Port-Vila, Vanuatu – Monday 17 March 2025: The National University of Vanuatu (NUV) had the honour of welcoming Ms. Véronique Roger-Lacan, French Ambassador for the Pacific, on her first official mission to Vanuatu. Mr. Jean-Baptiste Jeangène Vilmer, French Ambassador to Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands and senior officials from respective embassies, accompanied Ambassador Véronique Roger-Lacan during her visit to the NUV.
The Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of NUV, along with key university representatives, engaged in discussions with the French delegation on several strategic themes. The meeting focused on the strengthening of the cooperation between French universities in the Pacific and NUV, particularly through academic and research collaborations and the student regional mobility scheme as announced by French President Macron during his visit to New Caledonia and Vanuatu in July 2023.
Discussions also covered ongoing projects supported by France through the Agence Française de Développement and Embassy funds within NUV, aimed at enhancing educational opportunities for Vanuatu’s students and youth. They discussed the importance of providing equitable opportunities for youth training and development to help curve the daily challenges faced by the youths in accessing training and higher education, employability, and regional mobility. They exchanged on how the political situations in New Caledonia and Vanuatu, the disasters and the recent earthquake that hit Port-Vila impact on education and the development of youths, considering the economic and social connections between the two countries. Additionally, the importance of inter-university agreements with the University of New Caledonia and the University of French Polynesia was highlighted as a key element in facilitating academic exchanges, student exposure and capacity-building initiatives.
During the meeting, both parties reaffirmed the importance of higher education as a key driver for sustainable development in Vanuatu and across the Pacific region. They agreed to engage in further strengthening partnerships in education, research, and student mobility. NUV’s Vice-Chancellor, Mr Jean-Pierre Nirua, acknowledged the importance of this visit. He said, “This visit reaffirms the strong commitment of France to support the higher education sector and research, the strengthening of Francophonie in Vanuatu and the Pacific with closer inter-university collaboration between NUV, the University of New Caledonia and the University of French Polynesia. I express my appreciation to Ambassador Ms Véronique Roger-Lacan for her visit to our university and for the very open discussions that we held”.
“The National University of Vanuatu values the collaboration with our French partners and looks forward to expanding these links. Strengthening academic networks and fostering regional cooperation will provide more opportunities for our students, researchers, and faculty members.”
The visit symbolises the shared ambition of France and Vanuatu to advance higher education, promote knowledge exchange, and address regional challenges through education and research. NUV extends its sincere appreciation to Ambassador Roger-Lacan and her delegation for their engagement and support. This visit is another milestone in the growing relationship between France and Vanuatu, paving the way for future initiatives that will benefit students and the broader academic community.
