28 February 2024, Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand – The continued partnership between the National University of Samoa (NUS), Victoria University of Wellington – Te Heranga Waka (VUW), and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) has been further bolstered and reinforced this week through a visit to Wellington by a contingent from the Samoan-based institutions.
The contingent, which included NUS Vice Chancellor, Tuifuisa’a Dr. Patila Amosa and SPREP Deputy Director General, Ms Easter Chu Shing, met with the Chancellor of VUW, Mr John Allen, and Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Rawinia Higgins, to revisit the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that exists between the three parties.
The MOU encompasses current and future work for climate change research between the two tertiary institutions and the Pacific region’s premier organisation for the protection of the environment. Discussions also focused on existing climate change research partnership frameworks.
SPREP DDG, Ms Easter Chu Shing, said, “SPREP, as part of its mandate to promote cooperation in the Pacific region and provide assistance in order to protect its environment for present and future generations, hosts the Pacific Climate Change Centre – a regional centre of excellence for climate change information, research, and innovation.”
“SPREP and the PCCC, along with NUS and VUW, have mutual interests in relation to climate change resilience, the protection of our environment, and developing and strengthening systems, institutions, organisations, and individuals concerned with climate change and environmental protection.”
“This is why we welcome this opportunity to revisit the MOU between our institutions, as well as the opportunity for the implementation of the PCCC Partnership Framework for Climate Change Research and South-South collaboration,” Ms Chu Shing added.
Dr Tuifuisa’a, Vice Chancellor of NUS, acknowledged the partnership with VUW and SPREP through the PCCC, which have both been important partners to the university.
“NUS acknowledges with gratitude the assistance, especially from the VUW on several developments, including capacity building programmes, and we look forward to networking and collaborating for the benefit of our institutions and our Pasifika people,” she added.
Also on the agenda for discussion was the fourth iteration of the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Climate Change Conference (4POPCCC), which is being jointly organised by NUS, VUW and SPREP through this MOU. The conference, which will be guided by the theme “Our Ocean, Our Home – Climate Resilience for a Blue Pacific”, will be held in Samoa from 20 – 24 May 2024.
VUW Chancellor, Mr John Allen, highlighted that the 4POPCCC will bring together Community representatives, researchers, policymakers, scientists, and concerned citizens from all disciplines to contribute to the dialogue on climate change in the Pacific region.
For more information, please visit https://nus.edu.ws/4th-popccc/ or contact Mr Albert Costi (VUW) at [email protected], Ms Yvette Kerslake (PCCC) at [email protected], or Prof. Taema Imo-Seuoti (NUS) at [email protected].