Press Release
4 November 2026
The Solomon Islands National University (SINU) is pleased to announce that five of its students and two staff representatives departed Honiara today, 4 November 2026, to participate in the Pacific Mobility Campus 2026 Programme, a fully funded regional academic mobility initiative bringing together university students from across the Pacific.
The five students were selected following an application process in May 2026, representing various academic disciplines at SINU. Their selection provides an opportunity to engage in regional academic exchange, broaden their knowledge and gain valuable international exposure while connecting with students and academics from other Pacific Island countries and territories.
The five SINU student representatives are:
- Samantha Wheatley – Bachelor of Business Entrepreneurship.
- Duncan Elisha – Bachelor of Teaching Secondary (Social Sciences and English).
- Marion Oeta – Bachelor of Fisheries Studies.
- Caisy Ata – Bachelor of Fisheries Studies.
- Eddie Grant – Bachelor of Fisheries Studies.
The two-week programme, running from 6–19 November 2026, is jointly organised by the University of New Caledonia (UNC), the University of French Polynesia (UPF) and the Pacific Islands Universities Regional Network (PIURN), with support from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs under the Campus Mobile Pacifique initiative.
The programme will be delivered across two locations, beginning at the University of New Caledonia in Nouméa, where the first week’s theme will focus on “From Land to Sea in Pacific Island Countries and Territories in the Context of Climate Change.”
Participants will engage in academic lectures, field visits and intercultural learning activities covering important environmental and climate-related issues, including mining, mangrove ecosystems, coastline evolution, marine environments and traditional knowledge.
The second week will take place at the University of French Polynesia in Tahiti, where students will explore themes relating to governance, languages, sustainable tourism and resilience in Pacific Island contexts.
In addition to the student delegation, SINU will be represented by two staff members who will contribute to the programme as guest speakers:
- Dr Lindon Havimana – Senior Lecturer, Department of Fisheries Studies, who will present on Traditional Knowledge and Nature-Based Solutions: An Integrated Living Lab Approach to Climate Change Impacts.
- Mr Alex Makini – Research Project Manager, Office of Research and Postgraduate Studies, who will deliver a presentation on Community Ethics.
Their contributions will provide valuable perspectives from SINU while strengthening academic engagement, knowledge exchange and collaboration with other participating Pacific institutions.
The participation of SINU students and staff in this regional initiative reflects the University’s ongoing commitment to strengthening regional academic partnerships, promoting knowledge exchange and creating opportunities for students and academics to engage with emerging issues affecting Pacific communities.
SINU congratulates the five students on their selection and wishes them and the accompanying staff representatives a successful and rewarding experience in New Caledonia and French Polynesia.
Congratulations to our SINU representatives as they take this opportunity to learn, connect and represent Solomon Islands on the regional stage.
ENDS//