Port-Vila, Vanuatu – Thursday 7 August 2025: The National University of Vanuatu (NUV) was honoured to welcome an official delegation from the Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD) for a visit aimed at deepening collaboration and exploring future partnerships in research, capacity-building, and education.
The IRD delegation was led by Valérie Verdier, Présidente-directrice générale (PDG) of IRD, accompanied by Philippe Charvis, Directeur délégué à la Science, and Éric Vidal, IRD representative in New Caledonia. The visit underscores IRD’s commitment to strengthening its presence and partnerships in the Pacific, in a context marked by accelerating environmental, societal, and geopolitical change.
The visit was also an opportunity for the delegation to meet with academic and scientific staff at NUV and to participate in discussions about shared priorities. Among the topics addressed were joint research projects, academic mobility, and IRD’s support for the development of research and higher education in Vanuatu.
Prof. Pascal Michon, Deputy Vice Chancellor of NUV, emphasised that the visit is an important step for the partnership between the two institutions. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor said, “The discussions with IRD reaffirm the strong synergies between our institutions, particularly in addressing critical challenges such as climate change, sustainable development, and ocean governance. Strengthening our partnership with IRD will directly support NUV’s mission to serve as a catalyst for national development through quality, inclusive, and context-relevant higher education and research.”
The IRD delegation visited NUV’s campus during the Vanuatu School of Marine Sciences, held on NUV’s campus in Port Vila. This initiative, coordinated by IRD of New Caledonia in partnership with the Vanuatu Fisheries Department and the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), brings together around 35 participants — including students and professionals from NUV — for theoretical and practical training in marine biology, oceanography, water chemistry, climate science, and marine policy.
The school is delivered by a team of IRD researchers and engineers and aims to build local expertise in marine sciences to help address the growing threats facing Vanuatu’s coastal ecosystems.
Mrs. Valérie Verdier, PDG of IRD, expressed that strengthening partnerships in the Pacific is a priority for IRD. She said, “Vanuatu and the broader Pacific region face urgent environmental and social challenges. Through collaboration with institutions like NUV, we aim to support locally driven solutions and contribute to the resilience of island communities.”
The visit marks a new chapter in the long-standing relationship between IRD and Vanuatu. Both institutions look forward to advancing joint efforts in research, training, and innovation that will benefit the country and the region as a whole.
NUV’s development is aligned with the Vanuatu People’s Plan and the Vanuatu Education and Training Sector Strategic Plan. The education and training programs under NUV are based on the priorities of the country’s National Human Resource Development Plan 2020-2030 (NHRDP).
