Workshop
Dr Farran, Professor Emerita Corrin and Dr Mosses held workshops on the university campuses of the regional University of the South Pacific, in the Pacific island states of Vanuatu and Fiji.
Pacific partnership for knowledge exchange and skills development
Workshops were held on the university campuses of the regional University of the South Pacific in the Pacific island states of Vanuatu and Fiji focussing in particular on academics, including early career academics, in the School of Law and Social Sciences and invitees from the National Universities of Vanuatu and Fiji.
In Vanuatu, sessions were delivered by Professor Sue Farran (PI), Professor Emerita Jennifer Corrin (Co-I) and Dr Morsen Mosses (Co-I). In Fiji, sessions were delivered by Dr Sue Farran and Professor Emerita Jennifer Corrin.
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Cyclones had been identified as one of the key risks to the programme. Fortunately, cyclone Lola, which had hit Vanuatu a few days earlier, had missed the island of Efate where the workshops were being held and skirted around Fiji.
All the sessions ran smoothly with good support from USP’s IT and administrative staff. Pre-arranged catering at both venues provided excellent refreshments and all participants stayed the course. All participants were awarded certificates of attendance and ‘thank you’ gifts were given to IT support.
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Reflections
The smooth running of the workshops was facilitated by prior preparation and planning, supported by zoom meetings and a full team meeting the day before the first workshop in Vanuatu. The workshops could not have run so smoothly without the vital assistance of Co-I Morsen Mosses in Vanuatu and Prem Shekhar in Fiji, with Morsen acting as a communication link. Co-I Jennifer Corrin set up WhatsApp groups for both groups and these helped to ensure communication in the immediate period before the workshops and for follow-up.
All attendees participated well, with a noticeable uptake in engagement and confidence as the workshops progressed. Small group exercises meant no one was put ‘on the spot’ and both groups agreed to stay connected with each other.
After discussion we decided to allocate mentors rather than let attendees select their mentor, partly to avoid any work-place tensions. All attendees appeared to be pleased with their allocated mentor.
