Announcement of the MoU was made at the Pacific Academy of Sciences inaugural Congress on 16 February in Apia, Sāmoa. It builds on long-standing relationships between the two organisations and follows the inaugural Oceanic Seabird Symposium run by SPREP held at the University of Auckland in 2025.

The event played a key role in laying the groundwork for deeper collaboration across the region.

The partnership will support joint research initiatives, knowledge exchange, workforce development and policy-relevant science that responds to Pacific priorities. It also signals a shared commitment to strengthening Pacific leadership and Indigenous knowledge systems within regional and global science frameworks.

The Secretariat of SPREP is the Pacific’s premier intergovernmental agency dedicated to protecting and managing the region’s environment and natural resources. It leads regional action on climate change resilience, biodiversity conservation, waste management and pollution control, and environmental governance, providing technical expertise, policy guidance and capacity building across its 26 member countries and territories.

Through its well-established networks and strategic planning frameworks, SPREP enables collaborators to work alongside Pacific governments, development partners, and technical agencies in ways that avoid duplication, enhance transparency and mobilise resources where they are most urgently needed; ultimately supporting a healthier, more resilient Blue Pacific for future generations.

For the University of Auckland, the partnership aligns with its Pacific Strategy, Ala o le Moana, which sets out a long-term vision for advancing Pacific excellence through teaching, research and engagement, and for working in authentic partnership with Pacific communities across Aotearoa and the region.

University of Auckland Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater says that formalising a relationship with SPREP reinforces a commitment to working in genuine partnership, supporting Pacific innovation and strengthening the resilience of our region in the face of accelerating climate pressures.

“The challenges facing our region demand ambitious, collaborative and science-based responses. SPREP brings regional expertise, and together we can accelerate research, capacity building and climate action across the Pacific. This MoU signals the University’s commitment to working alongside Pacific leaders to generate knowledge and solutions that safeguard our shared environment.”

Professor Jemaima Tiatia-Siau, Pro Vice-Chancellor Pacific at the University of Auckland, says the MoU reflects a values-aligned partnership grounded in service to Pacific communities and the aspirations outlined in Ala o le Moana.

“This agreement recognises the importance of Pacific-led science and research that is deeply connected to our peoples, environments and knowledge systems. Partnering with SPREP strengthens our collective ability to respond to urgent regional challenges, while also nurturing the next generation of Pacific scholars and leaders.”

“Ala o le Moana calls on us to work in genuine partnership with Pacific institutions and communities. Launching this MoU at the Pacific Academy of Sciences meeting underscores our shared commitment to Pacific leadership, collaboration and sustainability.”

Pro Vice-Chancellor Global and Graduate Research Professor JR Rowland travelled to Sāmoa for the historic occasion.

“This partnership with SPREP represents a significant step forward in strengthening Pacific led climate and biodiversity research across our region. At Waipapa Taumata Rau, we are deeply committed to supporting scientific excellence that is grounded in Indigenous knowledge, community priorities and real world impact.

"By working alongside SPREP, we have an opportunity to co develop research, training pathways and climate resilient solutions that uplift Pacific peoples and protect the ecosystems that sustain us. I am honoured to sign this MoU alongside Professor Jemaima Tiatia Siau and look forward to the transformative work our institutions will achieve together.”

SPREP Director General Sefanaia Nawadra, says the agreement formalises a relationship built on trust, shared purpose and regional impact.

“SPREP is extremely grateful on behalf of our Pacific members to be able to sign this most important partnership with the University of Auckland today,” he said.

“We look forward to working with the University of Auckland to implement the commitments in this MoU for the benefit of our Pacific communities.”

“The collaboration that began at the Oceanic Seabird Symposium demonstrated what is possible when regional organisations and universities work together in genuine partnership. This agreement allows us to build on that momentum.”

Through the MoU, the University of Auckland and SPREP will explore opportunities across marine and environmental science, biodiversity protection, climate change, ocean governance and capacity-building, while supporting Pacific students, researchers and professionals working across the region.

The partnership aligns with broader regional efforts to elevate Pacific voices in science and decision-making and reinforces the role of institutions such as the Pacific Academy of Sciences in advancing Pacific excellence on the global stage.