Course organiser:Loanne Metcalfe
Presenter:Various
This series deals with the development of the Nations of the Pacific Islands, and some aspects of their current governance, economies and health care. The efforts being made to combat the devastation caused by natural disasters will be reviewed, and the challenges faced by students from the Pacific entering the educational system here will be discussed.
25 May:
Prof. Steven Ratuva, Director, Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies and professor in the Dept. of Sociology and Anthropology on 'The Origins of Pacific Peoples'.Steven will review some of the mysteries and controversies regarding the voyaging of early Pacific settlers across the world’s largest ocean. He will examine some of the genetic, archaeological, linguistic and cultural evidence of the origins of the Pacific peoples.
1 Jun:
Prof. Steven Ratuva on 'The Dynamics of Geopolitics in the Pacific'.Steven will examine the complex geopolitical and development challenges in the Pacific in the fast changing world. The role of tourism in the development process will also be covered.
8 Jun:
Pauline Luafutu-Simpson, Acting Director of Pasifika Development, UC on 'Engaging with Pasifika Students - Exploring Commonalities and Differences'.This presentation will examine some of the barriers Pasifika students find themselves confronting when adjusting to a "new world" at university from both an international (those students coming from home islands) and domestic (our local cohort of Pasifika students) perspective. Pauline will highlight some of the strategies the Pacific Development team deploy to assist Pasifika student retention.
15 Jun:
Lala Gittoes, the Relations Manager for the Pacific Leprosy Foundation, on 'Medicine in the Pacific Islands'.Lala will introduce the history of leprosy in the Pacific Islands, and cover the current situation. She has travelled widely in the islands during the course of her work and will also cover other health issues there.
22 Jun:
Charlotte Welch-Cropp, civil engineer, on 'Life in the Solomon Islands'.Charlotte will speak about her volunteer work on Honiara. She served as an infrastructure advisor and created an emergency plan for their Ministry of Education and Human Resource Development to deal with the many natural weather events that strike in the Pacific. She will will cover climate change and the impact it is having on the Pacific Islands.