Transformative Policy Reforms for Sustainable Development in Pacific Island Countries

1. Innovative policy reforms for sustainable development: Empirical evidence from PICs • Dr Ranasinghe M.W. Amaradasa • Dean, School of Business & Economics • The University of Fiji • Fiji. Amaradasa

3. Introduction • Innovation – Driving force to generate competitive advantage for economic growth in the global business environment • Small developing nations – economic development blended with social and cultural interests

4. Pacific Island Countries • 22 Small Island Nations • Total population 10m • Four countries in 10 highest at-risk countries • Depend on Natural Resources, No heavy Industry • Trade balance heavily skewed towards imports • Limited S&T Capabilities • Publications coming from research collaborations with 3-4 countries (88%) • Share 0.04% of world research publications

5. cty • Distribution of knowledge and innovative processes are quite different from industrialized economies • Need to inculcate innovative approaches while maintaining social & cultural values • Sustainable development, economic growth, innovative approaches, social and cultural interest, inter-connected

6. Natural Resources plays a key role in PIC economies • PICs have limited capacity • New/appropriate S&T inputs are required (Unesco 2015) • Looked at related policies, initiatives and other evidences

7. Methodology • Reviewed recent (S&T) policy initiatives in PICs • Reviewed web material on related areas covering policies, new establishments, initiatives any other country specific as well as collaborative approaches

8. Collective approaches • to have strengths in identifying and selecting appropriate technological know-how which can provide socio-economic benefits in the long run. • Individual approaches for country specific issues

9. Findings • Collective efforts for common issues • Climate change (multifaceted) • Renewable energy • Natural disasters • Telecommunication • Common interests with individual approaches • Fisheries • Agriculture • Environment sustainability

14. Institutionalization of capacity building • Vanuatu - Ministry of Climate Change and now embarked on teaching climate change as a subject at the Vanuatu Institute of Technology • USP in Fiji provides postgraduate level education in many similar areas such as postgraduate courses in Climate Change and Renewable Energy. • Unifiji – Masters in Renewable Energy

16. Policies and Plans • PNG Higher Education Plan III 2014-2023 focus on transforming Tertiary Education, Research and Development through Quality Assurance and Innovation • National Energy policy and Green Growth Framework of Fiji 2015. • Kiribati National Fisheries Policy 2013 -2025 • Fiji 2020 - Agriculture Sector Policy Agenda” in Fiji (MOAF 2014)

17. Discussion Evidence shows that; • current regional policy initiatives focus on sustainable development and survival strategies. • Concentrated efforts to develop S&T capabilities in an economically advantageous and resource intensive sectors, such as fisheries sector in Fiji and Vanuatu, Kiribati.

18. The universities, scientific institutions and training institutions play an important complementary roles in gaining access to and transmitting new knowledge. • The large informal productive sector operating across PICs also require somewhat different approaches to access knowledge (e.g. Energy saving devices, sustainable infrastructure, Eco-friendly processes)

19. Innovative social processes are important for the wider transfer of knowledge and application • E.g. Solar power project & • Grace Road - Organic Farming project • MOU - Land on lease , 10% of profits goes to Youth Scholarship Scheme

23. The assessment of effectiveness and progress of these innovative social processes need a new set of business approaches nurtured on social responsibilities to deal with sustainable development objectives.

24. Thank you