UQ and the Pacific

From good neighbours to strategic partners

As our closest international neighbours, UQ and the diverse countries of the Pacific share longstanding relationships. With an emphasis on medicine, health, science and international development, we are working together to strengthen economic , governance, health and social systems throughout the Pacific. One of the world’s most biodiverse regions, our collaborative efforts also contribute to understanding and protecting the oceans, crops and animals that its communities rely on.

Fast facts

Excludes Australia.



144

Students from the Pacific enrolled at UQ


311

Pacific-UQ co-publications


85

academic staff born in the Pacific


63

research project collaborations


2,148

alumni in the Pacific


9

agreements with 8 official partners

Fast facts show full year 2023 data. 

Collaboration in action

  • A University of Queensland TC Beirne School of Law PhD graduate has received a prestigious grant to work with UQ researchers on developing her thesis recommendations into practical guidelines for law reformers in the Pacific Islands.
  • Seven University of Queensland undergraduates will study in destinations around the Indo‑Pacific region after being named as 2017 Fellows and scholars under the New Colombo Plan.
  • The Productive Partnerships in Agriculture Project (PPAP) aims to improve the livelihoods of smallholder cocoa and coffee producers through the improvement of performance and sustainability of value chains in cocoa and coffee-producing areas.
  • Laura Wawun-Kiri, Practice Manager from the Office of the State Solicitor is one of the 36 participants who attended the four-day short course on information studies for law and justice facilitated by the University of Queensland for the Pacific Leadership and Governance Precinct.

  • UQ student Patrick Walsh, 22, is one of seven UQ undergraduate students to receive New Colombo Plan scholarships in this round, with other recipients heading to Indonesia, Singapore, Japan and South Korea.
  • It’s the end of a long journey for twenty women from Papua New Guinea who will graduate from The University of Queensland today. The public servants, all recipients of the government-funded Australia Awards Fellowship-PNG, studied a tailored Graduate Certificate in Governance and Public Policy in the School of Political Science and International Studies.

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Alumni

UQ has more than 2,148 alumni in the Pacific (excluding Australia). Alumni with strong links to the region include:

Papua New Guinea

Member of Parliament for Alotau electorate, Minister for Planning, Papua New Guinea (Bachelor of Economics, 1989)
Kiribati

President of Kiribati (Master of Economic Studies 2002)
Samoa

Law lecturer, School of Law University of South Pacific (PhD, 2013)
Fiji

Leader of the National Federation Party, Shadow Minister for Finance, Planning and National Statistics, Fiji (PhD 1998)
Papua New Guinea

Director of the Papua New Guinea National Research Institute (PhD Applied Economics 2013)
Papua New Guinea

Member of Parliament for Gazelle Open and Minister Transport & Infrastructure (Masters of Agribusiness 2002)
Kiribati

Commissioner of Police & Superintendent of Prison at Kiribati Police and Prison Service (Master of Philosophy 2004)
Brisbane/Tonga

Summer and Winter Olympian for Taekwondo and cross-country skiing representing Tonga (Bachelor of Engineering 2007)