Pasifika Communities University

11/06/2026

Matelita Lewanitokalau Tuimanu joins our 2026 cohort with a wide range of community experience. She is currently employed with PCU’s Regional Institute for Leadership & Development (RILED) programme as the L2 Course Coordinator Assistant.

Her responsibilities include coordinating academic programs and providing support for course delivery across RILED training initiatives; planning, organising, and assisting in workshops on course writing, academic development, and symposium activities; liasing with regional coordinators regarding courses offered, and programme schedules and implementation; coordinating student logistics, including travel arrangements, accommodation, and participation in training programs and events; monitoring academic course content and ensuring technical and accreditation requirements are met, designing and helping establish student support and administrative services; compiling student grades, preparing final results, and assisting with transcripts; maintaining accurate student records and preparing academic and administrative reports; assisting with Community Learning Centre (CLC) symposiums and related events; and presenting course information and programmes at high schools to support outreach and student recruitment.

She currently holds a Diploma in Pasifika Leadership and Resilience Training, a Diploma in Project Management, and a Certificate in Ecological Intermediate Accounting.
Matelita is a great asset to the RILED team and we are excited to have her be part of our course this year.

10/06/2026

Institutional memory is not enough if the goal is a more resilient and sudtainable Pasifika household. We need the relational ethical memory to form a strong regional architecture, according to Manu Folau.

Pacific decisions should not be driven only by policies, technical systems and institutional frameworks, but also by Pacific values, spirituality, morals and collective memory. This was […]

10/06/2026

Dr. Conrad T. Parsons is an Anglican minister with extensive experience supporting international mission and theological education initiatives through project administration, partner engagement, and leadership development. He is also experienced in assessing and managing grant-funded projects, working within governance and compliance frameworks, and supporting theological education delivered in partnership with local churches across the Pacific, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Dr. Parsons is a committed evangelical Christian with a passion for global mission and strengthening the church through accountable and sustainable partnerships.

Part of his ministry service included supporting church leaders through structured leadership development and ministry programs, working within organisational systems to track activities, outcomes, and reporting requirement, and coordinating with multiple stakeholders to ensure responsible and consistent program delivery as the Church Planting and Revitalisation Manager with the Christian Community Churches in Victoria and Tasmania, Australia. He also worked as a Melanesian Wantok & Youth Ministry Consultant with the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, Australia supporting cross-cultural ministry and leadership development initiatives and working collaboratively with diocesan leaders and partners on ministry training and reporting.

He is currently working on his Doctor of Professional Practice at the University of Divinity. He also holds a Doctor of Ministry (Leadership) from Fuller Theological Seminary, a Master of Ministry from Charles Sturt University, a Master of Arts (Mission & Evangelism) from University of Sheffield, and a Graduate Diploma of Professional Supervision from the University of Divinity.

We look forward to having Dr. Conrad Parsons join us at the Pasifika Philosophies Course in August.

09/06/2026

Our systems, structures, and achitectures that govern the ocean are too institutionalised and reductive to the extent of compromising our relational and ethical foundations that define who we are as Pasifika people.

09/06/2026

Giving the keynote address at the opening of the State of Ocean Convening, at Pasifika Communities University this week, Dame Meg Taylor DBE distinguished diplomat, lawyer, and the first woman to serve as Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum reflected on the history, achievements, and future of Pacific Ocean governance.
Dame Meg argued that Pacific peoples have never been passive recipients of international decisions, but have actively shaped regional institutions, international law, and global climate action. She traced the journey from pre-colonial Pacific societies with sophisticated ocean knowledge systems, through colonialism and decolonisation, to the creation of Pacific led institutions such as the Pacific Islands Forum, the Forum Fisheries Agency, and the Parties to the Nauru Agreement.
A central theme of her address was that Pacific nations transformed themselves from subjects of external governance into architects of their own regional order.
A major focus of her keynote was the Pacific's role in developing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the establishment of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs), which granted Pacific states legal authority over vast ocean spaces and marine resources.
She described this as one of the most significant achievements by small states in international law, emphasising the region's collective determination with the powerful statement: "This is our ocean, these are our resources, and we have rights over them that the world must recognise."
Looking ahead, Dame Meg called for greater economic independence, stronger Pacific-owned institutions, and governance grounded in Pacific priorities and values. She concluded with a message of pride and confidence in the region's achievements and future, stating:
"We have achieved things that many thought impossible. We have shaped international law. We have protected our ocean. We have stood together, again and again, when the world expected us to be divided."

The State of Ocean Convening gathering ends on Thursday the 11th of June.

of Ocean Convening

08/06/2026

There is a need for more conversation on the pros and cons of deep sea mining. The Manu Folau during the State of the Pacific Ocean Convening now happening in Suva raises the fact that the issue of deep sea mining now dividing the Pasifika household resembles a deep seated colonialism that comes from within the Pacific itself.

08/06/2026

"State of the Pacific Ocean Convening", Monday 8 June, 2026

photo credit - Islands Business

08/06/2026

Our Toloa profile for today is no other than PCU’s own Avito Raibiu.

Avito Raibiu serves as Assistant Course Coordinator at the Regional Institute for Leadership Development (RILED), Pasifika Communities University, where he contributes to the shaping of Pasifika leadership and learning rooted in community, spirituality, and shared purpose. His commitment to the Toloa journey reflects more than academic growth; it is also a pursuit of wisdom that honours the interconnectedness of life, culture, and service.

What makes Avito’s journey especially meaningful is his strong alignment with the “whole of life” philosophy — a perspective that sees education not just as information, but as transformation for the well-being of people and communities. This gives him a powerful foundation for the course, as he brings both practical leadership experience and a deep respect for Pasifika values into his learning.

04/06/2026

The PCU community farewelled the Uilis as they return to Samoa after giving their all to PCU for so many years. Dr. Afereti Uili, from Samoa, has served our community with humility and strength as a facilitator of learning in the Biblical Studies discipline at Pasifika Communities University. Through his guidance in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament studies and his steadfast leadership as Head of Biblical Studies he has shaped minds, nurtured faith, and modeled the whole of life vision of PCU grounded in service.
Fa’afetai tele lava, Dr. Uili and your beautiful wife Samata for your dedication, wisdom, and the joy you have shared with us. Your legacy endures in the classrooms you’ve enriched, the colleagues you’ve uplifted, and the Toloa’s you’ve inspired. As you journey home, may God’s grace go before you and God’s peace surround you.
Manuia le malaga, and may the next chapter be filled with blessing and new horizons. Your PCU aiga will miss you indeed.

04/06/2026