CALL FOR PAPERS INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM IN VANUATU :

                                                       EDUCATION, CULTURES, IDENTITY

Purpose of the symposium::

As part of the establishment of the National University of Vanuatu, the Ministry of Education and Training of Vanuatu (MoET) has begun to elaborate the research component of the future university as a key part of it.

In that framework, the Directorate of Tertiary Education, in charge of this major project, strives to animate research through the organization of seminars and symposia involving researchers from universities in the region.
Thus, in 2017, a seminar was organized on the legal aspects related to the creation of the university; in 2018, the theme focused on emerging language issues and resulted in the publication of a book "From linguistic plurality to university bilingualism: realities and challenges".
In May 2019, a symposium on taxation attempted to examine the legal, economic and sociological implications of introducing an income tax, an issue of major importance for Vanuatu.
For 2020, the Ministry of Education and Training in partnership with the Vanuatu Cultural Centre (VKS) aim to organize a conference on education and culture challenges in a perspective of recognition of Vanuatu's identity at the dawn of the 40th anniversary of its independence.
These questions, which take into account the difficulty of not sacrificing sections of culture while trying to integrate them into the educational process, are regularly addressed by the Vanuatu Cultural Center which considers that it is urgent to document / preserve / enhance traditional knowledge and practices that are sometimes disappearing. As the nations of the Pacific continue to develop, it is imperative that TK and cultural heritage be taught in schools as a means of adapting to the challenges in the natural and social environment.

                                      Working languages: :

- French
- English
- Bislama

                                     Scientific Committee :

- Bergmans Iati, Directeur Général MOET
- Jean-Pierre Tom, Secrétaire Général Malvatumauri
- Ben Boulekouran, Directeur IFEV
- Kirk Huffman, Honorary Curator Vanuatu Cultural Center
- Matthew Spriggs, Professeur ANU
- Christelle Thieffry, Senior Officer DFAT
- Stéphane Minvielle, Enseignant ESPE-UNC
- Amton Mwaraksurmes, Enseignant USP
- Anthony Harry, Proviseur lycée LAB et doctorant à l’EDP
- Richard Shing, Directeur VKS
- Louis Arsac, COCAC Ambassade de France
- Anne-Rose Tjiobang, Directrice Enseignement Tertiaire
- Pierre Metsan, PEO Enseignement Supérieur et doctorant à l’EDP
- Anne-Sophie Vivier, Experte Technique Internationale enseignement supérieur
- Eric Vandendriessche, Chercheur, CNRS
- Anna Naupa, Director APTC

                                   Themes (non-exhaustive list) discussed during this symposium: :
1. History
How do we write history, especially independence period history? How do we engage people to take ownership of history?
Foreign and local perspectives are different.

2. Languages safeguarding
The first question to ask: Why is it necessary to keep vernacular languages?
The second question which follows is: how can we keep them alive and relevant for contemporary society?
Discussion around the creation of a languages academy.
This raises also the question of linguistic unity.

3. Educational system
How does the education and training system integrate cultural knowledges?
 

                                                                                               Date of the symposium :
                                                                                                                          → 24-25th June 2020

                                                                                               Deadline for sending contributions for overseas participants :
                                                                                                                          → 31^_st  March 2020

                                                                                               Deadline for sending contributions for local participants :
                                                                                                                          → 30th April 2020

Participants :

For the organization of this bilingual symposium, the university unit of the MoET and the VKS wish to bring together the institutional partners who have been working for a long time in Vanuatu, in particular the CREDO laboratory and the ANU, but also the country's researchers and doctoral students who are currently working on these issues.
Researchers from universities in the region, UNC, USP, Victoria University of Wellington and other Pacific Universities through the PIURN network, will also be invited to contribute through a call for papers.
Local participants from the schools and others who are interested in this field of research will also be invited to participate.

                                                                                             Publication of the proceedings of the symposium : → Yes

Contact for sending your contributions :

- Anne-Rose Tjiobang, Director Tertiary This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Anne-Sophie Vivier, Technical Advisor Higher Education, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Bellow the pdf version.