Solomon Islands athletes at the newly built Pacific Games Stadium in Honiara. Photo: Facebook.com/Sol2023 XVII Pacific Games
A new collaboration between Oceania region's national Olympic body and Queensland universities has been launched to elevate Pacific Island athletes high performance, with an eye on Brisbane 2032.
The Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) announced the formal collaboration called the 'Queensland Cohort of a new University Alliance', which includes Olympic and Paralympic sports across the region.
According to a ONOC, the initiative is part of the ONOC's "Home Games Advantage" Programme and an agreement has been signed with the universities.
It is expected to strengthen high performance and sustainable development through sport as direct interventions and legacies of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Areas of collaboration includes scholarships for Pacific athletes and access to in-kind use of facilities, high performance centres, coaches, sport science services, and accommodation, amongst other things.
Representatives from the nine Queensland Universities under the ONOC University Alliance, at the launch event with President of ONOC, Dr Robin Mitchell. Photo: ONOC / Molly Siu
ONOC president Dr Robin Mitchell said the new alliance would change the game for the sport sector in the Pacific.
He said the collaboration would do that by addressing critical gaps in workforce development, research and innovation, learning and teaching, and build the evidence base specific to the Pacific to underpin sport and sport science.
"This is new partnership mechanism for ONOC; connecting with universities, beginning with Queensland but extending across the Pacific Islands and to New Zealand," he said.
"This partnership will leverage the latest thinking and innovations designed with and for our region; creating lasting legacies for Pacific Islanders that will endure well beyond the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.".
ONOC Home Games Advantage Programme lead Atma Maharaj said that the partnership was a monumental step for ONOC creating a formal partnership with university partners in Oceania like never before.
"It paves the way for enhanced sporting exchanges between Queensland and the Pacific Islands, advancing high performance for Brisbane 2032. It will build capacity across the sports sector, bringing lasting benefits to Pacific Islanders," Maharaj added.
According to ONOC, Queensland is the first ONOC University Alliance cohort.
The nine universities include: Australian Catholic University, Bond University, Central Queensland University, Griffith University, James Cook University, Queensland University of Technology, The University of Queensland, University of Southern Queensland, and University of the Sunshine Coast.