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The United States of America and the University of The South Pacific have commenced the implementation of its first-ever direct collaboration under the “US-Pacific Resilience and Adaptation Fellowship Program”.

This collaboration was announced at the first US-Pacific Leaders’ Summit in September 2022 by US President Joe Biden.

The US State Department’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs has awarded an over $10m grant to USP to establish a new Resilience and Adaptation Fellowship for Rising Pacific Leaders.

The programme will train the next generation of Pacific climate leaders in partnership with premier US universities.

Under the program, young Pacific professionals will also go to US institutions leading research on a wide range of critical climate-related issues.

It is expected that, among other opportunities under this programme, USP will provide fully funded PhD scholarships to young and emerging leaders that could be jointly undertaken at USP and US partner institutions.

USP’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia has welcomed this support saying it greatly supports USP in its strategic imperative to develop effective leaders across the Pacific who can tackle new and emerging challenges brought about by the effects of the climate crisis.

The programme is designed to include three levels of leadership development to support emerging, mid-level and senior leaders.