New Pacific research institute launched in New Zealand

A new Pacific research institute, aimed at supporting sustainable development in the Pacific region, was launched by New Zealand’s Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, on 22 March 2016 at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.

“We have identified the need for more targeted research on the Pacific, to underpin development initiatives and support Pacific decision makers,” said Mr McCully.

“The New Zealand Institute for Pacific Research (NZIPR) will work in support of Pacific governments and regional agencies, and will focus on producing the kind of hard-headed analysis that can support sustainable economic development,” he added.

Director of NZIPR, Associate Professor Damon Salesa said this was a great opportunity for students.

“It is a remarkable opportunity not only to research but to deliver opportunities to learn and to grow our students and research, especially our Pacific students, which our consortium has counted are in the thousands.”

New Zealand’s government provided $7.5 million over five years to establish the institution and develop an initial research program.

The NZPIR will be based at the University of Auckland and will take the lead to deliver the research program along with Otago University and the Auckland University of Technology.

All three universities educate 75 percent of all Pacific Island university students in New Zealand.

The first five research cases of interest for the institute are: mapping donor contributions in the Pacific, labour markets for sustainable and economic development in the Pacific, commercial potential of land in the Pacific, private-sector investment in the Pacific and the role of sovereign trust funds.