From June 29 to July 3, 2026, the SOI Pacific team visited Suva, Fiji, together with members of the ARENA-PAC team. The visit formed part of SOI Pacific’s ongoing efforts to deepen regional understanding, strengthen partnerships, and explore opportunities for collaboration in research and education across the Pacific.
A major focus of the visit was engagement with academic institutions and regional stakeholders to exchange perspectives and identify opportunities for future collaboration. Together with members of the ARENA-PAC team, SOI Pacific engaged with the University of the South Pacific (USP), Fiji National University (FNU), and other regional stakeholders to discuss strengthening research and education networks, student exchange, and future collaborative opportunities. Through these discussions, both sides shared their perspectives and priorities, deepened mutual understanding, and confirmed their commitment to further developing collaboration. These conversations marked an important step toward building long-term institutional partnerships.
In addition to these meetings, the Keio team paid a courtesy visit to the Embassy of Japan in Fiji, where they exchanged perspectives with the Ambassador on regional developments and gained valuable insights into Fiji’s role within the broader Pacific region. Separately, the UH team visited the Fiji Meteorological Service (FMS) in Nadi, a long-standing partner in regional training in meteorology and disaster communications. Together, these engagements deepened SOI Pacific’s understanding of the regional context, strengthened relationships with key stakeholders, and provided valuable insights that will help inform the project’s future activities across the Pacific.
At the Embassy of Japan in Fiji
The visit marked another important step in SOI Pacific’s efforts to build trusted partnerships across the region. By continuing to work alongside universities, government agencies, and regional organisations, the project aims to foster meaningful collaboration that strengthens research and education networks, promotes digital connectivity, and contributes to a more connected and resilient Pacific.
Exchanging greetings at the University of the South Pacific (USP)
From June 20 to 24, 2026, members from Keio University, Japan (Keio), and the University of Hawaiʻi, USA (UH), visited the Republic of Palau to conduct the first official field visit of the SOI Pacific Project.
Launched in 2026, SOI Pacific is a joint education and research initiative between members from School on Internet Asia (SOI Asia), Keio and the Telecommunications and Social Informatics (TASI), UH. The project aims to strengthen research and education networks across the Pacific while fostering collaboration that supports sustainable digital development and regional resilience.
The year 2026 has been positioned as the project’s “Laying Foundation” phase—a critical period dedicated to deepening regional understanding, building relationships with local partners, and shaping the strategic direction of future activities. As the inaugural field engagement for SOI Pacific, Palau was selected as the initial case study site due to its strong regional connectivity, existing collaborative foundations, and active role in regional Pacific engagement, providing an ideal setting to explore opportunities for long-term collaboration.
A key objective of the visit was to listen, learn, and deepen the team’s understanding of Palau’s unique strengths, needs, opportunities, and challenges. Through dialogue with local stakeholders, the team explored community priorities, identified potential areas for collaboration, and gathered valuable insights to help shape the future direction of the project.
Throughout the visit, the team held more than ten meetings with a wide range of stakeholders, including government agencies responsible for education, human resources, ICT, cybersecurity, and digital transformation; educational institutions; NGOs; development partners such as JICA; and individuals involved in initiatives aligned with SOI Pacific’s goals. The delegation also paid a courtesy visit with the Senate Committee on Cybersecurity, Telecommunications and Technology.These discussions provided valuable insights into Palau’s education system, the needs and aspirations of students, and the country’s broader priorities for digital development. The team explored opportunities for future collaboration, including the implementation of educational programmes both within and beyond the formal school curriculum, while discussing potential frameworks for local partnerships. The meetings also offered valuable perspectives on internet connectivity and digital infrastructure, strengthening the team’s understanding of both the opportunities and challenges surrounding digital development in the Pacific and helping to inform future project activities.
SOI Pacific extends its sincere appreciation to all organizations, partners, and individuals who generously shared their time, knowledge, and perspectives during the visit. Their contributions were essential in helping shape a deeper understanding of Palau’s strengths, needs, opportunities, and priorities.
With Senators of PalauAt JICA Palau Office
As part of the visit, the team conducted a three-hour interactive workshop for Grade 11~12 students at Palau High School under the theme, “Design a Souvenir from Palau to Share with the World in 10 Years!” Through a combination of individual reflection and group activities, the nine participating students explored their hopes for the future—both for themselves and for Palau.They researched examples of souvenirs from Palau and around the world, developed marketing strategies, and presented their concepts to their peers. The workshop sparked lively discussions and showcased the students’ creativity through innovative proposals, including AI-powered storytelling souvenirs that preserve traditional narratives, accessories made from marine plastic waste, and custom-designed cultural products inspired by Palauan identity.
Students presenting their ideas during the “Design a Souvenir from Palau to Share with the World in 10 Years!” workshop
The visit marked a key milestone for SOI Pacific as its first field engagement. Through dialogue with local stakeholders and students, the team gained insights into Palau’s context and identified opportunities for future collaboration. Discussions emphasized balancing the preservation of Palauan traditions with opportunities enabled by digital technologies. These perspectives will help guide future activities as SOI Pacific continues to work alongside local partners to co-create initiatives that reflect local contexts, strengthen research and education networks, and contribute to a more connected and resilient Pacific.
Acknowledgements
While it is not possible to capture every discussion and exchange in this article, each meeting provided valuable perspectives that will help shape the future direction of SOI Pacific.
We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all the organisations and individuals who generously shared their time, knowledge, and hospitality during our visit. Their support made this inaugural field visit a meaningful learning experience and laid an important foundation for future collaboration.
We extend our sincere thanks to:
Principal and Students of the Palau High School
Bureau of Communications, Palau
Concierge Palau
JICA Palau Office
Joleen Ngoriakl – Digital resiliency work, Youth group initiatives
Ministry of Education, Palau
Ministry of Human Resources, Culture, Tourism & Development, Palau
SOI Pacific is pleased to share the latest update on our journey toward building a connected and resilient learning network across the Pacific.
In January 2026, members of SOI Asia, Keio University (Japan) and TASI, University of Hawaiʻi (USA) gathered for the first in-person meeting at University of Hawaiʻi. The meeting marked an important milestone in strengthening collaboration and shaping a shared vision for the future.
Together, we reaffirmed our shared commitment to co-designing sustainable, community-driven educational initiatives that connect institutions, educators, and learners across the region. The meeting also laid the foundation for future pilot activities and long-term collaboration.
We look forward to working with our partners to create meaningful learning opportunities that respond to the diverse needs of Pacific communities!
