Ocean Country Partnership Programme Scholarships

Theme: Global challenges

The Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) Scholarships, funded through the UK’s Blue Planet Fund, offer a unique opportunity for students from the South Pacific to undertake a fully funded Master’s or PhD in marine science.

Our oceans are vital to all life on Earth, underpinning livelihoods, food security and cultural traditions for communities across the globe. However, the accumulation of marine pollution increasingly threatens fragile underwater ecosystems and has become one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time.

Universities and the people who research within them, have a vital role to play in tackling marine pollution and creating solutions to enable the sustainable use of marine resources.

Aimed at early to mid-career researchers from the Solomon Islands or Vanuatu who wish to develop a career in marine science, the OCPP scholarships will support world-class research and innovation in the area of marine pollution. Applications will also be accepted for PhD study from citizens of other Pacific Island countries.

Hosted by the University of the South Pacific, the scholarships will enable scholars from the South Pacific to harness their regional knowledge, conduct vital research and help develop solutions to marine environmental problems.

The aim of the scholarships is to support scientific research that will contribute to the conservation and sustainable management of marine resources. This first set of OCPP Scholarships will strengthen the capacity of partner countries in the South Pacific to tackle marine pollution, support the development of sustainable resource management and strengthen responses to marine environmental challenges.

The scholarships can facilitate a range of potential projects and research topics including:

Reducing marine pollution through action on land-based and aquatic-based sources, contributing to improved livelihoods and healthier environments.
Evidence gathering, tool and technology development, data analysis, modelling and the impacts of pollution on marine species, habitats and humans.
Applications are accepted under the OCPP marine pollution theme encompassing all forms of pollution including chemicals and heavy metals, nutrients and eutrophication, microbiological pollutants, pathogens and marine litter.

What does the scholarship include?

Scholarships will be awarded on an 18-month basis for Masters’ students and over 3 years for PhD candidates.  Each successful recipient will be entitled to:

Tuition fees (including general fees and health fees)
Living allowance
Research support grant
Travel grant (case by case basis)
Dependent, disability and maternity costs (case by case basis)

Eligibility criteria

Applicants for Master’s should be citizens of, and normally resident in, the Solomon Islands or Vanuatu.
Applications will be accepted for PhD study from citizens of other Pacific Island countries (Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Tokelau, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu), but only if their research is focused on or directly applicable to Vanuatu or the Solomon Islands.
Should be working in or have significant experience of work in the areas of environment, fisheries and aquaculture science.
Should hold an undergraduate or bachelor’s-level degree.
Should propose a research topic which is innovative, timely, and likely to lead to clearly demonstrated wider impact beyond the academic community.
Applicants must meet the eligibility criteria for postgraduate study at the host University.

Degree programmes

Master's

Citizens of the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are eligible to apply for a Master's in the following areas:

MA Environmental Management
MA Geography
MA Marine Management
Master of Agriculture
MSc Biology
MSc Chemistry
MSc Earth Science
MSc Environmental Science
MSc Geospatial Science
MSc Marine Science

PhD

Citizens of Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Tokelau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu are eligible to apply for a PhD in the following areas, but only if their research is focused on or directly applicable to Vanuatu or the Solomon Islands:

PhD Agriculture
PhD Biology
PhD Chemistry
PhD Earth Science
PhD Environmental Management
PhD Environmental Science
PhD Geography
PhD Marine Management
PhD Marine Science

How to apply

Applications must be completed through the online application form to be considered. If you don't already have an ACU account, you will need to set one up by clicking 'Get Started', in the top right-hand corner of the application login page.

We strongly advise applicants to read all of the application guidance and FAQs carefully, before starting their application, and then complete all questions in full.

Applications have now closed.

Solomon Shoreline (C) Alex Deciccio, CC BY SA 4.0 Via Wikimedia Commons

More information

To find out more please email ocpp_enquiries@acu.ac.uk
The Ocean Country Partnership Programme (OCPP) is a new UK Government-led programme delivered under the Blue Planet Fund. Find out more about the OCPP
The ACU are administering the OCPP Scholarships on behalf of the Centre for the Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas)

Funded with UK aid from the UK government.

Image credits (from top): Malaita Solomon Islands (c) Leocadio Sebastian, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. Image of Solomon Shoreline (c) Alex DeCiccio, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.