ANU Students Explore Resilience, Policy, and Pacific Solidarity in Vanuatu

In June and July 2025, a group of students from The Australian National University (ANU) travelled to Port Vila to join their peers at the National University of Vanuatu (NUV) for a month-long course titled “Charting a New Course: Resilience and Development in Vanuatu.” This program was not your average study tour. Through a carefully designed curriculum combining classroom learning, community engagement, and collaborative research, students immersed themselves in a Pacific-led understanding of how the nation of Vanuatu is shaping its future and redefining resilience.

Vanuatu, one of Australia’s closest neighbours, is shaped by immense ethno-linguistic diversity, yet the concept of kastom creates a distinctive unifying framework for Vanuatu as a nation. It is among the countries considered the most vulnerable to natural disasters in the world, and in December 2024 its capital Port Vila experienced a destructive earthquake that killed 14 people, displaced many more and damaged a significant number of buildings in the town centre. Natural disaster impacts are exacerbated by climate change, with 94 per cent of ni-Vanuatu reporting observing changes in the climate and its effect on the environment in their lifetime. The government and people of Vanuatu have emerged as global leaders on climate action, most recently spearheading a successful push for an International Court of Justice advisory opinion on the obligations of large emitter states in respect of climate change.

The New Colombo Plan-funded study tour was an opportunity to learn first-hand about the opportunities and challenges of development in Vanuatu. “I really wanted a deeper understanding of what I had been learning about in my other courses. I knew that going to Vanuatu was the best way to develop a deeper and more well-rounded perspective. I was particularly excited to be in a class with the Ni-Vanuatu students.,” said Elizabeth Caddy, a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of International Relations student at ANU.

Building Educational Partnerships

A cornerstone of the course was the partnership between NUV and ANU—the course was co-designed, with lecturers from both NUV and ANU teaching content and students learning with and from each other.

“Talking to the Ni-Vanuatu students constantly gave a personal perspective to what we were learning,” said Jenna Allauddin, a Bachelor of International Security Studies student. “They spoke about their personal experience with natural disasters and allowed us to see just how diverse the different communities within Vanuatu are.”

What made the collaboration so powerful, the students agreed, was that it wasn’t framed as a one-sided learning experience. Instead, it was a mutual exchange of ideas and experiences, that has built strong friendships.

Policy in Practice: Learning on the Ground

From the first week, ANU and NUV students engaged directly with local institutions—including government ministries, international organisations, civil society groups and private sector businesses—hearing about the real-world applications of policy and the day-to-day challenges involved in navigating recovery and development in a Pacific context.

“Visiting local institutions in Vanuatu has been a formative aspect of my in-country experience,” said Matthew Smith, who is studying a double degree in International Relations and International Security Studies. “On the second day of the course, we had the privilege of visiting the Vanuatu Parliament and hearing from the Parliamentary Clerk and the Speaker of Parliament. They spoke candidly about the challenges posed by the earthquake damage, which rendered the Parliament building unusable, and how they have adapted. What struck me most was their passion and optimism for the future.”

Looking Ahead

For study tour participants, their time in Vanuatu was a formative experience that has broadened their horizons on career pathways and future research directions.

“This NCP program has given me lessons and insights that will stay with me both academically and personally as I continue my studies and career,” Matthew said. “It has deepened my understanding of Vanuatu in ways that would not have been possible at home and, more importantly, has reshaped how I see Australia’s place in our region. I now feel certain that Australia is part of a wider Pacific family, with a shared responsibility to support and learn from it.”

“Both the course content and the ni-Vanuatu I have met on this trip have taught me that as a group and as individuals we can be resilient and progress forward, whilst keeping community and our shared values at the forefront of everything we do,” Jenna said. “I want to unpack this insight as I move through the rest of my studies and into my career.”

“I feel like I've learnt so much throughout this experience,” Elizabeth said, “but I've also realized just how much more there is to learn.”