific region is in the front line and the most impacted by sea-level rise, resilience of corals, and displacement of fish stocks… Using local expertise to work on this urgent and most important challenges is at the core of PIURN’s action.
Challenges faced in implementation
There are disparities in the network, due to the size and resources of the different universities. The member universities have their own stories and governance, with real gaps in terms of research capacities or funding capabilities. Some universities are national, others are regional institution. They were created at various stages. PIURN has to work around these differences and unite the members around the regional priorities and common goals.
When it comes to organize regional event, a lot of hurdles can jeopardize the implementation. Indeed, regarding the 3rd PIURN conference, the organization was challenged by visa and transportation difficulties. The Pacific Region faces many obstacles, whether they are natural (distances, insularity), administrative (difficulties to get visa) or financial (flying costs). The Pacific Region is also home to multiple languages.
In order to realize a successful and long-term collaborations, the actors have to know and understand each other. Lack of knowledge between the countries and territories can make the creation of research projects a slow process.
Funding scientific projects is also a real challenge in the region. Call for proposals are really competitive and scarcely accessible the Pacific Islands countries. Raising money to finance research projects for the Pacific Islands Countries and Territories and mobilizing the staff and students of local universities is a challenge
Next steps
PIURN will prepare and organize the 4th PIURN Conference, hosted by the Solomon Islands National University, in 2021. The 4th Conference was meant to take place in 2020 but due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, PIURN Board decided to postpone the conference in June 2021.
The FALAH project will bring together various Pacific Islands Countries and Territories, with the expertise of Pacific researchers and students involved in the project.
One mid/long term for the network is to ensure its own sustainability. PIURN intends to develop collaborative and innovative scientific projects in the region by diversifying funding sources. Opportunities of productive partnerships with NGOs, regional and international organizations, companies to strengthen the network and the project outcomes are being explored.
The network will also work on implementing the ITN-SUDPAC and Master’s Degree program in the region. This project show that the member universities are willing to create common curriculum and degree, in order to increase cooperation between the universities and to offer Pacific students a quality Pacific education.
Beneficiaries & Actions
Who are the beneficiaries?
The beneficiaries are the regional tertiary institutions (universities), the professors, researchers and the students working on the project. PIURN also works to ensure that research collaborations address the specific needs of the Pacific population. More largely, PIURN aims at meeting the training needs of future leaders and practitioners of the Pacific Region.
What specific actions have been taken to positively impact the beneficiaries?
All the research projects aim to positively impact the population as they are all aligned with the SDGs. The projects work on priority challenges in the Pacific as measuring the pollution in the sea, analyzing and improving the dynamics in informal settlements, studying the national drinking water standards, evaluating the effectiveness of National Adaptation Programme of Action on climate change
The network also reinforces research quality and capacity in the region through strengthening postgraduate training and enhancing the universities’ curriculum (masters, PhD), with the will to create a regional educative program. PIURN also promotes local scientists and supports the Pacific students. As for an example, UNC and USP are now funded under the ERASMUS + international program to support exchanges of PhD students between the two universities.
PIURN also wants to deepen the relations with regional organizations to combine expertise and capacity and to increase its positive impact on the Pacific society.
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/partnerships/