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

10. Purpose: Enhance capacity to reduce climate related risks
Name of the Project
Countries participated
Agency responsible
Capacity Building for the Development of Adaptation Measures in Pacific Island Countries Project ( ) + Framework for action on climate change (till 2016)
Cooks Island, Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu
SPREP /CIDA
Purpose: Enhance capacity to reduce climate related risks

11. Purpose: Water Resource Management
Name of the Project
Countries participated
Agency responsible
Pacific Hydrological Cycle Observing System;
(until 2018)
14 PICs
SPREP /CIDA
Purpose: Water Resource Management

12. Purpose: Build the capacity to undertake scientific research
Name of the Project
Countries participated
Agency responsible
Pacific Climate Change Science Programme System
12 PICs
SPC
Purpose: Build the capacity to undertake scientific research

13. Purpose: Water Resource Management
Name of the Project
Countries participated
Agency responsible
Pacific Hydrological Cycle Observing System;
(until 2018)
14 PICs
SPREP /CIDA
Purpose: Water Resource Management

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

15. Country Samoa PNG Fiji Institution Year of establishment Purpose
The Scientific Research Organization of Samoa
2008
value addition, product /process development, S&T education and commercial interests
PNG
The Research, Science and Technology Council
Embark on research, science and technology innovations as a way forward to industrialization in the light of the major development projects in mining, petroleum and gas.
Fiji
Centre for Renewable Energy at Unifiji
2014
Research and postgraduate education in renewable energy

16. Policies and Plans
PNG Higher Education Plan III 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
Fiji 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