History

The November 2004 UQ delegation met with the PM, the Chief Justice, the Minister for National Reform and Planning, and the Minister for National Reconciliation and Peace, and representatives of the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education (SICHE). The visit was very positive with all levels of government emphasizing their wish to continue a strong strategic and tactical relationship with UQ. In discussion with the PM, the complexity of the proposed arrangements in the existing MOU were addressed and the PM was strongly in agreement with the development of a more streamlined and effective structure for future interaction under the existing MOU. Professor Clements took on the central coordinating role for UQ, under the aegis of the SBC Executive Dean. In a 21 March 2005 letter Professors Siddle and Trevor Grigg (DVC International & Development) suggested that all future initiatives have a cross-Faculty input and that an advisory panel of relevant Executive Deans might be useful in developing a governance structure; at a minimum there should be close cooperation between SBS and NRAVS. ACPACS mounted a series of occasional seminars relating to Solomon Islands, and held occasional meetings of the UQ Solomon Islands Partnership for Peace and Development. These became more infrequent during 2006 and 2007, and when SIPPD held no meetings in 2007, Clive Moore suggested that he become joint convener with Kevin Clements in 2008. The frequency of meetings remained slight, and when Kevin Clements resigned from UQ in 2008, it was arranged that Professor Moore and Associate Professor Jennifer Corrin become joint conveners of SIPPD for 2009.

Normally, SIG would have signed the MOU through the Minister for Education, but because the initial signing was by PM Kemakeza, further negotiations have continued at Prime Ministerial level. After Manasseh Sogavare became PM, his Government requested a re-negotiation of the MOU. Because of friction between SIG and the Australian Government, PM Sogavare was unable to come to UQ to sign the new document. Associate professor Moore had discussions with PM Sogavare in Honiara over the MOU. Eventually it was signed in Honiara on 24 September 2007 and brought to UQ by Mr Sam Alasia for counter-signature by VC Hay on 26 September. As part of the package, Professor Grigg authorized the offering of two Masters-level scholarships with tutiton waivers to be awarded to qualified Solomon Islanders. After Dr Derek Sikua became PM in December 2007, he also requested a renegotiation of the MOU, primarily to remove all mention of the Institute for Solomon Islands Studies (a Sogavare Government initiative), and to strengthen the SICHI connection with UQ. On 20 October 2008 UQ appointed Professor Moore to replace Professor Clements as the UQ contact point for the MOU. Professor Moore had discussions with PM Sikua in Honiara in January 2008, and also in Brisbane on 19 June (accompanied by Professor David Brereton) when the MOU was resigned. PM Sikua had promised to advertise the two scholarships, and to bond the recipients to work for SIG for the length of the scholarships, but SIG never did so. On 22 April 2008 Professor Moore followed up on an earlier discussion with Mr Victor Ngele, Solomon Island High Commission to Australia, and suggested expediting the issue, by offering the scholarships to Mr Patrick Pikacha for a MPhil in Science (he had already applied to UQ to complete a PhD) and to Dr Geoffrey Kenilorea who applied to complete a Masters in Community Medicine. The original wording of Professor Grigg’s letter of offer stressed that at least one of the scholarship should be in the area of peace and conflict studies, but this was thought less important than getting the award of the scholarships moving. Both Mr Pikacha and Dr Kenilorea began their studies in 2009. The MOU, which is valid for five years from 18 June 2008, is aimed at creating closer and continuing relations between SIG and UQ.

The key clauses are 1 (a) to 1 (d):
 

(a) Promotion and coordination of international academic interests in Solomon Islands affairs with a priority focus on aiding the restoration and maintenance of peace, harmony and well-being (eg. Development and resource sustainability and community resilience) throughout the Solomon Islands.
 

(b) Promotion and coordination of International partnership and linkages with the view to increasing and leveraging resources available for sustainable human and natural resource development throughout the Solomon Islands.
 

(c) Promotion and coordination of the above international academic interests (a) and the resources (b) in a way to maximize practical outcomes. It is highly likely that this will be done through such things as the provision of postgraduate scholarships or fee waivers for Solomon Islanders to undergo Masters of Doctoral Studies at UQ over the period of this MOU and support for the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education within the Ministry of Education and Human Resources.
 

(d) Support and facilitation by the SIG of the UQ Consortium, CONCORD UQ (Community Building and Responsible Resource Management) to undertake such research, consultancy, training and capacity building activities that contribute to conflict prevention and conflict management, community building and sustainable resource development in the context of large-scale natural resource projects within Solomon Islands.

The following procedures for developing cooperative activities are to be adopted:

Both parties agreed to establish trans-institutional contact points for promoting cooperative research and practice activities between the UQ and SIG. These contact persons will facilitate communication between the University of Queensland and Solomon Islands Government through the Ministry of Education and the Solomon Islands College of Higher Education on proposed research and practical activities and will facilitate the issue of research approvals to standard SI research procedures. The UQ contact is Professor Clive Moore. The Solomon Islands contact/s will be the Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Education and Human Resources and Secretary to the Prime Minister.

A meeting of all interested parties was held on 20 February 2009 at UQ, chaired by Dr Corrin and Professor Moore. The group’s name was changed to UQ Solomon Islands Partnership. A UQ SIP website was to be created, attached to the School of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics website. Short biographical data entries were requested from all members of SIP. A decision was made to work towards holding an Inaugural Solomon Islands Seminar (probably on 19 July 2009) at UQ, involving as many Brisbane based Solomon Islanders as possible. Discussions were to be held with UQ authorities to ascertain the best direction for future development of SIP to report to another meeting scheduled for 24 April.