Taking into consideration its core role as the premier institution of higher education in the South Pacific region producing and disseminating new knowledge via research and innovation, the needs of its member countries, and its current and potential capacity, The University of the South Pacific has identified four strategic research themes that are derived from the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (2015 – 2030) and underpinned by Innovation, Empowerment & Sustainability:
This theme focuses on SDGs 1, 8, 9, and 11. Research under this theme will strengthen the University’s contribution to an understanding of pathways to development that are based upon the eradication of poverty through sustainable and inclusive economic growth and the creation of full and productive employment and decent work for all, together with the building of the social protection systems that can assist in managing the risks faced by Pacific Island countries.
Project Title: Climate Change, Mental Health & Wellbeing in the Pacific Islands Frontier Conversations about Trauma, Culture, Resistance, Resilience and Restoration
Principal Investigator: Dr Litea Meo-Sewabu
Team Members: | SPACE, USP– Tima Tuvuki, Dr. Rosiana Lagi,
SoLaSS, USP – Dr. Litea Meo-Sewabu, Dr. Tuinawi Rakuita |
Funding: FJD $50,000.00
Duration: 10 months
Overview of Project
This project interrogates the multiple concepts of trauma, resilience and resilience literacies (Koya Vaka’uta, 2013)2 as central to the broader sustainability discourse. It is premised on the potential for dealing with the mental health stresses and pre-trauma experienced by those living in climate change frontier communities i.e. with the reality of relocation or the threat of climate change migration. These communities living on the edge are often used as poster-islands for Climate Change e.g. Tuvalu and Kiribati. The premise on which this study is designed is the recognition that climate-migration and the possibility of climate refugee identities present multiple socio-cultural, economic stresses and familial trauma. A comparative study of the lived experience of climate grief will be conducted in two communities for this pilot study – in Tuvalu and outlier coastal communities in Fiji. The field-study component seeks to determine whether these communities may in fact already be experiencing what might be referred to as pre-traumatic stress as a direct result of the awareness that relocation is an impending reality.
Objectives:
Project Title: Establishing a Pacific-wide reef fish tissue bank for elucidating regional population connectivity and ecotoxicology
Principal Investigator: Dr Nicholas Rollings
Team Members: | PACE-SD USP- Dr Tammy Tabe
SoLaSS, USP – Dr Jacqueline Ryle FBE USP – Ms Chethna Ben |
Funding: FJD $79,836.00
Duration: 24 months
Overview of Project
The Research Project titled ‘Employing GIS & UAV tools to contribute to sustainability strategies for community resilience in Fiji’ in essence, will be a pilot study conducted to display the strategies adapted for making communities in Fiji The strategy implemented will focus on communities becoming sustainable and resilient to the vulnerabilities of climate change and problems associated with rapid urbanization. In an attempt to make communities such as informal settlements sustainable, this project will focus on a study that will focus on designing a scheme with a combination of scientific method, sociology, economic and technical strategy. The existing formalization framework has proven to be expensive and takes a considerable amount of time as it requires preparation of schemes, environmental impact reports and engineering works. The aim of designing a strategy with GIS & UAV tools in the existing formalization process is to create a catalogue detailing assessment procedures and guideline for informal settlements.
Project Title: The Contribution of Sport to the Sustainable Development Goals in the Pacific.
Principal Investigator: Dr Nacanieli Rika
Team Members: | SAFE, USP – Ms Masilina Rotuivaqali,
SBM, USP – Dr Rup Singh, USP Research Office- Dr Mele Paea External Collaborators CMNHS, FNU – Dr Donald Wilson, Associate Dean of Research, Sport Matters (Australia)- Ms Jackie Lauff USP Postgraduate Research Students National, Regional and International Affiliates Sport for Development and Peace, Commonwealth Secretariat (United Kingdom) – Mr Oliver Dudfield, The Pacific Community (SPC) (New Caledonia) – Ms Alison Culpin, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (Fiji) – Ms Charmina Saili, Ms Portia Domonatani Dugu Project Advisors Swinburne University of Technology (Australia) – Dr Emma Sherry, University of the Western Cape (South Africa) – Dr Marion Keim, Royal Holloway, University of London (United Kingdom) – Professor Helen Tregidga |
Funding: $50,000.00
Duration: 14 months
Overview of Project
This project extends knowledge in the area by including four regional countries and examining specific aspects of sustainable development through the SDGs, which have immense current significance at national, regional and global level. Pacific Island Countries need to mobilise all possible development assets and tools at their disposal to achieve the SDGs. Sport, physical activity and physical education sit firmly among these assets. There is a need for governments to align collective measurement and evaluation efforts in these sectors to better evidence their contribution to the SDGs and produce enhanced data and statistics to guide policy priorities and associated investment. Improving data on sport and the SDGs will provide governments, sporting organizations and the private sector with better information on how, where and why to invest in sport to maximize the contribution to broader national development objectives and prioritized SDGs. At a global level, this research is aligned with the Kazan Action Plan3 (Action 2) adopted by the Sixth International Conference of Ministers Responsible for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS VI) in July 2017 and the UN Action Plan on Sport for Development and Peace4 2019 – 2022 (Priority Area 4). At a regional level, this research contributes to the Pacific Sport, Physical Activity and Physical Education (SPAPE) Action Plan and aims to deliver on a priority action agreed at the first meeting of the Pacific Regional Sports Taskforce (PRST) and further endorsed at the 2nd meeting of the newly-established USP Sport and Sustainable Development Coordinating Committee (SSDCC) in June 2019. USP is a member of PRST that was established in April 2019 with a mandate from the Forum Economic Ministers.
Aims and Objectives:
This theme focuses on SDGs 6, 13, 14 and 15. Through the translation of research into actionable innovations and interventions, the University has a key role to play in promoting a scientific base for decision-making that is relevant to the needs of Pacific Island countries. This includes strengthening the inter-relationship between traditional knowledge and modern science and building a better understanding of the social contexts, impacts, and resilience to the challenges that the region faces.
Conservation and sustainability in the use the oceans and marine resources are central concerns to the development of resilient Pacific communities and we will, through our research and innovation, seek to understand and work in partnership with regional and national stakeholders and communities to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems, and limit biodiversity loss. It is well recognised that urgent action is needed to combat climate change and its impacts by regulating emissions and promoting developments in renewable energy and the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Project Title: Using Digital Literacy to curate rural women’s lived experiences of Education and Learning
Principal Investigator: Associate Prof. Ann Cheryl Armstrong
Team Members: | Dr. Lavinia Tiko, Dr. Ledua Waqailiti, Dr Shika Raturi
External Collaborators Queensland University of Technology (Aus) Assoc. Prof. Verena Thomas – Senior Research Fellow, School of Design, Creative Industries Faculty, Dr. Jackie Kauli – Research Fellow, School of Design, Creative Industries Faculty, Mrs. Deb Murray – Research Manager, Creative Industries Faculty |
Funding: FJD $69,990.00
Duration: 2 years
Overview of Project
This project aims to capture the stories of women in rural communities regarding their memories of and their views about education. This is important to better understand some of the communities we serve as educators.
Objectives:
This theme focuses on SDGs 2, 3 and 4. Education has been identified by Pacific Leaders in their endorsement of the Pacific Regional Education Framework (PacREF) as fundamental to sustainable development and wellbeing across the region. The University has a central role to play in executing this strategy through its research on teacher education, improving delivery of pre-service and in-service teacher training, and the development of innovative actions and interventions for the enhancement of educational opportunities and outcomes. In addition, the threats faced by the region in respect to food and water security, as well as those resulting from NCDs mean that finding effective approaches to good nutrition, the promotion of sustainable agriculture, and the improvement health and wellbeing through sports and physical exercise are all critically dependent on the quality of research in these areas and its translation into sound policy and practice.
Project Title: Beyond legislation: women’s experiences and the effectiveness of implementing domestic violence laws in Fiji and Vanuatu.
Principal Investigator: Dr Naohiro Nakamura
Team Members: | SAGEONS, USP-Dr Sarah Pene (Co-PI), Ms Donna Jella
SoLaSS, USP – Associate Professor Yoko Kanemasu, Dr James Johnson, Dr Domenica Gisella Calabrὸ External Collaborators: Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) Vanuatu Women’s Centre (VWC) |
Funding: FJD $49,837.00
Duration: 3 years
Overview of Project
This research project will systematically analyze the implementation of two pieces of domestic violence legislation; the Family Protect Act 2008 in Vanuatu and the Domestic Violence Act 2009 in Fiji. Using a mixed methods approach of both quantitative and qualitative analysis the research team will examine how the provisions of the domestic violence legislation is being implemented, the multi-dimensional contexts within which implementation is being carried out, and the experiences and viewpoints of women who experience violence, and those of service providers from whom they seek assistance. The ultimate goal of the project is to provide evidence-based research that can be used to strengthen and improve the way in which women can be protected from domestic violence. This will be the first study of its kind in the Pacific region. The project has applicability to other Pacific Island countries, through development of a methodology that will allow for comparisons between countries and over time. The results of this project can be used to support upcoming legislative reform in countries with domestic violence already in place, as well as informing and helping to shape the legislation in those countries yet to draft specific domestic violence laws.
Objectives:
This theme focuses on SDGs 5, 10, 16 and 17 which includes the achievement of gender equality and female participation in society. It aims to reduce income inequality and the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development based on access to justice for all and the building of effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
This cross-cutting theme will be integrated into all the transdisciplinary themes. Translating research into sustainable outcomes that make a difference whether by way of new inventions, products or creative ways of seeing solutions to problems is at the core of what the University will contribute to the continuing development and empowerment of the Pacific region and its peoples.