- Posted on 1 May 2025
- 5-minute read
The 2025 Pacific Leadership Program (PLP) was held at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) between March 31 – April 11, 2025. In attendance were 26 fellows from 13 Pacific Island Countries (PICs) and nation states: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
The Program was jointly hosted by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Development here at the University of Technology Sydney (WHO CCNM UTS), and the South Pacific Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officers Alliance (SPCNMOA).
This year, the Program was also partially funded by DFAT’s Australia Awards Fellowship (AAF) Program, and the Partnerships for a Healthy Region (PHR) Initiative, under which WHO CCNM UTS is carrying out the Strengthening Health Workforce Education in the Pacific (SWHP) Program. The SWHP Program was of particular emphasis in this year’s PLP and defined the Program’s objectives (read more in attached brief).
The PLP continues to bring together nurses and midwives from across the Pacific, with aims to address the nursing and midwifery leadership gaps across the health workforce. In doing so, it achieves much more, fostering networks of collaboration and regional identity. As one fellow put it, “...some of my favourite moments have been the sharing of stories and challenges, but also the achievements that we’ve had”.
The PLP this year saw insightful, informative, and engaging sessions held by UTS facilitators and other mentors, involving collaborative and interactive sessions and fruitful discussions. The sessions covered issues of nursing and midwifery regulation, Human Resources for Health, Gender Equality, Disability Inclusion, and Social Equity (GEDSI), climate change, leadership, and more.
Fellows from each country were also tasked with developing country projects and taskforces in line with the SWHP and PLP objectives, which they presented towards the end of the PLP (see attached brief for full list). Mentors from UTS Faculty of Health were assigned to guide them on their project planning and presentation. Upon return to their home countries, the fellows have been carrying out their planned projects.
A wonderful reception was held on the evening of April 10th at the UTS Aerial Conference Centre to welcome Program partners to meet with the PLP fellows, with other special guests.
The Reception saw a distinguished speaker list, among whom were Rosemary McKay (Director of UHC Section for the Global Health Division, DFAT), Prof Alison McMillan (PSM) (Australian Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer), Michael Larui (Regional Coordinator for SHWP, WHO CCNM UTS), Deki (WHO Technical Officer Fiji), Midori Anami Akimoto (Nursing Officer, WHO WPRO) (via online), and one of the PLP fellows Baaua Tawita (Fellow, Kiribati).
The event was a great success with fellows and guests sharing stories, networking and celebrating their presence and completion of the Program.
For further details on this year’s Pacific Leadership Program, see more in the attached brief.
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