ACIAR Pacific Agriculture Scholarships and Support and Climate Resilience (PASS-CR) Program
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Applications open 8 July 2022
The Pacific Agriculture Scholarships and Support and Climate Resilience (PASS-CR) Program provides scholarships and support to postgraduate students in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries at The University of the South Pacific (USP) and Fiji National University (FNU). Since 2008, ACIAR has supported research scholarships at Pacific Universities. The scholarship program has achieved significant results, strengthening agricultural innovation systems in the Pacific.
ACIAR Pacific post-graduate scholarships are offered in the Pacific, to Pacific Islanders. This enables scholars to research agricultural problems within the context that the solutions need to work, to build professional networks which will be relevant post-study and to remain close to family and culture.
The PASS-CR Program aims to strengthen the Pacific agricultural innovation system by building on the strengths of Pacific universities and their regional partners. It is part of the Australian Government’s support for our Pacific neighbours.
Scholarship program outline
Scholarships are available at USP and FNU for:
- USP - PhD and Masters by research
- FNU – PhD primarily for FNU faculty, Masters by Research or Masters by Coursework (with a thesis component)
Scholarships will be awarded for up to 24 months for Master’s students and up to 3 years for a PhD candidate.
Tuition is paid directly for the relevant program of study. Student research grant costs are shared between ACIAR and USP or FNU. Funds to present research results at an international conference are included in the scholarship.
Scholarships are aligned to ACIAR research projects, this includes the provision of an international co-supervisor who is part of the ACIAR project. A list of projects and research topics for the 2023 PASS-CR Program can be found here.
Please note the following priority project areas for the 2023 PASS-CR program:
- Soils are a priority area for USP and students aligned to an ACIAR Soils project will be considered a priority.
- Forestry is a priority area for FNU and students aligned to an ACIAR Forestry project will be considered a priority.
- Projects which consider issues of gender, social systems, youth engagement, food systems and climate adaptation will also be welcome at both universities.
The Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research (ACPIR) at the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) provides additional support to PASS-CR scholars and academic staff including professional development, access to the USC library, peer-to-peer learning, research collaboration, and higher degree research supervision training. Student work placements and career development are included under PASS-CR to build ongoing industry connections.
Scholarships are advertised annually in July through USP and FNU for commencement the following year. Online briefing sessions about the program, how to apply, meet the project leaders and how to put together a research proposal will be held to support you through the application process.
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2023 Scholarship Timelines
- Applications Open – Monday 8 July 2022
- Student Zoom Q&A Sessions – 12 pm FJT, Friday 15 July 2022 (see link below to register)
- Meet the Project Leader Sessions – 12pm FJT, Friday 22 July 2022 (see link below to register)
- Research Proposal Development training – 12 pm FJT, Tuesday 23 August 2022 (see link below to register)
- Applications Close – 5pm FJT, Wednesday 19 October 2022
- Applicants advised of outcome – late November/early December 2022
Scholarship criteria
- Applicants must be a citizen of and currently reside in Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, or Vanuatu
- Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for postgraduate study at USP or FNU
- Applications must be aligned to active or upcoming ACIAR research projects and must address a nominated thesis research question from the supplied list.
- Applicants must be able to meet government and university-mandated requirements for travel to Fiji for study at FNU or USP Laucala, or Samoa for study at USP Alafua.
Online Briefing Sessions
Online briefing sessions about the program, how to apply, meet the project leaders and how to put together a research proposal will be held to support you through the application process. Dates and registration links are provided below:
Zoom Q&A Sessions
A zoom Q&A session will be held on Friday 12 August 2022 at 12 pm FJT for anyone interested to learn more. Please register at the following link.
Project Showcase
A Zoom Project Showcase, where you can meet the Project leaders and learn more about the projects and research topics, will be held on Friday 22 July 2022 at 12pm FJT. Please register at the following link.
Research Proposal Training
Research Proposal Training will be held on Tuesday 23 August at 12pm FJT to support applicants to put together their research intent and future research proposals. Please register at the following link.