Climate change and health vocational education for development in Pacific islands

What is it about?

The EU PacTVET is a €6.3 million project running in 15 countries of the Pacific Community. Dr Hemstock was the author of the project and was leading it prior to joining BGU. Exploring the use of TVET to support resilience in the region with an emphasis on climate change and health the projects objective is that by 2030 and beyond the goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs; e.g. take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts) will be achieved. This research was looking at whether or not the EU PacTVET project activities had been successful to date – and it looks like its successful so far in terms of issues relating to climate change and health.

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Photo by Gregory Culmer on Unsplash

Photo by Gregory Culmer on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The EU PacTVET project at the centre of this research has achieved three global firsts for education: Regional, rather than national accreditation government sanctioned qualifications – Regional Certificates 1-4 in Sustainable Energy and Regional Certificates 1-4 in Resilience (Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction). Accredited by the Educational Quality & Assessment Programme (which covers 26 Pacific countries and territories). A new TVET subject area: The development of formal qualifications at levels 1-4 on the Pacific Qualifications Framework, which cover the subject area of “Resilience” (CCA and DRR). Qualification strands include: agriculture, coastal management, energy and infrastructure, fisheries, forestry, health, tourism and water resources. This involved getting “Resilience” recognised as an employment sector in the Pacific region. The recognition and professionalization of a “Resilience Sector” via the creation of the Pacific Regional Federation of Resilience Professionals (PRFRP).

Perspectives