The Academy’s International Committee Chair Professor Adam Possamai, and International Director Claire Rioult joined a delegation of nine representatives from Australian learned academies and university networks on a visit to French Polynesia arranged by the Embassy of France to Australia on 6 – 7 February.
The delegation visited world-class research and higher education centres in Tahiti and Moorea including the CNRS and the University of French Polynesia, and engaged with passionate French Polynesian researchers, academics, and high-level government officials to discuss opportunities for stronger academic and social science collaboration.
Discussions focussed on key priorities, including:
- Enhancing research coordination and partnerships between French Polynesia and Australia
- Driving local innovation and industry applications
- Integrating Indigenous Polynesian knowledge into research and policy
- Expanding student and researcher mobility between French Polynesia and Australia while addressing practical challenges
- Recognising and mitigating the unique research challenges faced by Pacific Island nations, notably their access to international funding and research partnerships.
This visit, as arranged by the Embassy of France to Australia, was in line with the strategic objectives of the 2023 Australia-France Roadmap of strengthening bilateral academic and scientific cooperation, and the Australia-France Indo-Pacific Studies Program delivered by the Academy until June 2027.
As part of this program, the Academy will soon announce grantees for its sixth iteration of the Australia-France Collaborative Social Science Research Program, continuing a fruitful partnership to foster collaborative social science and exchange for early to mid-career researchers. This visit to French Polynesia and the Academy’s international programs broadens the opportunities available to realise the immense potential for deeper engagement and knowledge exchange in the Pacific region.
