PRESS RELEASE
September 9, 2026
The Solomon Islands National University (SINU) is exploring new opportunities to strengthen research, education and disaster preparedness following a high-level meeting with a delegation from China’s Island Research Center (IRC).
The Chinese delegation, from the Ministry of Natural Resources of China, paid a courtesy call on SINU Vice-Chancellor Professor Transform Aqorau today to discuss potential areas of cooperation in marine and island science, with a particular focus on disaster preparedness, climate change and resilience.
Central to the discussions was the China-Island Countries Cooperation Program on Marine Disaster Preparedness and Mitigation 2025–2030, a five-year initiative aimed at strengthening the capacity of island nations to respond to climate change and natural disasters.
The program was officially launched at the China-Island Countries Ocean Cooperation Forum in Pingtan, China, in November 2024.
During the meeting, the visiting delegation outlined key components of the program, including joint research, the development of an “Island Management Toolkit” and the establishment of “Blue Data Partnerships” to support knowledge sharing and informed decision-making among island countries.
Professor Aqorau and the IRC delegation discussed how SINU could participate in these initiatives and use them to strengthen the University’s capacity in disaster risk reduction and marine science.
Potential areas of collaboration include joint research, the development of new academic courses, and staff and student exchange opportunities.
The discussions are particularly relevant to Solomon Islands, a Pacific island nation highly exposed to the impacts of climate change, natural disasters and other marine-related hazards.
Professor Aqorau said strengthening partnerships in research and education would be important in building national and regional capacity to respond to emerging environmental and disaster challenges.
The visit also builds on SINU’s growing engagement with Chinese institutions and existing cooperation in disaster preparedness, including the recent participation of a SINU delegation in a training seminar on disaster prevention in China.
The meeting represents another step towards strengthening international partnerships and advancing SINU’s strategic vision of contributing to national and regional resilience through education, research and innovation.
The proposed cooperation could also position SINU to play a greater role as a regional centre of excellence for disaster resilience and marine science in the Pacific.
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