THE Solomon Islands National University (SINU) on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Worldfish in Honiara.
“SINU continues to expand its local and international networks by widening and strengthening its academic, corporate, bilateral and multilateral stakeholder collaborations with the objective to provide and foster world class scholarship through academic excellence, research and practical competency training,” Vice Chancellor Acting Professor Basil Marasinghe said.
He added that the International Centre for Living Aquatic Resource Management (ICLARM), which is also known as Worldfish is an integral part of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) headquartered in Penang, Malaysia.
Prof Marasinghe said that it is an international, non-profit, scientific research centre created to conduct, stimulate, and accelerate research on fisheries and other living aquatic resources for sustainable benefits of the present and future generations of low-income users in developing countries.
SINU and WorldFish, share common interest in accelerated scientific research, particularly in fisheries and other living aquatic resources, that will benefit both current and future generations of the Solomon Islands.
To do this, SINU and WorldFish seek to explore opportunities in the area of research and institutional capacity building, to complement each other’s efforts in the pursuit of knowledge, in order to transform lives and provide relevant solutions to challenges confronting Solomon Islands’ living aquatic resources.
In support of specific collaborative agreements and activities, SINU and WorldFish have agreed to foster their relationship by entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
“I firmly believe that the MOU that will be signed will greatly benefit the people of Solomon Islands,” he said.
“I appreciate the work carried out by the Institute of Maritime and Fisheries Studies of SINU and Worldfish in the preparing of this MOU,” he said.
Country Director of World Fish Ms Delvene said that Worldfish has been in Solomon Islands since 1986.
Worldfish at present conducts research projects in fisheries with the involvement of communities in various provinces.
She hopes after the signing of MOU with SINU, Worldfish with the participation of the Department of Fisheries of SINU can carry out research projects at a higher level which will benefit the Solomon Islands.
By LESLEY SANGA
