Port-Vila, Vanuatu — Monday 21 September 2026: The National University of Vanuatu (NUV) today joined the local and global community in recognizing the International Week of Deaf People (IWDP), 21–27 September 2026, and the International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) on September 23. The university is utilizing these milestones to highlight its active role in translating national and international human rights frameworks into practical teacher training, academic research, and community-led language preservation.
Vanuatu has maintained a long-standing dedication to the rights of persons with disabilities, having signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2007 and ratified it in 2008. These commitments are integrated into national frameworks through the Vanuatu Inclusive Education and Training Policy 2025–2030, which mandates the Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) to lead the development of Vanuatu Sign Language and strengthen inclusive teacher training.
As the nation’s premier higher education institution, NUV is operationalizing these policies through its specialized academic tracks. The university currently offers Diploma, Bachelor, and Master of Philosophy programs in Inclusive Education to develop a workforce capable of advancing systemic classroom equity. Sign Language serves as a core area of study within these programs, ensuring that future educators graduate with practical communication skills. Furthermore, NUV has integrated the Nasonel Saen Lanwis Diksonari Blong Vanuatu (National Sign Language Dictionary for Vanuatu)—developed by MoET’s Curriculum Development Unit alongside Ni-Vanuatu Deaf individuals—directly into its teacher training framework to provide a uniform national resource for education and documentation.
Looking to the future, NUV aspires to progressively introduce Sign Language as a compulsory course for all university students, regardless of their specific program of study. Because NUV graduates transition into roles as policymakers, managers, entrepreneurs, and public administrators, providing them with foundational signing competencies will systematically foster a society where Deaf individuals can communicate and participate effectively across all sectors. The university explicitly reaffirms that the Ni-Vanuatu Deaf community remains the primary owner and central driver of this linguistic development, aligning with national policies that dictate the lived experiences of persons with disabilities must inform the decisions affecting them. NUV intends to leverage its inclusive education experts to collaborate continuously with MoET, Deaf communities, and local organizations to identify, document, and validate expanding vocabulary as the language grows.
“Sign language is more than a means of communication,” the University stated. “It is a language, a human right, an expression of identity and culture, and a pathway to education, participation and belonging. The National University of Vanuatu remains committed to working alongside Ni-Vanuatu Deaf people and Deaf communities, the Ministry of Education and Training, organisations of persons with disabilities and development partners to strengthen Vanuatu’s national sign language, prepare inclusive teachers and professionals, advance research and contribute towards a society in which Deaf people can participate fully and equally.”
This institutional commitment directly advances Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4) regarding equitable lifelong learning, while supporting the Vanuatu 2030 national development vision of a just, peaceful, and inclusive society. As the commemorations proceed, NUV calls upon educational institutions, government agencies, families, and individuals across Vanuatu to actively recognize and promote the rights, identity, and full participation of the Deaf community.
