During the 5th Pacific Islands Universities Research Network (PIURN) Conference held in Cook Island, the Conference Co-Chair and the president of the University of New Caledonia, Professor Catherine Ris said the network has “built a culture of research in the region, overcoming geographical, languages and cultural barriers, to connect Pacific Island countries and territories through collaborative projects, biannual conferences and regional academic initiatives.”
“The 5th PIURN Conference is a unique opportunity to create new partnerships, start a conversation on research interests, and get to know each other better as our ocean connects us all. Regional cooperation is more important than ever” Ris said.
The University of South Pacific in Cook Island Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Pal Ahluwalia paid homage to one of USP’s founding scholars, the late Professor Epeli Hau’ofa’s work, “I am drawn to one of his many legacies, and that is: an inclusive Oceania identity.”
“For us, having so many scholars of the Pacific coming together to share their research offers the opportunity for each of us to connect, support, and, as Hau’ofa puts it: to ‘transcend all forms of insularity, to become one that is openly searching, inventive and welcoming’,” Ahluwalia said.
Marking the 10-year anniversary, PIURN has implemented 17 collaborative projects since its inception in 2013, including a documentary, Nations of Water on climate-induced migration.
The three day conference held this week consolidates the common achievements and anticipates the challenges that await the future of our ‘Sea of Islands’.
