USP hosts inaugural Pacific Islands Regional Universities Network and Science Policy Dialogue
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 | (top): Group photo of participants of the Pacific Islands Regional Universities Network and Science Policy Dialogue.
(bottom): Director of UNESCO’s Division for Science, Policy and Capacity-Building, Professor Lidia Brito, delivers her keynote address. |
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Major universities from Pacific Island Countries converged at the University of the South Pacific in Suva from 5 - 7 November, 2012.
Vice Chancellors and senior representatives from USP, Fiji National University, University of Fiji, University of Papua New Guinea, PNG University of Technology, Pacific Adventist University PNG, University of Natural Resources and Environment PNG, National University of Samoa, University of New Caledonia and University of French Polynesia attended the dialogue on the formation of a Pacific Islands Regional Universities Network to advocate on Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) issues and to ultimately develop a Pacific-owned and Pacific-driven ST&I Policy Framework.
The initiative was hosted by USP in partnershipwith the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation (ACP-EU CTA) from the Netherlands, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Representatives from regional university networks in Africa and the Caribbean were able to share their successful experiences to inform the dialogue. Representatives of The Higher Education Commissions in Fiji and PNG, as well as IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Development) were also present to discuss ST&I policy frameworks.
The USP Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research and International), Professor John Bythell welcomed the Vice-Chancellors, Deans, Heads of Research and senior academics of the different universities as well as representatives of regional and international organisations to the three-day meeting.
He told those present that the ambition of USP’s new Strategic Plan is to take the University from good to excellent, adding that, a large part of that is excellence in research including areas of ST&I.
Professor Bythell also touched on the importance of increasing research capacity and collaboration especially among universities in the region to enable a fundamental shift from a region dependent on outside help to address the societal challenges to one that is able to address those challenges from within.
The issue of networking universities for research and innovation was further looked into by Ms Judith Francis, Senior Programme Coordinator, Science and Technology Policy division of CTA based in the Netherlands.
She said that Pacific universities were not sufficiently engaged. She mainly attributed this to universities lacking connection to productive sectors, lack of innovation in products, processes and services as well as limited research and development on priority issues.
Ms Francis pointed out that Pacific universities can make a greater impact through networking to formulate and focus on common issues to collectively improve performance and impact at the policy level.
“Countries are asking and expecting more of their universities given the complex challenges confronting society,” she added.
Similar views were expressed by the UNESCO Programme Specialist for Small Islands and Indigenous Knowledge, Mr Hans Thulstrup.
He said that the meeting was an opportune time to share views and ideas and be more explicit about the role of ST&I in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) as a build up to the upcoming major SIDS Global Conference in Samoa in 2014.
‘Science, Technology and Innovation Polices for sustainable development in the Pacific’ was the topic of Professor Lidia Brito’s keynote address.
Professor Brito, who is the Director of UNESCO’s Division for Science, Policy and Capacity-Building, reminded those present that the Earth system was profoundly interconnected and interdependent. She stated that interconnected issues require interconnected solutions, adding that local actions in one part of the world can affect people in other parts of the globe.
While rapid scientific and technological issues can provide potential solutions, Professor Brito said social transformations were needed as well. She explained that this is where research plays a significant role in monitoring change, determining thresholds, developing new technologies and processes and providing solutions.
Given the increasing vulnerabilities faced by SIDS, Professor Brito explained that new approaches to sustainability were required.
“Science and technology have a crucial role to play but fulfilling its potential requires the development and implementation of clear and strategic polices,” she said.
She elaborated that what is required is regional and inter-regional collaboration through university networks and science policy forums; collaboration and dialogue between academia and policy-makers; and consideration of the role of Pacific local and indigenous knowledge and its relation to scientific knowledge.
Professor Brito proposed the need for a critical mass of students and researchers to be trained at various levels including Masters in ST&I fields related to the country/regional priorities.
This critical mass needs to be carefully estimated to match with potential future job offers in the labour market, she added.
The outcome of the three-day dialogue was a resolution to collaborate on the establishment of a Pacific Islands Universities Research Network (PIURN). The participants issued a communiqué establishing a working group, hosted by USP and directed by Dr Jito Vanualailai in the Research Office, to draw up the terms of reference and working practices for PIURN. USP will also host the network Secretariat for the first three years.
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