A preview of the Pacific Labour Mobility Survey Wave Two by Dung Doan (World Bank) and Dr Ryan Edwards (Australian National University) will be discussed at the 2025 Pacific Update in Suva this week.
Starting today and ending on Thursday at the University of the South Pacific, the biennial event is the Pacific’s largest gathering of public policy thinkers.
It brings together more than 1000 researchers, policymakers, business leaders and civil society actors from across the region to tackle the biggest issues facing Pacific communities.
Why does it matter? The Pacific Update is more than an academic gathering — it is where research meets action.
“The Pacific Update 2025 is more than a conference — it’s a meeting of minds and a launchpad for regional progress,” said co-convenor Dr Ryan Edwards.
“It offers leaders real-time insights to inform national and regional policy on migration, inequality, governance, corruption, and economic resilience.”
Much of the research presented is by Pacific Islanders, for Pacific priorities.
Co-hosted by the USP and the ANU’s Development Policy Centre, the Update is seen as a critical platform for shaping smarter responses to complex regional challenges.
Keynotes from Pacific Islands Forum secretary general Baron Waqa and ANU’s Stephen Howes and Rubayat Chowdhury will headline the opening, along with over 60 presentations ranging from gender-based violence to artificial intelligence in policymaking.
