Commonwealth Climate Resilience Network

With many Commonwealth countries on the frontline of climate change, the Commonwealth Climate Resilience Network is working to build resilience within universities and their wider communities.

Established in partnership with Fiji National University (FNU), the University of the South Pacific (USP) and the University of the West Indies (UWI), the network links universities directly affected by climate change with those that have expertise in building resilience.

Through the sharing of knowledge and best practice, the network helps to directly address the practical needs of universities and communities, while providing a platform for universities to connect with policymakers and develop effective approaches to resilience and disaster preparedness.

Benefits

Our networks are spaces where knowledge, capacity and resources can be shared. Crucially, they are practical, with activities that have a direct impact on university practice and the wider world. Benefits include:

1. Collaboration with network members, resulting in outputs that can be shared with the wider network and beyond. These collaborations may be supported by ACU grants
2. Brokerage activities to create introductions between members, potentially resulting in new research connections, international guest lecturers, co-supervisors, virtual-mobility relationships, COIL relationships, or mentoring matches
3. Attending or presenting at ACU events. Networks host at least three webinars per year and one major event every 18 months
4. Advocacy to raise the profile of strategic or campaign issues. Through the accredited status that the ACU holds at the Commonwealth and United Nations, the networks can help amplify impact on high-level policy platforms.

Join the network

There are two main ways to be part of the network:

Network member

Networks are open to all staff members and students at ACU member universities - with over 500 member universities in 50 countries, that’s a potential group of 10 million students and more than 1 million academic and professional staff.

Whether you are a student, vice-chancellor, academic or professional at an ACU member university, by joining a network you will instantly become part of a global collaboration with a diverse set of potential partners. You can join as many ACU networks and communities as you like, at any time. 

Steering committee

The steering committee sets the vision, strategic direction and delivery plans for the network. Some committee members also lead a thematic group that focuses on a mission-oriented or subject based theme for the network. 

• David Smith, Director, Centre for Environmental Management, The University of the West Indies
• Jeremy Collymore, Consultant, Disaster Resilience, Office of the Vice Chancellor, The University of the West Indies (UWI)
• Nii-K Plange, Director, Fiji National University Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies and Sustainable Development
• Elisabeth Holland, Director, Pacific Centre for Environment & Sustainable Development, University of the South Pacific

More information

To find out more, email resilience@acu.ac.uk