In June 2024, 17 PhD candidates from the Norway-Pacific Ocean-Climate (N-POC) Scholarship Programme at the University of the South Pacific participated in the Bergen Summer Research School in Norway. Following two weeks in Bergen, the group travelled to Oslo to present their research to representatives from Norway’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad).

The final two weeks of June were spent in New York, engaging with various UN entities and participating closely in the 24th Meeting of the UN’s Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea. This study tour offered the scholars valuable opportunities to present their research, engage with global policymakers, and contribute to international discussions on ocean and climate issues. The PhD candidates were also engaged in a 10 day International Environmental Diplomacy course hosted by the UN in New York.