Could we serve our neighbouring nations through ocean-related education and exchange?

Could growing their capability and capacity also be to our benefit?

For strategic, political and sustainable development reasons, WA institutions are recommended to lead international capability and capacity building programs in the Indian Ocean.

WA institutions are already invested in: science partnerships across the Indian Ocean, programs to develop capability and capacity in specific areas, and campuses on neighbouring nations’ islands and in coastal areas.

There is scope to extend our reach and exchange programs with a focus on education, capability and capacity development in oceans-related disciplines. These may be in the form of training, scholarships, accelerator programs, secondments, joint science projects and donation of infrastructure. 

Factors including our relative wealth, capability, location and history place WA in a unique position to lead such initiatives. Both anecdotally, and in some cases measurably, there are significant benefits of active and generous outreach, education and exchange: 

• Reinforcing our position as a hub of expertise, ›growing from a science and education focus into broader economic relationships,
• Enabling collaboration on transboundary issues, such as pollution reduction, data collection and fisheries management, and
• Accelerating learning with nations that have more acute challenges, or that are more advanced in certain disciplines e.g. India for subsea mining.

DFAT growing Sri Lankan Women Entrepreneurs

Aquacelerator entrepreneurs from across Asia hosted in Perth

WA Government funding industry exchanges with Asia

Curtin campus in Mauritius and UWA in the Seychelles