The Global Development Conference 2024 (GDC 2024) was held in Suva, Fiji, from November 26 to 28, 2024. Organised by the Global Development Network (GDN), this annual event was supported by the University of the South Pacific and the Government of Fiji. Focused on the theme ‘Global Synergies: Climate Resilience Strategies for a Sustainable Tomorrow’, the conference highlighted the critical need for global synergies, the thematic significance for Fiji as an island nation highly vulnerable to climate change, and the nation’s priorities and regional initiatives for building resilience to climate change impact.
The GDC 2024 parallel session, ‘What Should the Research System of the Future Look Like?’ explored vital strategies to enhance research systems globally. Moderated by Francesco Obino, Director of the Research Programmes, GDN, the discussion brought together experts from diverse fields to examine how modern research systems must evolve to address pressing challenges like climate change, community resilience, and social development.
Francesco Obino opened the session by emphasising the importance of resilient national research systems in tackling global challenges. He highlighted that GDN’s focus on strengthening local research capacities, especially in developing nations, is essential for sustainable development and national resilience. He introduced GDN's efforts in Fiji, aiming to assess and improve social science research capacity through targeted projects. "In many cases, research systems are under-analysed and underfunded, particularly in the social sciences," Obino pointed out, underscoring the need for clear, evidence-backed funding models and systematic investments.
Sushil Kumar, Director of Research at the University of the South Pacific (USP), illustrated how collaborative research is pivotal in creating climate resilience in the Pacific region. Kumar discussed two significant initiatives—the RARIPA Project, which strengthens climate-related research ecosystems in collaboration with universities in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and NGOs, and the CHANCES Project, which aids communities in Fiji and beyond in adapting to coastal threats caused by climate change.
Dominic Ong, Associate Professor at Griffith University, presented insights from Australia's disaster management initiatives. He described the CUDRA Project, which links academic institutions, government bodies, and local communities to address Australia’s recurring natural disasters like cyclones and floods. Similarly, his involvement in the Natural Hazards Research Australia (NHRA) highlighted a national approach that enables universities to pool their expertise and resources to tackle disaster management collaboratively.
Honourable Tomasi Tunabuna, Assistant Minister for Agriculture and Waterways in Fiji, shared examples from Fiji’s agriculture sector. He spoke about the Sheep Breeding Programme, which developed a breed of sheep tailored to Fiji's environment, and the regional collaboration on Taro Research, which restored the industry after a disease outbreak in Western Samoa. These examples demonstrated how research can improve agriculture resilience, drive innovation, and support regional partnerships.
Claire Rioult, International Director at the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, shed light on the significant role social sciences play in addressing global issues such as climate change and public health. She detailed AASSREC’s Boosting Social Science and their Contribution to Better Lives across the Indo-Pacific initiative, developed with GDN and Canada’s IDRC, which supports regional cooperation, addresses research gaps, and promotes inclusion of underrepresented groups in research.
Lavenie Tawake, Environmental Project Manager at USP, illustrated the value of local knowledge in research. Tawake spoke about her work with the Fiji Locally Managed Marine Areas (FLMMA) Network, where local practitioners, indigenous communities, and academics collaborate to address coastal and environmental issues. She also highlighted her work on improving Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for sustainable development.
During the session, panellists identified five critical elements for building resilient research systems:
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Human Resource Management – Retaining skilled researchers through training, better policies, and a conducive work environment.
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Access to Funding – Ensuring that resources are available, particularly for underrepresented groups and regions.
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Institutional Support and Collaboration – Enhancing connections between local, regional, and global institutions to foster comprehensive research solutions.
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Multi-Disciplinary Research – Integrating the social sciences with other disciplines like natural sciences and engineering to tackle complex, multifaceted issues.
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Community Involvement – Ensuring that those impacted by issues are involved in the research process, from design to implementation, to ensure the research meets real needs.
The session concluded with a series of actionable recommendations to build future research systems:
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Investment in Research Infrastructure – Create multi-source funding mechanisms to support underrepresented regions, early-career researchers, and community-led initiatives.
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Promote Regional Collaboration – Foster cross-border partnerships that target common challenges, particularly in the Pacific and Indo-Pacific regions.
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Adopt Multi-Disciplinary Approaches – Develop funding policies that support research integrating natural sciences, engineering, and social sciences to address complex problems like climate change and social inequality.
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Foster Inclusivity and Community Engagement – Ensure that communities, especially marginalised ones, are included in all stages of the research process, from conceptualisation to application.
As the discussion emphasised, resilient research systems are built on collaboration, inclusivity, and long-term investments. The session concluded with a shared vision of a future in which research capacities drive tangible change, ensuring that communities, particularly in vulnerable regions, can better navigate global challenges. The insights offer a compelling roadmap for how research can support the long-term resilience of nations and communities, if research itself is understood in terms of its systemic ramifications.
With the objective of nurturing a long-term relationship with Fiji, GDN recently launched a Doing Research Assessments (DRA) in Fiji, as part of its Doing Research global initiative, to assess the research ecosystem in the Island country. The initiative commenced in December 2024, with a research team from the University of the South Pacific for a duration of 15 months. This team will work in parallel with teams in India, Cambodia and Laos, with efforts being made to add more countries from the region to this initiative. The initiative aims to document the many trajectories research systems take in the region, and document them through an unprecedented attention to generating data and analysing it locally.
In addition, Fiji recently joined the GDN International Assembly as its sixth member country. This partnership holds tremendous potential for the South Pacific, particularly as the region establishes its own Science Academy and strengthens its existing research networks.
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