The current situation of Pacific studies, research, and teaching formed the backdrop to a symposium held at the Alfred Deakin Research Institute over two days in February 2009.

The symposium, entitled ‘Building Partnerships in the Changing Pacific’ came about thanks to two main factors: at a national level, there has been the renewed interest shown by the Rudd Government in the Pacific region, typified by the Port Moresby Declaration of March 2008 and the series of Pacific Partnerships for Development that have begun to appear since; and within Deakin, the coalescing of a body of scholars and researchers from a range of disciplines, all of whom have the Pacific, or parts of it, in their focus.

The question implicit in the symposium was ‘what can the Alfred Deakin Research Institute provide that is both innovative and helpful?’.  Those involved, including Deakin University researchers from the disciplines of criminology, cultural heritage, development studies, economics, education, history and law, as well as a selection of practitioners from the region (Fiji, New Zealand and Vanuatu) and from elsewhere in Australia (including the office of the Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs) addressed this and related questions, in an important exercise in strategic planning for the Institute in its engagement with the Changing Pacific.

Transcripts of some of the discussions will be posted shortly.

'Time to try a new Pacific solution - Professor David Lowe'